Previously trained Surgical tech with experience, now trying to reenter field after kids

I am a previously trained Surgical Tech. I graduated from an accredited program and have approx 7 years hospital experience. When my 2 kids were born, I chose to stay home, since it cost too much for childcare. My kids are now in grade school and I am trying to reenter the field. I have been out for about 5 years. I have applied to so many places with no response from anyone except one hospital that said I had enough experience, but they want current experience. I want to take my certification exam, so I have something current on my resume, but cannot find any refresher courses or info that would help me to pass. The exam is too expensive to fail and I want to make sure I am prepared, but cannot find any info. Any advice or info to make reentering my field easier is greatly appreciated. I still remember how to do my job, but am worried about all the little details that is on the test..and I know is won't be as easy now like it would be if I just graduated. Any advice on what to do would be great. Thanks

I think you should study your books from school, if those questions are on the test. I am also a trained Surgical Tech, before I finished school, I found out I was Pregnant. Here I am 3 years later wanting to get into my field and I don't have the hospital experience and I am afraid that I can't do the job. Any advice needed.

I graduated in 2007. Do you guys think that is too long ago to have a chance in getting a job? I am currently studying for my state exam but, I really need to start working in my field. I did see a job for a family planning clinic but, I'm not sure if I should even apply. The add didn't say it but, I'm sure it's to do abortions. I'm not sure I can handle that emotionally. I do believe you should have the right to a abortion if you are raped or melestead but, don't think people should use abortions as birth control

Just keep trying...apply to every position possible. I originally posted the first question. I applied at over 25 positions with no reply. I then applied at a couple of more hospitals and amazingly got a call back and went for an interview. I guess it was meant to be since the RN interviewing me had also taken time off to raise kids and re-entered 10 years later..she offered me the job stating that I had the foundation and that she felt that I would do just fine. Certification is required and even though I am still studying she offered me the position under the condition that I still continue to study and take the exam as soon as I can. Even better it was a union job with the highest pay I had ever been offered. They gave me the pay based on my experience, not on the fact that I had been out for 5 years. When I first got out of school, I also had problems finding a job, but kept applying and took the first position offered, which was low paying just to get something on my resume. I suggest to you to take the exam since certification is a huge plus!! Become a member of the Association of Surgical technologists and then put together a killer resume. Put a summary of qualifications and focus on your strengths. Persistance is key, you may end up applying to a 100 positions and not get a response. But be persistant and keep sending resumes, and keep sending them also to previously applied positions...eventually someone will call for an interview...and when they do show as much confidence as possible..Someone will eventually give you a chance but you should not give up. It is hard to get into a field with no experience and is hard to re enter after years of not working, but I am a good example of being given a chance and start work on Monday! I kept at it. You should also call your school...Most schools will give life time job placement assistance for graduates..call them and see if they can help.

I also have been looking for refresher courses to become prepared to sit for the certification exam. It was required when I graduated in 2002 to get a job and there were no benefits in my area for even having it and since I am terrible at taking tests I opted not to take it, I was planning a wedding and not long after had a baby and it was expensive and was gonna have to take a day off from work without pay to go so I took the "easy way out" and didn't go. I regret that decision so much as now it is a requirment. I stopped scrubbing and took a job as a sells rep and didn't scrub for 3 years, I then took a PRN job scrubbing and I am doing that now and love it, I missed scrubbing so much while I wasn't doing it. My skills came back to be pretty quickly, however I feel like I have really sold myself short by not sitting for that exam. I remember when I was a member of the AST as a student they would have ads in the magazine for places offering refresher courses to prepare you for the exam but I don't have those issues any longer and can't find anywhere online that offers anything like that. I don't feel prepared to sit for the test since I have been out of school so long, and I can tell you that I can scrub as well as anyone, but tests scare me to death. I just wish there was someone somewhere that could offer something to help people like us out.

Correction to the last post....Second sentence should have said that Certification wasn't required when I graduated in 2002.

You can try to call the school that you graduated from to see if they can give you a refesher course. I have went for my refresher, it came back to me like second nature. I am currently still looking for a job, nothing yet, but I know that something will happen for me. Don't give up, you will find that refesher course.

Thanks, the school is right here in the town that I live in and it's a small school, they no longer offer the surg tech course as luck would have it. I have thought about just retaking the course but seems like such a waste of time and money. I am scrubbing just 1 or 2 days a week and I have a full time jopb as a sales rep for a laparoscopic company and I am in surgery every day, and you are right it did come back to me very quickly, but it's the book stuff that worries me about the test. I was very surprised that I was able to even get the job scrubbing without the certification but I would make more money at it if I would get certified. I would also have a sense of self gratification by doing it, I have always felt like I let myself down by not doing it.

my husband is a Foreign graduate who has 20 yrs of experience in Sugical Tech. he is currently working here in the united state and was asked to be cefity here in the U.S. he just wants to take the exam where can he applied.

He needs to check with AST, they should be able to help him. Generally you have to have been through course through an accredited school but there is some sort of grandfather clause but I'm not sure of all the terms of it. He can contact the AST and they can put him in the right direction.

StacieT in TN said: He needs to check with AST, they should be able to help him. Generally you have to have been through course through an accredited school but there is some sort of grandfather clause but I'm not sure of all the terms of it. He can contact the AST and they can put him in the right direction.

Thank you

If you have 7 years previous experience, you should sign up with the in state registry.

If you have 7 years of previous experience you should try signing up with registry.

I graduated from an accredited school in 1991, I chose another path because my husband and I chose to open a small business instead. I never took the certification exam. And now (20 years later) with the economy being what it is with our small business, I am wanting to re-enter the job market as a surgical tech. It has been SO long, and with no previous experience, I'm thinking of starting from scratch but I don't know, does anyone know of some sort of refresher course in the Portland, Or. area?? Thoughts??...

I haven't had any luck finding any refresher courses anywhere

Stacie T said: I haven't had any luck finding any refresher courses anywhere

I googled something about a review or refresher course last week and saw where the AST held a reveiw in SC in July for the certification exam. I think that the only way you can find information out about that type of event or to attend it is to be a member of the AST. I have been trying to research further because I too have a 5 yr time lapse and want to get certified.

If I find out anything else, I will post it here...please post anything that you may find out as well...Thanks.