HealthcareO*NET: 29-2055.00
Will AI Replace Surgical Technologists?
Assist in operations, under the supervision of surgeons, registered nurses, or other surgical personnel. May help set up operating room, prepare and transport patients for surgery, adjust lights and equipment, pass instruments and other supplies to surgeons and surgeons' assistants, hold retractors, cut sutures, and help count sponges, needles, supplies, and instruments.
55out of 100
Medium Risk
AI Risk Score
55/100
Risk Level
Medium
Job Zone
3/5
Medium
Total Tasks Analyzed
14
🤖 What AI Can Do
- ▸Provide technical assistance to surgeons, surgical nurses, or anesthesiologists.
- ▸Monitor and continually assess operating room conditions, including patient and surgical team needs.
- ▸Operate, assemble, adjust, or monitor sterilizers, lights, suction machines, or diagnostic equipment to ensure proper operation.
👤 What Requires Humans
- ▸Prepare patients for surgery, including positioning patients on the operating table and covering them with sterile surgical drapes to prevent exposure.
- ▸Hand instruments and supplies to surgeons and surgeons' assistants, hold retractors and cut sutures, and perform other tasks as directed by surgeon during operation.
- ▸Prepare dressings or bandages and apply or assist with their application following surgery.
- ▸Observe patients' vital signs to assess physical condition.
Task Breakdown
🤖AI Can Automate (3)
- Provide technical assistance to surgeons, surgical nurses, or anesthesiologists.
- Monitor and continually assess operating room conditions, including patient and surgical team needs.
- Operate, assemble, adjust, or monitor sterilizers, lights, suction machines, or diagnostic equipment to ensure proper operation.
👤Requires Humans (4)
- Prepare patients for surgery, including positioning patients on the operating table and covering them with sterile surgical drapes to prevent exposure.
- Hand instruments and supplies to surgeons and surgeons' assistants, hold retractors and cut sutures, and perform other tasks as directed by surgeon during operation.
- Prepare dressings or bandages and apply or assist with their application following surgery.
- Observe patients' vital signs to assess physical condition.
⚡AI-Assisted (7)
- Maintain a proper sterile field during surgical procedures.
- Count sponges, needles, and instruments before and after operation.
- Scrub arms and hands and assist the surgical team to scrub and put on gloves, masks, and surgical clothing.
- Prepare, care for, and dispose of tissue specimens taken for laboratory analysis.
- Wash and sterilize equipment, using germicides and sterilizers.
- Clean and restock operating room, gathering and placing equipment and supplies and arranging instruments according to instructions, such as a preference card.
- Order surgical supplies.
Key Skills Analysis
Monitoring
Importance: 3.75/5.00
Active Listening
Importance: 3.38/5.00
Operations MonitoringAI-Vulnerable
Importance: 3.25/5.00
Speaking
Importance: 3.12/5.00
Critical ThinkingAI-Resistant
Importance: 3.12/5.00
CoordinationAI-Resistant
Importance: 3.12/5.00
Time ManagementAI-Resistant
Importance: 3.12/5.00
Reading ComprehensionAI-Vulnerable
Importance: 3.00/5.00
Active LearningAI-Resistant
Importance: 3.00/5.00
Learning Strategies
Importance: 3.00/5.00
Social PerceptivenessAI-Resistant
Importance: 3.00/5.00
InstructingAI-Resistant
Importance: 3.00/5.00
Service OrientationAI-Resistant
Importance: 3.00/5.00
Complex Problem SolvingAI-Resistant
Importance: 3.00/5.00
Operation and Control
Importance: 3.00/5.00
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Frequently Asked Questions
Based on our analysis, Surgical Technologists have a medium risk of AI replacement with a score of 55/100. While some tasks can be assisted by AI, the core responsibilities require human judgment and skills.
Last updated: 2026-03-28· Data from O*NET 30.2 & Frey/Osborne automation research