Surgical technicians and technologists provide assistance before, during and after operations. They set up equipment, hand tools to the surgical team and prepare the operating room for the next procedure. The job requires not only technical skill, but also the ability to think quickly and work well with others. The next time you interview for a surgical tech position, expect questions covering everything from your clinical knowledge to how you respond to difficult situations.
To determine how you’ll react to the most difficult situations you might encounter as a surgical tech, employers often describe a scenario and ask how you would handle it. For example, they might ask what you would do if you realized during an operation that a crucial surgical tool was missing or broken. Or, they might ask how you would respond if you observed a nurse or surgeon making a mistake. Your answer should demonstrate your ethics and concern for the patient, in addition to your willingness to take a stand.
Behavioral questions can help employers more accurately predict how you’ll handle both the routine demands of working as a surgical tech and more extreme situations. With this method, interviewers ask you how you have used a specific skill or reacted to a certain situation in past jobs. For example, they might ask you to describe a time when you noticed changes in a patient’s vital signs and alerted the surgical team so they could intervene. Offer a specific example, noting the situation, challenges you faced, what you did and what results you achieved. Also discuss what you learned from the incident.
Prepare to discuss your experience with skills and techniques specific to assisting during surgery. The interviewer might ask you to describe your experience preparing patients for surgery, applying dressings and bandages after surgery or packaging and transporting specimens removed during the operation for further testing. If you don’t have experience with the particular skill the interviewer is inquiring about, don’t lie and say you do. You can, however, discuss your overall knowledge or proficiency in similar situations and describe how you can apply this to other areas.
Performing surgery requires a team effort in which surgeons, nurses, surgical technologists, anesthesiologists and others work together for the good of the patient. The interviewer might ask questions designed to assess how well you communicate and interact with others. For example, he might ask you to describe a time when you mentored or trained someone, or an instance when you collaborated with others. Focus not only on what you did to ensure cooperation with others, but also on how your efforts benefited the hospital or contributed to the success of the operation.
Surgical Technologist Interview Questions with Answer Examples
Describe some of the surgeries you’ve assisted with. How involved were you in the process?
Reveals more about work history.
What is the biggest mistake you’ve ever made in the operating room? How did you fix it?
Reveals possible weaknesses.
Interview Questions for Surgical Technologists:
Shows attention to detail.
Example: “I am very good at multitasking because I enjoy being organized and efficient. In my last role as a surgical technician, I was responsible for preparing instruments for surgeons before they entered the operating room. One day, I had two surgeries scheduled back-to-back with only a short break between them. I knew I would need to be quick but also thorough in my task of getting all the necessary tools ready for each surgery. I managed to get everything prepared on time and without error.”
Working as a surgical technician can be challenging at times, especially when you’re working in an environment where blood and bodily fluids are present. Employers ask this question to make sure that you have the emotional intelligence and maturity level needed to work in such an environment. In your answer, try to show that you understand what it’s like to work in such an environment and that you’re prepared for it.
Example: “I believe that compassion and empathy are two of the most important qualities a surgical technician can have. It’s our job to help patients feel comfortable before their procedures, so I always try to be friendly and helpful. Another quality I find important is flexibility. Working as a surgical technician requires us to adapt to changing situations quickly. For example, when working on an emergency surgery, we may need to change equipment or supplies without notice.”
This question is a great way for the interviewer to learn more about your personality and how you view your role in the operating room. Your answer should reflect your passion for this career, as well as highlight any unique skills or experiences that make you an excellent candidate for the job.
This question can help interviewers understand your experience with administering anesthesia to patients. This is an important skill for surgical technicians because they often administer anesthesia to patients before surgeries. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention any specific training you have in administering anesthesia and the types of anesthesia you’ve administered in the past.
Practice and Practice Some More
Below we’ve compiled a list of common surgical tech interview questions you can use to practice. To help with your interview prep, write down the questions and your responses. It’s best to write down one to three different answers you can use that highlight your enthusiasm, experience, and skillset. This will help you if your interviewer asks for two examples instead of one.
Next, take your responses and practice in the mirror until you feel comfortable and can speak about your experiences fluidly. It will be best if you have a willing friend or mentor to ask you the questions. At first, practice with your questions and responses in front of you, either written down or typed up. However, once you can respond to the questions naturally, practice without your notes so you can get comfortable not having them in front of you.
As promised, we’ve listed common surgical technician interview questions. There are 15 questions and brief notes to help guide your practice interviews. After reading these notes, brainstorm ways you can include your schooling, experience, skillset, and enthusiasm in your responses.
Of course, your responses will be different if you’ve just been certified. Make sure to focus on related experiences, volunteer work, and coursework to highlight your skills if that is the case.
This is a great way to introduce your previous work history or enthusiasm for working at a particular facility.
Before entering the office for the interview, have a bit of information on the company! Look up their history, track records, and highlights that they’ve gotten over the years. This lets the interviewer know you’re genuinely invested in working with them.
Stress management is vital in the OR, as it’s one of the most stressful areas in a medical facility. Make sure to highlight how you efficiently handled stress. For new scrub techs, reference a previous work or school situation where you managed stress.
This question tests how well you’re able to dissolve conflict and get back to a healthy work team relationship.
For experienced surgical technicians describe your methods backed by previous experiences. For new surgical techs, use the knowledge you’ve acquired to answer to the best of your abilities.
Detail ways you like to maintain order and productivity.
What were the results, and how did it improve the efficiency of the task?
Highlight any medical, spreadsheet, and computer software you have used to improve the process.
For seasoned surgical technicians describe your methods backed by previous experiences. For new surgical techs, use the knowledge you’ve acquired to answer to the best of your abilities.
If possible, describe your methods backed by previous work experiences. For new surgical techs, use the knowledge you’ve acquired to answer to the best of your abilities.
For experienced surgical technicians describe your methods backed by previous real-life situations. For new surgical techs, use the knowledge you’ve acquired to answer to the best of your abilities.
Begin by describing the problem and then explain what you did to resolve the situation.
When an interviewer asks you this, they are looking for dependability and responsibility.
If they ask you a question like this, give them an example where you provided leadership for your team.
Answer by giving them an example that includes pre-surgery through post-op. For new surgical techs, provide as much of an example as you can, being clear if it is from coursework or real-life experience.
Don’t shy away from asking the interviewer questions! You could ask them what the day-to-day responsibilities look like, or how the company culture has changed. Another focus question is, “What do you look for in a surgical technician when adding them to your team?” Not only does this give you more insight into the role, but it shows the interviewer that you’re interested in working with them.
Performing surgery requires a team effort in which surgeons, nurses, surgical technologists, anesthesiologists and others work together for the good of the patient. The interviewer might ask questions designed to assess how well you communicate and interact with others. For example, he might ask you to describe a time when you mentored or trained someone, or an instance when you collaborated with others. Focus not only on what you did to ensure cooperation with others, but also on how your efforts benefited the hospital or contributed to the success of the operation.
Surgical technicians and technologists provide assistance before, during and after operations. They set up equipment, hand tools to the surgical team and prepare the operating room for the next procedure. The job requires not only technical skill, but also the ability to think quickly and work well with others. The next time you interview for a surgical tech position, expect questions covering everything from your clinical knowledge to how you respond to difficult situations.
Prepare to discuss your experience with skills and techniques specific to assisting during surgery. The interviewer might ask you to describe your experience preparing patients for surgery, applying dressings and bandages after surgery or packaging and transporting specimens removed during the operation for further testing. If you don’t have experience with the particular skill the interviewer is inquiring about, don’t lie and say you do. You can, however, discuss your overall knowledge or proficiency in similar situations and describe how you can apply this to other areas.
To determine how you’ll react to the most difficult situations you might encounter as a surgical tech, employers often describe a scenario and ask how you would handle it. For example, they might ask what you would do if you realized during an operation that a crucial surgical tool was missing or broken. Or, they might ask how you would respond if you observed a nurse or surgeon making a mistake. Your answer should demonstrate your ethics and concern for the patient, in addition to your willingness to take a stand.
Behavioral questions can help employers more accurately predict how you’ll handle both the routine demands of working as a surgical tech and more extreme situations. With this method, interviewers ask you how you have used a specific skill or reacted to a certain situation in past jobs. For example, they might ask you to describe a time when you noticed changes in a patient’s vital signs and alerted the surgical team so they could intervene. Offer a specific example, noting the situation, challenges you faced, what you did and what results you achieved. Also discuss what you learned from the incident.
FAQ
What questions are asked in a surgical tech interview?
- How many years have you worked as a surgical technician?
- Do you have any credentials that qualify you for this position?
- What type of surgical technician training have you received?
- Have you ever made an error during surgery? …
- Have you ever prepped an operating room for surgery?
What do you feel is the most important skill a surgical technologist should possess?
Your ability to communicate effectively and clearly is very important when dealing with surgeons, as well as colleagues. You must be able to state your needs and requests in a manner in which others will understand. There isn’t a lot of time in the operating room for questions.
How do you answer why do you want to be a surgical tech?
