The surgeon is a given, as is the anesthesiologist and nurses, but then there are those who assist - the ones who set up a sterile field within the operating room and who make sure the surgeon gets the appropriate instrument when he or she needs it.

That would be the surgical technician, one of the many individuals who are a part of allied health professionals, the group that helps keep the health care system functioning.

The Surgical Technology program at Temple College has been up and running since the 1980s and with the Department of Labor indicating the field will grow 24 percent between 2006 and 2016, there is no shortage of applicants.

TC’s Surgical Technology program usually receives about 60 applications for the 18 slots available for each class, said Kerry Aguillon, head of the program.

Though the program begins during the summer, applicants are accepted in the class beginning in October.

One of the pluses of the field is that it’s not stagnant and there are often new experiences.

Shelia Davis, TC instructor, graduated from the surgical technology program in 2003 and during the four years she was working at hospitals she said a day didn’t go by that she didn’t learn something new.

Ms. Davis was a single mom of three when she began and had been working at Pactiv for about four years.

But, she had always been interested in medicine and began asking questions of anyone she saw in scrubs.

“I asked what they did, how long did it take and how much money did they make,” she said. “It’s a miracle I didn’t get hit.”

Eventually Ms. Davis learned of the information sessions the TC health professional division held. Respiratory care wasn’t going to work for her, but she eventually came upon surgical technology.

“I wound up at Temple College and it absolutely was my true saving grace,” she said

Once the anatomy class was completed, Ms. Davis said she felt like she could do anything.

Ms. Davis and Ms. Aguillon kept in contact with each other over the years.

“When a teaching spot opened up, I knew Sheila would be an asset in the clinical settings and in the classroom,” Ms. Aguillon said. “She continued on with her education so she had the credentials to step into the classroom.”

Ms. Davis began teaching in January.

When Ms. Davis began the program as a student, she said she noticed she was one of the few students over 35 and by the end of the first week she was feeling her age and a little overwhelmed.

“I remember Mrs. Aguillon said ‘this is like an elephant and we are here to help you eat it, one bite at a time,’” Ms. Davis said. “That stuck with me and I’ve applied it to every part of my life.”

Anatomy and medical terminology classes are the first course surgical technology students take. Then it’s fundamentals, a laboratory class where the students learn the principles of creating a sterile field in the operating room in order to prevent infections. Next on the agenda is introduction to procedures, which prepares them for learning the actual process for different operations.

Along the way, there are skills tests that have to be passed before the student moves on. Then it’s off to clinicals at one of the area hospitals, where students are exposed to the environment of a trauma center and veteran and community hospitals.

“The hospitals are completely different and it’s great that the students have an opportunity to see the types of medical settings where they might want to work,” Ms. Aguillon said. “We feel very blessed.”

Many students come to Temple College because of the variety of clinical sites available to them, she said.

The size of the classes and the manageable size of the campus appeals to the students, Ms. Davis said.

At the end of the program students are given the tools - resumé and interview skills - to find employment in a professional readiness course.

With the advances in medical technology - robotics and minimally invasive surgeries - what’s taught in the classroom has expanded, Ms. Aguillon said.

“One of the things that I have reinforced with the students is that in this field, school is never over. There will always be some continuing education,” Ms. Davis said.

TC student Kristie French, 24, of Troy, and an Army veteran, decided to become a surgical technician because it offers a lot of opportunities to do different things.

“I was a stay-at-home mom and I saw the information when I was looking through the Temple College Web site,” Ms. French said.

Christina Esquivel, 26, of Copperas Cove, had planned on attending nursing school, but decided against it.

“I was looking at the medical programs offered at various colleges and I came across this,” Ms. Esquivel said.

The students begin clinical studies Oct. 1, which involves getting hands-on-training at Scott & White Memorial Hospital, King’s Daughters Hospital and the Olin E. Teague Veterans’ Center. During the same time the students will have the procedure course.

Ms. Davis said she warned students that family life would change when clinicals begin.

“There were a lot of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for meals when I was at this stage of the program,” she said.

Both Ms. French and Ms. Esquivel plan to stay in the area after completing their studies and as of now, if the opportunity to work with a specialized team is possible, Ms. Esquivel is leaning toward orthopedics, while French is interested in cardiovascular.

The program attracts a variety of people, because of the diverse nature of the community Temple College serves, Ms. Davis said.

“The students come from all walks of lives,” she said.

The beauty of the surgical technology program is that in about a year the student will likely have an associate’s degree and certification and will have a career.

“It changes lives,” Ms. Davis said.