Surgical Technologists
Official O*NET title: Surgical Technologists (29-2055.00)
Also called: central supply technician, certified scrub technician, cst, or surgical tech, or tech
Do you do this at work?
Answer each card — it takes about a minute.
Do you do this at work?
Provide technical assistance to surgeons, surgical nurses, or anesthesiologists
Swipe right for yes, left for not me. On a keyboard: → yes, ← not me, Z undo. +2 XP per answer.
How AI is changing surgical technologists work
1 of 13 measurable main tasks for this job show up in real AI-use data, so we rate it Green (little AI use yet) — 8%.
This shows where people already use AI, not whether the job will disappear. How we measure this.
Tasks in this job and recorded AI use
- Provide technical assistance to surgeons, surgical nurses, or anesthesiologists (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Maintain a proper sterile field during surgical procedures (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Count sponges, needles, and instruments before and after operation (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Hand instruments and supplies to surgeons and surgeons' assistants, hold retractors and cut sutures, and perform other tasks as directed by surgeon during operation (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Scrub arms and hands and assist the surgical team to scrub and put on gloves, masks, and surgical clothing (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Wash and sterilize equipment, using germicides and sterilizers (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Prepare patients for surgery (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Prepare, care for, and dispose of tissue specimens taken for laboratory analysis (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Monitor and continually assess operating room conditions (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Prepare dressings or bandages and apply or assist with their application following surgery (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Clean and restock operating room, gathering and placing equipment and supplies and arranging instruments according to instructions (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Operate, assemble, adjust, or monitor sterilizers, lights, suction machines, or diagnostic equipment to make sure proper operation (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Maintain supply of fluids (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Schedule surgical procedures for patients — too new for the AI data
- Order surgical supplies — no recorded AI use
- Maintain files and records of surgical procedures — no recorded AI use
- Observe patients' vital signs to assess physical condition — no recorded AI use
- Transport patients to and from the operating room — too new for the AI data
Tasks: O*NET 31.0. AI use: Anthropic Economic Index (exact or close text match).
Your first steps (guidance)
- Week 1: Open a free AI assistant and say hello. Follow our “Getting started with AI” guide. Ask it one simple question about your work.
- Week 2: Use AI on one task you do often. Ask AI to help with everyday admin: an email, a rota or a short note (leave out names and private details).
Tick your own tasks above to get a plan based on what you really do. The first 2 weeks are free; Premium (coming soon) adds weeks 3–12. New to AI? Read our beginner’s guide.
Questions about AI and surgical technologists
Will AI replace surgical technologists?
Our data can’t predict job losses, and we don’t try to. What it does show: 1 of the 13 main tasks for this job match tasks people already use AI for (Anthropic Economic Index), giving a Green rating (little AI use yet). Using AI on a task is not the same as AI doing the whole job, and 15 of the 18 listed tasks show no recorded AI use yet.
Which surgical technologist tasks is AI used for most?
In the data, the most AI use among this job’s tasks is for: provide technical assistance to surgeons, surgical nurses, or anesthesiologists.
Which surgical technologist tasks show little or no AI use?
For example: maintain a proper sterile field during surgical procedures; count sponges, needles, and instruments before and after operation; hand instruments and supplies to surgeons and surgeons' assistants, hold retractors and cut sutures, and perform other tasks as directed by surgeon during operation. These are good places to keep building your own skills.
How does this job compare to others?
In Microsoft Research’s “Working with AI” study, this job’s AI applicability score is equal to or higher than 5% of the occupations they scored. That measures overlap with AI chat use, not risk of job loss.
How can a surgical technologist start learning AI?
Start small: open a free AI assistant, try it on one task you do often, and always check facts and numbers yourself. The plan on this page is guidance, not professional advice.
See how this job ranks
Surgical Technologists ranks #509 of 572 jobs for the share of main tasks with AI use (#1 = most), and #69 of 80 in Healthcare.
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