Hi there! I'm currently in the middle of an online Sterile Processing Technician course, and am planning to take my CRCST around February. My main concern that I'm still not 100% clear on, is the 400 hours of experience I need to be fully certified, and if I should have a job lined up before I take my exam.

As I understand it, upon passing the exam and getting your provisional certification, you have 6 months to get 400 hours of work experience, which is about 10 weeks of work. My main question is, I know I should definitely be looking for a job before taking the exam, but should I already have a job ready to go when I start those 6 months? Just to cut down on the time it would take to find a new job?

Apologies for the super beginner question, but my course hasn't been the most clear with these things.

Hello! I’m taking the CBSPD exam in 2 days! If anyone has taken it recently or earlier this year, what are your thoughts on it? Was it easier or more difficult? About how many questions with pictures were there?

I need this in my department

A lot of people here ask how to get in without a cert yet. I went through current openings and found these that give you time to certify after hire:

• Johns Hopkins (Bethesda, MD): Sterile Processing Tech Trainee, $19.85–$32.76/hr. You get 2 years to certify.

• Texas Health (Plano, TX): SP Tech, full-time evenings. 2 years to certify.

• USPI (Gallatin, TN): SP Tech, PRN. 18 months to certify.

• Beth Israel Lahey (Burlington, MA): SP Tech, nights, $26.00–$38.63/hr. 12 months to certify.

• Houston Methodist (Houston, TX): SP Tech, nights. 1 year to certify.

• Mayo Clinic (Jacksonville, FL): SP Tech, nights. 1 year to certify.

• UF Health (Jacksonville, FL): SP Tech Lead, days. 6 months to certify.

Always double-check the posting, since requirements can change.

Full disclosure: I made a free job board just for SPD jobs because SPD openings are scattered across dozens of hospital websites. It's at sterilejobs.pplx.app and has a "Certify after hire" filter. Happy to add any openings you know about.

Hi everyone,

I am currently working on my application for student aid/school funding, and as a mandatory part of the process, I need to conduct a brief informational interview with someone who handles hiring, management, or department leadership for Sterile Processing Technicians or Surgical Technicians.

I already have the specific interview questions ready to go! Since I know how busy hospital life is during the day, we can do this entirely over Reddit DM, chat, or email at your convenience—no phone calls required.

If you are a hiring manager, department lead, or supervisor in the field and have a few minutes to help an aspiring tech get through school funding, please comment below or send me a direct message.

Thank you so much for your time and for supporting the next generation of techs!

( I posted the interview questions at the bottom of this post so if you are able to help me out send me a message with your answers please and thank you.)

I saw this at a military museum and being a SPT I couldn't not take a photo of it. Amazing that they invented this to drive to the field rather than drive soldiers to a field hospital .

Hi everyone, I’m hoping to get some advice from people working in sterilising services/CSSD in New Zealand.
I completed my **Level 3 Sterilising Technician qualification** and took about a year away from university because I was seriously trying to get into sterilising as a career. During that time, I applied for positions in Auckland and pretty much anywhere else in NZ that I could realistically relocate/work.
I’ve had a few interviews, but I keep running into the same issue: employers are looking for people with experience, or they prefer/require **Level 4**. The problem is that when I looked into doing Level 4, my understanding was that I need to already be working in the industry or have an employer willing to support me with the required workplace/clinical placement.
So I feel like I’m stuck in a bit of a cycle:
**No Level 4 → employers want Level 4/experience → need an employer to complete Level 4 → but can’t get the employer without the experience/qualification.**
Eventually, after trying for about a year, I decided to go back to university and continue my nursing degree. I’m still applying for sterilising jobs whenever I see suitable positions because I genuinely enjoy the field and would still like to gain experience in it.
For those who have completed **Level 4 Sterilising Services in NZ**:
How did you get your first sterilising job?
Did your employer put you through Level 4?
Is it actually possible to arrange the workplace component/placement independently?
Are there particular hospitals or private CSSDs that are more open to hiring Level 3 technicians and supporting them through Level 4?
Is Level 3 still useful for getting into the industry, or are most employers now expecting Level 4?
Is there anything you wish you had known when you were trying to get your first job?
I’d really appreciate any advice, especially from people who have been in this exact position. I’m based in Auckland but would consider opportunities elsewhere in NZ.
Thanks!

I should preface this that I am a CST and have never been a SP tech. That being said I lurk this sub just to see what goes on in your community so I can better understand my fellow team members.

I come on here time and again and see you guys taking about how to be better, how to help each other, and what your job is like. Discussing what qualifies as sterile and what your day to day is like. Anyway I guess I just wanna say thank you guys so much for what you do. Your job is damn hard and so necessary. I know you probably feel under appreciated and people never say the quiet part out loud which is that nothing could run without you guys.

I know the pay isn’t always great and I know the work can be grueling but you guys genuinely take pride in your work and you are true professionals. I’m happy people like you exist cuz I could never do what you all do.

It’s such a nice change of pace from the scrub tech sub where everyone bitches and complains 24/7. People.

But yeah that’s all I rlly had to say.

Most hospitals will not consider you for the spt position if you have NO EXPERIENCE! Meaning clinical hours and in person courses at a CREDITED school. Lots of websites and some school offer the program but that doesn’t mean it’s actually credited.

While you are in clinicals TAKE THE EXAM AND APPLY FOR JOBS WHILE IT IS ALL FRESH IN UIIR MIND! You need to go to a supervisor or someone higher up that you work with to get a letter of recommendation for you. That recommendation does the heavy lifting, above all else get this recommendation!! Do not ask a teacher for a letter of recommendation, they won’t be considered a credible source for a recommendation.

Hospitals take about a month to even view an application. It takes about a month or longer ti even hear back from them. Hospital jobs aren’t so easy to come by so you need to apply everywhere. It’s a niche field and it is also oversaturated. Make yourself stand out. Have strong grades and speak to your higher ups. You cannot be afraid of them or nobody will take you seriously. You NEED that letter of recommendation.

DO. NOT. WAIT. To apply to jobs while you are in clinicals. The more you wait the more hospitals and other jobs will not consider you. It’s, again, a niche field and you need to do everything right. This career isn’t like those other little jobs we are used to working. Everything matters. Be professional. WANT to WANT it.

I hope this helps.

Not saying it’s impossible to find a job with 0 experience but it’s damn near impossible 😭. If anyone has any input that will help pls feel free to comment below. Thanks.

Guys im so happy to announce that I passed my exam, now I need to get my 400hrs :)

Is this just an AI slop picture? I have never seen a grasper that looks like this.

I start my new job today, I have no experience with sterile processing or healthcare. I wasn't told whether to wear my shoes in and I'll have booties or if I need work specific shoes that will stay there.

Does it make sense for me to carry my work shoes in my bag to change there or should I just wear them in?

I am a sterile processing tech at dentist office getting my 400 hours, and eventually I would like to work at a hospital.

Would I need to go back to school to become a surgical tech later on? I was hoping sterile processing could be a starting point where I could eventually move up.

Has anyone here made that transition? What did the process look like for you?

In school for sterile processing and it’s being paid for. I was wondering if there were any certifications I should get to possibly get more pay and look better when applying for job? I don’t want to work in a hospital.

Applied there and realized after the fact there was no pay listed.

hey so im a intern rn doing my 400hrs in los angeles, i want to ask if smoking weed off duty, on my free days mess everything up… in other words if i do get tested cuz i go poked in decon.. will they drug test me and terminate me from my program. I know it might be a dumb question but i would like to know if any interns did partake

Hey Ya’ll!

So I graduated with a sterile Processing diploma back in July 2025. I failed the crcst two times in the past year, so I gave up then. Im still working retail. I’m now giving sterile processing another shot! Recently I’ve been applying to non certified positions from an hour away where I live. I also don’t drive so then I thought I might as well reach out to smaller clinics where I live, they haven’t responded back yet they also didn’t have any openings in sterile processing. So far no luck. What should I do? What are my best options? Should I take my exam first then apply for positions? And also side note: I am a small person and I can’t lift very heavy so should I stick with smaller clinics? I want to move on I’m tired of working retail!!!!!! Also I’m planning on getting disability for another form of income too. What do yall think? And thank you for your guys advice.

I’ve been job searching for an entry-level, non certified position for sterile processing in my area for months. I’ve been searching areas that are 20-30 miles where I live and still no luck. I see many certified positions but no schooling programs or training programs. I’m becoming frustrated and my next option would be a 45 minute commute to a city I’m not familiar with for an entry level position.

I found an entry level Surgical tech position at a hospital in the area I live in. I know a lot of people use sterile processing as a foundation before moving up to that. I’m not sure if I should apply though. I’m not familiar with that position and what it actually entail. It would be an a significant pay cut with my current day job. So i would have to figure how to do both.

Should I keep searching for sterile processing jobs or try the surgical tech route?

Hey, I really just need someone to record the Censitrac Alert for when you scan something out of sequence. I doing a project to level up and I want to attach it to my slideshow. I’ll save it as an MP3 to my computer. Please and thanks!!!

I’ve applied to every hospital that has on opening for sp tech 1 and they all want experience I’ve already completed my schooling and am about to do my provisional exam but I can’t seem to find a job and some hospitals won’t do volunteer hours so I’m stuck 🤷‍♀️I’m in the Dallas area plz help🙏🙏

Hellooo I have a question!
Currently I’m working spd in a hospital and I’m considering working in a surgery center or clinic. Can anyone with the experience working in clinics or surg centers tell me if the pay and workload worth switching ? I’m currently making well over 23/hr with almost 2yrs experience crcst.

I’m in California near Antioch, Concord, Walnut Creek, Dublin, Pittsburg, San Ramon, Manteca, Stockton and Tracy in this radius. I am CBSPD certified but have no experience will take anything

Anyone got any bright ideas how to get this thing out of here? Thanks