Surgical technologists aid surgeons by recognizing physician demands and ensuring that the process is carried out as accurately and successfully as achievable. They cleanse and sterilize apparatus, assemble the operation room, and administer a hygienic atmosphere. Wipes, scrub specialists, surgical professionals, and operation theater technicians are all terms used to describe surgical technologists. Surgical technologists are members of the surgical team who are overseen by a licensed practitioner or an operating manager.

The majority of surgical technicians work in hospitals. During the medical operation, the surgical technologist is in charge of forecasting the physician's demands bypassing equipment and delivering necessary resources such as sponges, sharps, and equipment qualifies, offering answers and treatments to the physician, obtaining tissue samples to be transferred off to the condenser, and guaranteeing that sterile conditions are maintained.


Most surgical technologists have graduated from a community or state university, a technical school, a university, or the military after completing an authorized surgical technician program. The most skilled surgical technicians are meticulous and dexterous.

Eligibility Criteria

• Must possess at least 50% aggregate from a recognized institution in 12th, from any board PUC/CBSE/ICSE/ISC, etc. However, the cut-off margin varies with the selection process of different colleges.
• Should procure a valid score in entrance exams such as NEET 2021. NEET, AIIMS, JIPMER, AFMC, PGIMER, DNB CET, etc. Different colleges offer their entrance exams if you don’t have a satisfactory score in JEE or other competitive exams – colleges like NMIMS, Symbiosis International University, XUB, Andhra University, LPU, etc. Every state offers its entrance exam as well.
• One must earn a degree in MBBS or a Diploma in General Surgery to become a Surgical Technologist. This is a basic qualification you must require to enroll in this line of work.
• An M.S in General Surgery can also prove to be helpful while looking for a higher degree and better learning.

Tasks to perform

• During the procedure, hand tools and materials to surgeons and surgeon's helpers, hold external rotators and clip sutures and execute other activities as ordered by the surgeon.
• Cleanse and replenish the surgical area, collecting and putting materials and equipment according to guidelines, such as a selection card.
• Sterilizers, lighting, suction machines, and testing devices are all operated, assembled, adjusted, or monitored to guarantee correct function.
• Cleanse arms and hands and help the surgery team with scrubs, masks, and surgical garb.
• Evaluate and analyze the operations room's surroundings, as well as the needs of the patients and operational team, regularly.

Knowledge required

• English Grammar — Familiarity in English Grammar, the form, and substance of the English language, along with the context and pronunciation of words, principles of grammar, and language.
• Medical Science — The ability to accurately evaluate human injuries, illnesses, and malformations using knowledge and skills. Indications, potential treatments, pharmacological characteristics and contraindications, and preventative healthcare practices are all included.
• Biological Knowledge – Awareness and a brief understanding of the working principles behind different genera and species of animals and plants, their interaction with the environment, relationship with the ecosystem, etc.
• Client and Legitimate Service — Implementation of standards and procedures for the provision of customers and services rendered. This involves identifying customer expectations, meeting product quality requirements, and assessing customer loyalty.
• Chemical Dexterity — Able to understand the chemical structure and composition of substances available in the environment. Includes the understanding of changes, interactions between different substances, methods of production, and safe disposal of toxic substances.

Job roles offered

Once you procure the required qualifications for becoming a Surgical Technologist, a myriad of options is open to you. There are multiple projects you can undertake throughout this line of work, and there are many other fields you can branch out to as well.

• Surgical Scrub Technician: A surgical scrub technician is a member of the operating room crew who is also referred to as a scrubbing technician or an operation theater technician. A surgical scrub technician is a college-educated operating theater employee who undertakes a variety of tasks, including supplying the neurosurgeon with the tools he or she would need to do operations. Surgery is performed using a sterile method, which means that the equipment and other items used in operations are free of microorganisms to avoid contamination. Scrub techs must not only do their jobs without polluting the sterile environment utilized in surgery, but they must also discourage everyone else from compromising sterilized toolkits. After surgery, the scrub tech is in charge of securely retrieving dangerous and sensitive tools and measuring them to ensure that nothing is left within the physician. They also make certain that throwaway equipment is properly disposed of or transported to be disinfected and sanitized for reuse.
• Anesthesia Technologists: Anesthesia technologists support anesthesia teams by assisting anesthetists, physicians, and other medical personnel. Cleaning, maintaining, and preparing anesthetic apparatus for use in medical operations is their primary task. Individuals who can multitask well and understand how things work would prosper in this position. The majority of anesthetic technicians work full-time in primary care, disfigurement, and transplantation departments, as well as outpatient surgical centers, at bigger institutions. Their shifts may well be greater than eight hours, and they may be contracted to close in the evening hours, weeknights, or even on vacations.
• Operation Theater Technicians: Operation theater technicians are personally liable for guaranteeing that the illumination, equipment, and other technological aspects of theatrical shows function successfully, securely, and on schedule. The role of the theater attendant in the operating room is to ensure that the theatrical information is maintained in perfect working condition and that everyone who uses or is subjected to it is secure. Individuals who choose to work as operating room users products healthcare providers with acute management. The individual in question is well-versed in all elements of functioning in an operating room, including healthcare waste treatment and disease prevention. An operation theater specialist will be able to establish the operating room, appropriate equipment, sterilize the area, maintain hygiene habits, and aid the nurses and surgeons with different operations before the actual surgery, such as filling out paperwork.
• Surgical Assistant: Surgical assistants are responsible for a variety of tasks throughout the operation, including pre-surgery and post-surgery. A surgical assistant's duty includes keeping the operating room clean to execute surgery. They sterilize and sanitize surgical apparatus. They check if the technology is working or not. They check to see if it's safe to operate on. Surgical assistants help patients get ready for surgery. Before conducting any operation on them, they ask people a range of questions to learn about their health - care history and contemporary medical issues. Surgical assistants use electronic devices to check individuals' health status and ensure that they are appropriate. They frequently do minor medical procedures such as wound management, suture cutting, tube insertion, and needle administration. Individuals who work as surgical assistants execute all of the fundamental chores that allow surgeons to focus on critical technical activities. Can also Assist General Surgeons .
• Operating Room Technician: Operating room technicians aid the operational physician by arranging the operating theater for the patients, maintaining the physician's medications, and clearing away after the surgery. Although accreditation is not required by the state, companies may prefer registered OR technicians. Surgical technologists, often known as operating room technicians, assist doctors and patients during surgical operations. The bulk of these workers are employed in hospitals. Operating room technicians are responsible for making sure that all of the necessary equipment is sanitized and ready, as well as preparing patients for procedures and assisting surgical teams with cleaning. Surgeons, licensed nurses, and other operational staff members are all required to supervise the profession. Technicians usually work 40 hours a week, although they may be required to be accessible or on call in the event of an emergency.

Career opportunities

A Surgical Technologist can opt for various fields of work in the companies listed below:

• Apollo Hospitals
• Columbia Asia Hospitals Pvt. Ltd.
• Midland Healthcare & Research Center
• Virtua Health
• Covenant Health
• Medical College, Hospital & Research Center
• Smiths Medical
• Aspirus
• K.D Medical College Hospital and Research Center
• OM Solution

Colleges offering courses

• India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi
• Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh
• Christian Medical College, Vellore
• Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow
• Parul University, Vadodara
• Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
• Kasturba Medical College, Manipal
• Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry
• Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, New Delhi
• King George's Medical University, Lucknow