u/Jamin_dot_jpeg

Hey everyone, I wanted to ask for some advice and hear some experiences from people who may have been in a similar spot.

For some background, I’m a pre-med student finishing up my Cell and Molecular Biology degree this summer. Earlier in college, I had a really hard time getting any clinical exposure. During the COVID-19 pandemic, being in a hospital setting was risky for me since I’m a type 1 diabetic, and on top of that I was balancing school with a job. Most entry-level roles I looked into either wanted full-time availability or prior experience, even for “beginner-friendly” positions. I ended up staying at a retail job for 6 years (worked up to supervisor) because it was the only thing flexible enough to support me while in school.

Now that I’m down to one final class, I finally have more time, so I enrolled in a surgical tech program through my university. The program is an online certificate that teaches the core skills, tools, and responsibilities of a surgical technologist, and offers a volunteer externship for hands-on experience. By the end, it prepares you to pursue national certification and apply for entry-level roles in surgical care.

That said, I can’t help but feel a bit behind. A lot of people in my class already have healthcare backgrounds, and coming in with basically no prior clinical experience is giving me some imposter syndrome.

For anyone who started from zero, how big was the transition into this field? Did you feel behind at first? How did things turn out for you?

Would really appreciate hearing your stories or any advice.