MooCow67

And ShariDCST, I want to thank you for your PM. I can't find way to reply to it directly, so I thought I'd do it here. It was by the far the most detailed and helpful response I've gotten thus far in my search. Thanks a ton.

Well thank you - that was very well detailed. I live in Minnesota by the Mayo Clinic, so our college is top notch when it comes to medical training, since they work hand in hand with them :) So the program is listed here: http://www.rctc.edu/program/st/program_description.html and it's accredited with the CAAHEP, so I'd be able to become fully certified afterward :) I think the CST program sounds more my style than the nursing program for sure.

Holy Wall of text. Sorry - I have noscript, and forgot to disable it for the site - so it sends walls of texts when I post on forums that have scripts blocked. I can't find an edit button anywhere either, so sorry for all that. I wanted to add to my post - what sort of things would you suggest someone start studying if they wanted to eventually go into a Surg Tech course? Instrument names, what they're used for, sterilization processes, etc, etc... And does anyone know some good websites or books to study from? I wouldn't mind getting a bit of a head start should I choose to enroll next year

I was looking at my local college, and being in Rochester with the Mayo Clinic, there are a lot of medical programs available. I'd been looking at the Registered Nursing, Radiology, and Surgical Technology. All of them are 2 years courses (although with the RN, I think some people go elsewhere for another 2 years for a 4 year degree). Anyway - I've been looking into the Surgical Tech program more seriously because it sounds really interesting - and more towards something I could do, and would love to do. The RN interests me too, but I honestly don't think I'd be cut out for it in reality. I did some google searching and couldn't find much in the way of forums though, and I wanted to get some personal opinions. This is the only good looking place that came up in my search. Basically, I'm wondering if any OR Nurses, or Surgical Techs, could tell me what it's like to actually be a surg tech, and perhaps what it takes. I know reading my college's info and from doing random searches that it can be a somewhat physically demanding job (no bathroom breaks for up to 6 hours, standing around for basically hours on end possibly, etc, etc). I know that they're basically the 2nd assistant (it seems the Surg Assistant gets to do more hands on, while the Surg Tech seems more like a prep person who assists as well). But I was hoping to get some first hand info on what it's really like, and what it demands from a person. One issue I'm worried about is my unchecked bladder issue - I appear to have a massively overactive bladder. One can of pop can seriously send me to the bathroom 4-5 times in an hour sometimes (other times it does nothing)... I was checked years ago and they found nothing wrong, but I haven't done anything recent about it (but I am going to set up an appt. with my doctor sometime in a the next month or so). I also tend to get a sore back from standing too long, but I think that's just an out-of-shape issue, I need to get myself back into shape. Those are my only other real concerns. I've got good ears, good eyes, good co-ordination, if I want something enough - I'm a hard worker... I've got a 2 month old daughter, and I'm basically looking to go back to College in a year or so (maybe Fall 2009) and get a degree in something that I can hopefully do the rest of my life. That's basically my story. As I said before, I'm hoping some people can give me some first hand info on what the job is really like and what it requires in a person. Thanks for any help.