Benefit of Getting A Surgical Tech Degree in Houston, Texas

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Houston, Texas has to be one of the most renowned medical communities in the world. There are 620 hospitals in Texas and 107 of them are in Houston.

These hospitals specialize in everything from pediatric heart procedures, cancer, orthopedics and countless other areas of expertise.

Educational Considerations

Upon deciding on a medical career, the next item to consider is venue; will you be going to a medical school in Texas or a surgical tech school somewhere in the state? There are at least 6 accredited surgical tech programs in Houston, Texas alone, and they all have great reviews. The downside is that none of them offer associate degree programs. Associate degree programs are preferred because of licensure issues, which are being constantly considered in the Texas legislature.

However, even with a certificate in surgical technology, the experience in this profession for an upcoming medical student is priceless, especially if he or she aspires to go forward into advanced types of surgery. Being a surgical technologist would give an incredible amount of insight to the student and also supply a salary while going through school.

Many hospitals also offer tuition reimbursement. If a student signs a contract to fill out some time to help be of service to that facility, often there is tuition reimbursement in a healthy sum for being able to retain the student for a couple of years. Surgical tech students who want to eventually transition to medical school would be able to work full or part time and go to school on off hours under the umbrella of employment and benefits.

Employment Opportunities

With certain professions, the student may graduate and have a difficult time finding employment. Employment of surgical technologists is projected to grow 30 percent from 2012 to 2022, much faster than the average for all occupations. Advances in medical technology have made surgery safer, and more operations are being done to treat a variety of illnesses and injuries.

With Houston being a medical mecca, there will be no shortage of employment opportunities for surgical techs looking to become medical doctors. Physicians are good teachers for the most part, and they will most often take a serious student under their wing and help him or her along in their career mode. A surgical tech would also be able to develop relationships and a great support group as he or she works through clinical and further training.

Marketability

Working in the Houston area bodes well for an impressive resume. With founding fathers like Denton Cooley, M.D., Micheal Debakey, M.D., and other famous surgeons having paved the way for so many medical breakthroughs, Houston has a reputation for life saving facilities above and beyond many others considered “the best” in the country. Having any of these hospitals as work experience on a resume will make the interviewer sit up and take notice and increase the marketability of surgical techs and other healthcare professionals.

Medical students who want to go to medical school in Texas would have a much better chance of being selected with a well-established surgical technologist background in a Houston facility.