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Can a 61year old woman be hired as a Surgical Technologist?
I always was attracted to Medical Industry but I worked all my life away from it. I am thinking about going to tech school for Surgical Tech. I know I will love it, I will be in a OR without being a Surgeon. But I do not see people being hired. That scares me from embracing the expense of tech school. Can you tell me if age is an issue to be hired in this industry and specific career? I know I have what it takes. I know I bring old time ethics to work. I have no small children. I can be a serious professional that is reliable and truly takes pleasure in the activity.
Great question. I love that you have your sights set on something specific and you've thought ahead this far instead of jumping into the expense of school first. In terms of career outlook, you can check Bureau of Labor Stats for projections. They may even have demographics, but you are right to be concerned. General projections on career growth are abstract and in the end, if you SPECIFICALLY have trouble finding a placement after school, that will be a problem for you SPECIFICALLY. I would talk to people in the field and broach the topic tactully. Anecdote: I recall reading a book about a career-changer who went into medical forensics. She found that although she was the least experienced in the room, often people would defer to her assuming she was the most experienced. So there's that, too. We live in the real world. People make assumptions all the time. We just have to be aware and either make them work for us, or find ways to get around them!
Thank you for your insight. You gave me valuable points here. I will look into the Bureau of labor Stats. I had to go into a medical procedure and I begin a conversation with the RN. Then, I asked her for information about it. She said she does not believe age would be an obstacle. But I guess this is her perspective on the subject, where her own principles apply. But she gave me a positive point. I truly appreciate the time you took to "think" with me and give me valuable counsel.
don't miss this webinar I am hosting with FGB which might also be valuable for you: https://fairygodboss.com/events/H1oWWmmnr/how-to-map-your-job/#_=_