The Operating Room
Surgical Technology Then and Now
Opens May 25, 2023
A Surgeon Performing an Amputation of the Leg in the Seventeenth Century, 19th C, oil on canvas, Wellcome Collection
The Operating Room: Surgical Technology Then and Now at the International Museum of Surgical Science leverages widespread public interest in the field and the figures and technologies that support it. During World War II, the need for perioperative personnel was overwhelming. The role of the surgical technologist was born and evolved into a separate health field. Surgical technologists serve as an integral part of the surgical team providing surgical care to patients, working under the supervision of the surgeon to facilitate the safe and effective conduct of surgical procedures. Today, surgical technologists are working in one of the fastest-growing professions in the country. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the surgical technology profession will grow faster than the average of all other occupations through 2030. To illuminate the current state of surgical technological practices, this exhibition prominently features ground-breaking medical devices and emerging innovations while also highlighting the critical trajectory of the surgical technologist.
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Thank you to our sponsors
Since 1972, exhibition sponsor The Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting, has set the gold standard for higher education programs in surgical technology and surgical assisting. The ARC/STSA is a non-profit accreditation services agency that provides national recognition for more than 400 higher education programs in surgical technology and surgical assisting. The mission of the ARC/STSA is to validate excellence of educational programs and ensure quality patient care. Serving as a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) Committee on Accreditation, it is the largest programmatic accreditor of surgical technology and surgical assisting programs and the only national recognition for surgical technology and surgical assisting programs sponsored by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and Association of Surgical Technologists (AST).
Learn more: https://arcstsa.org/
The Association of Surgical Technologists was established in 1969 by members of the American College of Surgeons (ACS), the American Hospital Association (AHA), and the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN). Today, surgical technologists are working in one of the fastest-growing professions in the country. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the surgical technology profession will grow faster than the average of all other occupations through the year 2030. It is anticipated that the volume of surgery will increase exponentially due to the expanding senior population. As the oldest and most widely recognized professional organization for surgical technologists, AST’s primary purpose is to ensure that surgical technologists have the knowledge and skills to administer patient care of the highest quality.
Learn more: https://www.ast.org/
Additional Support for “The Operating Room: Surgical Technology Then and Now” comes from Rasmussen University. “Rasmussen University is an institution of higher learning dedicated to global enrichment and meeting the evolving needs of our diverse communities. With an emphasis on innovative programs, dynamic curriculum, and general education skills, we are committed to being a pioneer in the field of career-focused education. We empower our students, faculty, and staff to exceed the expectations of society through academic excellence, community enrichment, and service to the public good.”
Learn more: https://www.rasmussen.edu/
