For the people who work past the red line.
Career guides, honest advice and OR stories for surgical technologists and surgical assistants. Written by a CST and CSFA who has been there.
Wherever you are in your career, start here.
Most of us follow the same road: getting into the field, growing in it, and for some, moving up to first assist. Pick your stage.
Thinking about it
Become a surg tech
What the job really is, how to get into a program, and how to pass the CST exam.
- What a surgical technologist actually does
- How to become a surg tech, step by step
- Choosing a surgical tech program
Already scrubbing in
Grow your career
Specialties, travel contracts, better pay, and keeping your CST current.
See all guidesMoving up to assist
First assisting
The road from CST to CSFA, and how the surgical assistant roles differ.
See all guides
Mayo Stand Talk
Short, honest posts about OR life, surgical cases and getting into the field.
All posts- OR tipsYour first time observing in the ORComing soon
- StudentsSurg tech students ask: the eight questions I hear mostComing soon
- SurgeryDrains after an abdominoplasty: are they really needed?Coming soon
The story behind the site
Unseen Heroes of the OR is my memoir of life as a surgical technologist at a Level I trauma center: the emergencies, the routine cases, and what the work takes out of you. It’s why this site exists.
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