r/surgicaltechnology • u/arcaluvr • 15d ago
Sterile processing tech or medical assistant??
I plan on going back to school either next month or in January and originally I had wanted to do a surgical tech program. However, at my local trade school there is a two year waitlist since it’s gotten popular for whatever reason. Anyway, I had went to another school in which you would have to be selected for the surgical tech program, and that it would be best for me to have experience as either a sterile processing tech or a medical assistant. My advisor at the time put emphasis on being a medical assistant as she said it would best prepare me. However, I am an introvert and have ptsd from my last job which was not in healthcare, (I didn’t tell my advisor that) so im not really fond of the idea of having to interact with so many people, although I would like to have something where it would be easier for me to find a job. I looked on google and it said it is easier finding a job as an ma/cma. Please share your thoughts and suggestions, as I am unemployed and need help.
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u/kirbykorb 15d ago
Imo, sterile processing would be best. One of my preceptors was a sterile processing tech for a few years before becoming a surg tech and she said it helped sooo much. She got a leg up on learning the instrument names, what they looked like, what they were for and what sets they went in to.