Surgical Techs
ARE YOU TOO OLD?

HARD CORE FACTS
Your Age & a Surgical Tech Career!

Even if you want to skip the entire  newsletter here, do yourself a favor and scroll to the bottom for a  free video.

Practical "OLD AGE" advice & some serious inspiration...read on~

It really amazes me how often I get the following question:

"Robert, I'm ____ years old & I was wondering if you think I'm too old to become a surgical tech?"

This question is often followed by a complete heartfelt physical description about the person writing in saying things like, "I can still run a mile", or "I still look really good", or "I'm in the best shape of my life" or "Most men think I'm in my 20's" or "Women can't believe it when I tell them I'm ____"..etc, etc...

First of all: BRAVO to the "older population" looking for a new career & a path that has the potential to change your life!

I really do commend you for looking at a career or professional life change no matter how old you may be.

AND secondly, there are some hard core facts that you really need to know about "age & being a surgical tech".

Sidenote --> a great resource you might want to take a look at:

 Learn How to Re-Program your Mind and Reach your Goals Automatically

NOW, many of you know me and my "mindset"about what YOU can do with yourself based on YOUR mindset.

BUT when it comes to being TOO OLD..??...,,,

There really are some hard core facts you need to know:

However, before I get into the "hard-core facts" about your age & a surgical tech career, let me just make a few general points based on my own experience & personal beliefs.

• You are only limited by your own thoughts.

Now I know that sounds like some self-help guru talking about how you think, but it's the truth.

• You are and become what & who you are based on your own thoughts, despite age, physicality's, disabilities, etc

I once had a roommate who was a few years younger than me & he was paralyzed from the waist down. He was in a car accident in his 20's, got thrown from the car, & was instantly paralyzed. Therefore he was & currently is in a wheelchair, but it never stopped him from pursuing his dreams & aspirations. As a matter of fact, after a very short time, I didn't even notice him being in a wheelchair anymore, I only noticed him...

My old pal did not think for a second about what he couldn't do, rather he adapted & got on with what he could do....

• There was also a time I was chatting quite often with a retired lawyer via email on the site here.

She quit practicing law in her 60's and had the same question about the "age thing".

Of course I gave her my heartfelt advice about you can if you think you can & within a couple of years I got an email from her thanking me & telling me that she graduated surgical tech school & landed her first job in the O.R., in her 60's....

I could go on & on about the power of your own belief but I want to give you some real world, hard core facts, a little inspiration, a resource for you, and then you decide.

The following 5 hard core facts are not meant to deter you, rather they are meant to enlighten you with some facts about the surgical world.

HARD CORE FACT #1

• You will be required to stand for long periods.

If your age or physicality prevents you from being able to stand on your feet in one place for hours on end, this might not be the right career for you.

Now, there are some jobs for surgical techs that might not require long periods on your feet, but overall, being on your feet for long periods of time is a standard thing...

HARD CORE FACT #2

• The surgeons keep getting younger.

Although there is often a pretty fair balance of older surgeons & younger surgeons in the operating room, the older we get the younger the surgeons seem to be getting.

Why is this a hard core fact?

Well, it has been my experience (and yes, I speak from personal hard core experience) that older surgical techs have had an occasional issue with someone half their age or even quite a few years younger than them telling them what to do or giving them a hard time during a procedure for one reason or another.

If you have any kind of an issue with authority figures, having an authority figure half your age may not be too easily tolerated.

I mean think about it, if a new surgical tech is, lets say 50ish, and the surgeon is 30ish with an attitude, and the new tech has authority issues, we have a recipe for explosions.

You will deal with people in the operating room who are older & who are younger, and it seems that the surgeons just keep getting younger and younger...

HARD CORE FACT #3

• The O.R. nurses & O.R. management seem to get younger & younger....

Again, just like in the last hard core fact, a new, young O.R. nurse can be nightmare as he/she is learning the ropes and doing everything strictly by the book.

AND the O.R. nurse is also in a position of authority as the surgical tech is below the RN on the chain of command.

Although there are still quite a few O.R. "old-timers" out there running the operating room, the new blood will eventually take over and be in charge.

So once again, if you have an issue with authority, imagine having an issue with someone in a position of authority half your age.

HARD CORE FACT #4

• Call & overtime are often required & sometimes even made mandatory.

If you cannot handle being called in at 3 a.m. for any type of reason whatsoever, you may want to rethink this career choice.

Although there are plenty of facilities & positions that do not require call or overtime, it does happen & you need to be available.

There have been times in my career when I would get called in at 11pm, come home at 1 a.m., get called back in at 1:20 a.m., come home at 3:30 a.m., and then get called in as I was getting out of the car, all in one single night.

You have to be  strong physically, emotionally, & psychologically during the call times.

HARD CORE FACT #5

• You have to be able to be open minded, flexible, and be able to adapt.

It seems the older we get the more set in our ways we become, simply out of habit & human nature.

If you are at an age or point in your life where you cannot adapt and/or change your ways to "their way" of doing things, well, you may just want to think about it....

Listen, the bottom line is this:
Nobody can tell you if you're
too old to do something in/with your life!

If  YOU think  YOU  can, YOU can!

If you're passionate about becoming a surgical tech & are realistic about the nature of the position, you should do fine.

To wrap things up, being older may present some challenges based on the hard core facts I presented above.

But if you really want to become a surgical tech and you've done the research about the pay, opportunities, current economy, and job market, then don't ever let anybody hold you back!!!

Take a look at this instantly available resource to help reframe your thinking:

Learn How to Re-Program your Mind and Reach your Goals Automatically

Finally, below is a short inspirational video...FREE...
Take ONE minute & 18 Seconds to watch it, it may change your life!
Never stop believing in yourself!

Until next time,

Your friend~

Robert Prince, CST

Surgical Tech Success Handbook