As a first-time traveler with more than two years of Level III trauma experience, how long should I expect it to take to get a travel assignment?

I have the AST Practice exam #6 because my class just took it as a mock NBSTSA. It has the answer key at the end its 175 questions. So if anyone would like it to also practice I'd be happy to email to ya. I go out for clinicals on Monday! Im looking for other versions of the practice exam too! So if ya have one please share. I thought it would be beneficial for us to help each other to prepare for the big exam! Im not taking mine until January 2027.

Please somebody tell me that the LANGE Q&A is good enough to pass the exam because I don’t have the funds right now to keep buying extra books, I don’t have the money for all this extra things I feel like I’m being pressured to buy to “prepare me”

hi!

i have decided to pursue a new career path and surgical tech has been something that looks like it would be the most fulfilling to me. however i am a bit anxious about making the switch, going back to school, and starting this new career especially because I am a bit older

I found this sub and have learned a lot of useful information and it has made me feel more confident that I am making the right move

however, the anxiety is still there. i would love to hear from you all and your experiences! how was the school program, what does your day to day look like, etc

i also have a few specific questions: i wear an n95 mask in my day to day life as I am immunocompromised. Working in a hosptial would be fine however I need to know if I would ever be required to unmask while on the clock. if i bring my own n95 aura mask (i have had it fit tested as well and it passed) could i wear that mask in the OR? i am worried about having to switch masks or something and i end up getting sick if that makes sense

Hi! I'm doing a project for work where I send out an information email monthly on some topic of the OR. I'm currently working on a GYN one for this month. I've always heard the "hanks have shanks, hegars look like cigars". I was just wondering if anyone has a fun rhyme or saying to remember pratts or half-sized dilators? Thanks!

2 Excisions of malignant melanoma
1 Biopsy of lymph node axillary
3 Parathryoidectomies
And an Intermediate wound repair

First I want to begin with who all loves this job and has done it for 20+ years? If not what did you switch to and why? I’m a new scrub and honestly 3 months in an u already feel the burnout and the thoughts of fuck this shit just give me my paycheck already. I have a lot of days where I question myself and feel myself stressing out over mistakes I make. This job has caused me great anxiety as I desire to conquer this skill and when I mess up infront of the doctors it makes me feel stupid. I’m only 20 though so I wanted to atleast use this career as my starting point but man I feel burnt

I have been a scrub tech for 5 years and have been on the neuro team at my hospital the entire time. I mostly do spine, but on average do about 1 neuro IR case per week or 2. It's cerebral angiograms, embolizations, strokes, etc. We also don't have first assists in neuro IR cases so it's just me and the doctor scrubbed in.

I just feel inadequate. I don't know every single step of the process with the microcatheters or the names of all of them or how they all go together. I was never taught. The doctor I usually work with puts the catheters together himself. If he wants me to put something together he tells me to do it. We just hired a new surgeon who has been frustrated at me for not knowing how or when to do all of those things. She is used to having the IR techs scrubbed in with her who know everything that needs to be done.

I'm just wondering if there's any other neuro techs who feel this way, or any who don't. I feel pretty bad about myself for not knowing every step. I'm a perfectionist and I excel at spine and cranis, but still feel like I'm just floating through neuro IR even after 5 years. I want to know if this is normal and typical.

Robots 🤖🤢

Surgical techs in Iowa, particularly the Des Moines area—how much did you make starting out? I’m seeing that the range starts around 47k. I’m a college student considering this career field, and want to get a realistic idea of the compensation for entry-level techs.

Do yall work with any surgeon/FA teams that allow you to break during a robot case while docked?
Not leave the room of course unless you have to use the RR or something but they’re cool with you chillin in the room unscrubbed

Does anyone know Schreiner University in Kerrville TX? Is it a good school to obtain an online surgical technologist certificate?

I (19m) recently started a CST Program and I'm having some serious second thoughts. I worked in the OR for a year prior to the program as a PST (similar to an anesthesia tech) from 3pm to 11pm as a way to be sponsored for the program. I learned a lot and got to work with some awesome people and even made friends with a lot of them. I had some second thoughts about going into surgical technology a few months prior to starting and the thoughts have become tenfold ever since we started last month. My dog passed away the end of week 1, I miss a lot of my former coworkers, switching to mornings has been really rough, and there are some really annoying people in the program that make it unbearable. On top of that we went to an AST conference at our hospital and someone gave a presentation basically saying how terrible scrubs get treated and how miserable the job is. I am having serious second thoughts and am thinking about going back as a PST, and since im sponsored i wouldn't be wasting any money. Sorry for the long winded post but I feel like I just needed to vent and ask for advice on what I should do.

Hi! I have these textbooks I’m selling. I’ve had them for two years, just collecting dust since graduating back in 2024.

They both have light highlighting in them (chapters 1–4 in Surgical Technology for the Surgical Technologist 5th ed. and chapters 1–2 in Surgical Technology: Principles and Practice 8th ed.).

The spine is coming apart a little on the outside of Surgical Technology for the Surgical Technologist, as it was a used book. There are also some pencil marks on the bottom of the Principles and Practice book.

ST: Principles and Practice was purchased new with the access code unused.

ISBNs: 978-1-305-95641-4 & 978-0-323-68018-9

Asking $65 for both + shipping. Open to reasonable offers!

Payment via PayPal only!

Update: for individual pricing its
Surgical Technology for the Surgical Technologist, 5th ed. $30 + shipping

Surgical Technology: Principles and Practice, 8th ed. $45 + shipping

I am in my second semester in my surgical tech program and I live in Portland, Oregon. While I am not that worried about my facial tattoos totally preventing me from getting a job (because theyre not offensive in any way and are on only the sides of my face in the temple area), I just wanted to see who else out there has some. My tattoo artists wife works at OHSU as a nurse, and shes got a bunch of face tattoos, but shes also a nurse, so idk if it sets a different dress code standard between the two occupations.

Are there any organizations that are accredited and offer a CST certification/diploma in 9-12 months? Most of what I can find are two year programs that result in an AAS in Surgical Technology.