The economy in Western Pennsylvania is known for being driven by the healthcare field. Hospitals, healthcare systems, clinics and urgent care facilities are everywhere.
Those facilities employ a lot of people. By some estimates, there are more than 94,000 nurses, hospital workers and personal aides in the Pittsburgh area alone. And that’s still not enough. The pandemic highlighted the massive need for nurses and healthcare workers. Due to demand for these specific workers, wages and salaries have skyrocketed in recent months, in some cases growing as high as 400% for certain positions.
Penn Commercial Business/Technical School has established itself as a successful training center for future practical nurses, medical assistants and phlebotomists.
Over the years, hundreds of students have received training at Penn Commercial and moved on to careers as medical professionals. Demand for healthcare workers in the Pittsburgh area, as well as West Virginia and eastern Ohio, has not subsided. It has only continued to grow.
To meet this demand, Penn Commercial is adding to their selection of medical programs by offering training in Surgical Technology.
Surgical technologists, also referred to as scrub techs or surg techs, are key members of the operating room.
It takes a well-coordinated team to make sure surgeries and medical procedures are completed successfully. The skills surgical technologists bring to the table make them essential professionals in the medical field. From preparing the operating room with surgical instruments, equipment and supplies, to assisting the surgeon during the operation, surgical technologists are responsible for maintaining an efficient, functional and sterile environment during the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative phases.
Penn Commercial’s Surgical Technology program is an intense, comprehensive 21-month course awarding graduates an Associate in Specialized Technology degree upon successful completion.
A combination of classroom learning and hands-on training within an operating room environment, students also gain real-world experience through clinical externships at local health systems, including Washington Health System, Allegheny Health Network and Monongahela Valley Hospital.
In addition to the education aspect, Penn Commercial is focused on their graduates’ career success. Their dedicated Career Services department assists students and graduates in finding job openings, connecting with employers, honing interviewing skills, writing and updating resumes.
There is a great need for surgical technologists throughout Western Pennsylvania, especially in Pittsburgh and the tri-state area, including Ohio, West Virginia and even Maryland. Penn Commercial’s Surgical Technology program will assist in meeting that demand by providing medical facilities with quality graduates while also providing training for good paying careers to students.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth for surgical technologists is 9% during the decade 2020-30, while median pay is near $50,000 per year.
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