What is a surgical tech?
This is a healthcare professional who has so many responsibilities when it comes to surgery.
Without a surgical tech, a surgeon could not perform their job.
A tech gets the operating room and patient ready for surgery, helps during the procedure, and cleans up after it’s over.
Surgical techs are essential parts of the surgical team.
If the thought of being a surgeon’s right-hand man sounds like the kind of action in healthcare you’d be down for, follow along.
We let you know the steps you’ll need to take in order to secure yourself a position as a surgical tech in Kentucky.
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Licensing Requirements to Become a Surgical Tech
There are no licensing requirements to be a surgical tech in Kentucky.
There is a certification, however. which only takes a couple of steps.
First, completing an accredited surgical tech program.
Second, passing the Certified Surgical Technologist exam.
Once certified, newly established surgical techs are free to start applying for jobs.
5 Surgical Tech Schools in Kentucky
ATA College
ATA offers students the chance to earn an Associate of Applied Science degree in two years.
Flexibility is the name of the game at ATA.
Day and evening classes are available.
Small class sizes and financial aid are more benefits of going to ATA College.
Hands-on learning goes beyond instruction, students take part in 500 hours of externships.
Upon graduation, students are encouraged to take part in resume building and interview prep right from campus.
Address: 630 University Shopping Center, Richmond, KY 40475
Phone: (859) 624-1988
Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College
Students interested in the surgical tech program at SKCTC have to apply early in the year.
The only time to start each year is the fall semester.
This program is essentially three semesters straight, 10 months in total.
Classes are Monday through Friday, 7 am until 3 pm.
Costs for the program run about $7,000, including tuition, books, supplies, and exam fees.
During clinical rotations, students will be working side by side with surgeons during procedures.
Address: 700 College Rd, Cumberland, KY 40823
Phone: (606) 589-2145
Bluegrass Community and Technical College
It takes two semesters plus a summer session to get through the surgical tech program at BCTC.
If you take the full range of courses, over about two years, it can result in an associate degree.
Students must maintain a minimum grade of C to qualify for graduation.
During the course of the program, students will have both class and clinical experience.
Earning an Associate of Applied Science at BCTC costs about $21,000.
Address: 500 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY 40508
Phone: (859) 246-6200
Sullivan University
Surgical tech students at SU will have their studies broken into five categories.
Anatomy and physiology to start, then sterilization techniques, pharmacology and medical terminology, patient care, and surgical procedure.
The accredited program at Sullivan University requires 92 credits to graduate with an Associate of Science degree.
480 hours of clinical case time will also be required.
Address: 3101 Bardstown Rd, Louisville, KY 40205
Phone: (502) 456-6505
Norton Healthcare
The surgical technologist program at Norton is an apprenticeship.
It is a full-time position that also happens to be paid.
The duration is nine months, broken into 3 months of classroom and six months of hands-on experience.
While it is on-the-job training, there will also be textbooks involved.
Days start at 6 am and conclude at 4:30 pm.
Once successfully completed, a job awaits students at one of the Norton hospitals.
While the program does not lead to a certificate, Norton can help connect students to such opportunities.
Address: Louisville, KY
Phone: 1 (888) 486-6786
Surgical Technician Schools in Kentucky – Summary Table
Top 5 Schools in Kentucky
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| ATA College | 630 University Shopping Center, Richmond, KY 40475 |
| Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College | 700 College Rd, Cumberland, KY 40823 |
| Bluegrass Community and Technical College | 500 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY 40508 |
| Sullivan University | 3101 Bardstown Rd, Louisville, KY 40205 |
| Norton Healthcare | 12615 Taylorsville Rd Ste B, Louisville, KY 40299 |
Salary
The median annual salary for surgical techs in Kentucky is $50,000.
That number can vary based on the combination of experience and location.
The entry level is around $41,000.
With the most experience in the busiest of cities, a surgical tech can expect $61,000 a year.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Surgical Technologists in Kentucky
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Lexington | $48,700 |
| Louisville | $50,000 |
| Owensboro | $49,300 |
| Bowling Green | $47,500 |
| Covington | $51,200 |
| Hopkinsville | $47,100 |
| Frankfort | $47,800 |
| Henderson | $49,600 |
| Richmond | $48,200 |
| Artemus | $47,600 |
Regional Salary in Kentucky
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling Green, KY | 110 | $48,640 | $23.39 | $60,820 | $41,460 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | 380 | $53,710 | $25.82 | $65,620 | $40,120 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 730 | $55,110 | $26.5 | $70,770 | $37,400 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's one con of being a surgical tech?
Unpredictability can wreak havoc on your system.
For one, it’s not uncommon to be on-call.
On-call shifts mean a block of your day is on hold in the event that someone calls out and they need extra help.
That block of time might have you just enjoying the whole day in a restricted way or have you come in last minute.
You just never know.
Also, schedules can be all over the place.
Especially in settings like busy hospitals, it might be tough to have any sense of normalcy.
Do surgical techs draw blood?
No.
What you might be thinking of is a phlebotomist.
That’s someone whose main job is to draw blood from patients.
Surgical techs may be exposed to blood during surgery but aren’t actively collecting blood samples
Are surgical techs ranked higher than nurses?
No.
Nurses make, on average, $25,000 more per year than surgical techs do.
The reason for that is the amount of education and job functions that are tied to each profession.
Being a surgical tech is a great stepping stone toward becoming a nurse, though.
Having a medical background means being exposed to all sorts of occupations that could lead to advancement opportunities.
