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Surgical Tech Future - SurgicalTechSuccess
January 04, 2006
Hi,

Happy New Year!

I certainly hope your New Year is starting out the way you would like it to start and you have goals of making this the best year ever.

Recently I've been getting asked a lot of questions regarding the income surgical techs make. This seems to be a very common question and will soon be added to our list of FAQ's.

While there is no way to say exactly how much money you will make as a surgical tech, I want you to take a moment and think about the future of surgical technology and being a surgical tech.

It's extremely common to think about how much money you will make in any profession you choose.

But I must tell you that if you are getting into this field just to make lots and lots of money, you need to readjust your thought process.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos106.htm , the median annual earnings of surgical technologists were $34,010 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $28,560 and $40,750. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $23,940, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $45,990.

Notice that these figures were based on information published for the year 2004. I think it would be a safe bet to say that these numbers are probably higher in the year 2006.

Now, all of that being said, the future of surgical technology and the opportunities you have or will have with an education in this field are only limited by your motivation and desire to advance your career into a higher paying position.

You truly have a "back-stage pass" into an arena that most people, looking in from the outside, would love to have.

Some of the opportunities you'll have with your surgical technology training include becoming a First Assistant and possibly having the opportunity to bill insurance companies for your services, becoming a traveler and living practically rent free while on assignment, becoming an expert in a particular service or specialty and eventually commanding a rate of pay based on your expertise, and of course you can always work on obtaining a higher level degree while working as a tech and taking advantage of tuition reimbursement or assistance provided by many of the medical facilities who will employ you. Very often you can put yourself in a position while working in the operating room where you can take additional college courses to move your career in the direction you desire.

Plus, most surgical techs will have the opportunity to work overtime making anywhere from time and a half to double time your regular salary.

Taking call is another way you can boost your income as a surgical tech. Very often you will get paid just for carrying a beeper and be paid a higher rate of pay if called in for a case.

If you're an experienced tech, becoming a traveler, a private scrub, or working your way into sales are other opportunities to think about.

If you're an educator, setting up a surgical tech consulting business may be something to think about. You can set up private one on one consulting or career advisement sessions based on your expertise and be paid a flat or hourly rate.

I've known surgical techs who supplemented their incomes very nicely by becoming a CPR instructor and charging a fee for weekend classes.

As you can see there is a future in the field of surgical technology and the way I see it, having an expert with your training and skills will always be in high demand which helps to solidify a prosperous future.

The bottom line is this:

Stop looking at the starting salary of a surgical tech and start looking at the BIG picture of where your training can take you.

Most people who only focus on starting at a high rate of pay or continually think about "how much" will always be stuck at that level and rarely move forward.

I've said this in previous newsletters: Do what you love and the money will follow.

Now I'm not saying that you shouldn’t CONSIDER the rate of pay you'll be making. We all need to know that we can pay our rent or mortgage or car payments or whatever else you need to pay to live day to day. BUT, if you are always hung up on the "how much", you'll never really think about becoming an expert in your field and you'll miss a world of opportunities in the future of Surgical Technology.

Think about where you would like to take your surgical tech career, picture yourself getting there, and never give up. You really can have an incredible future in the unique and specialized field of surgery.

I'm always interested in hearing your thoughts and comments about my newsletter.

Feel free to contact me anytime. I answer e-mails personally and I love sharing my personal experience in this field based on nearly 20 years in and around the surgical world.

AND if you want a ton of detailed information, motivation, and resources, you really should take a look at the Surgical Tech Success Handbook package:

https://www.surgicaltechsuccess.com/surgicaltechsuccesshb.html

Until next time~

Your friend,

Robert

p.s. the Surgical Tech Success website is going to be even bigger this year. I've already started adding new pages and resource links. Take a look at the site and feel free to send me any comments regarding things you'd like to see added. Thank You!


"Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy." - Dale Carnegie
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