JobsAdvocate Health

Surgical Technologist (ST)

Advocate Health · Summit, WI

Posted Sep 14, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Tell me about a time you caught a break in sterile technique during a procedure. What did you see, and what did you do about it?

willingness to speak up and correct contamination risk even when it disrupts the flow of the OR

Tell me about a time you had to work as second assistant instead of just scrubbing. What did that look like and how did it change what was expected of you?

real experience functioning beyond the standard scrub tech role, since this posting explicitly requires it

Tell me about a surgeon you worked with who was hard to anticipate or communicate with. How did you adjust to keep the case moving smoothly?

interpersonal adaptability with demanding physicians in a high-stakes environment

Describe a time you had to move quickly between very different cases in the same shift, like switching from an ortho case to a GYN case. How did you keep yourself organized and avoid mistakes?

mental flexibility and organization when the day doesn't follow a predictable rhythm

Tell me about a moment when you and the circulating nurse or another team member disagreed about how something should be done in the room. How did you handle it in the moment?

conflict resolution under pressure while keeping patient care as the priority

Technical

Walk me through how you set up a room for a case you don't do very often. What's your process from the moment you get the case cart to the moment you're ready for the surgeon?

whether the candidate has a repeatable, safe setup routine rather than relying on memory for familiar cases only

This site covers ortho, ENT, plastics, general, GYN, neuro/spine, and robotics. Which of these are you most comfortable scrubbing into right now, and where would you need the most ramp-up time?

honest self-assessment of specialty range against the breadth this job actually demands

How do you keep a specialty cart stocked and ready? Walk me through how you'd notice something is missing, expired, or damaged before it becomes a problem in a case.

proactive inventory habits versus reactive scrambling during a procedure

Walk me through how you'd position and prep a pediatric patient versus a geriatric patient for the same type of procedure. What changes?

awareness that this hospital treats the full age spectrum and that technique isn't one-size-fits-all

Situational

Say you're mid-case and you notice a piece of equipment isn't working right, like a camera tower or a fracture table. What do you do without stopping patient care?

ability to troubleshoot and escalate equipment issues calmly without derailing the surgical team

You're on call and get pulled in at 2 a.m. for an urgent case you weren't expecting. How do you get yourself and the room ready fast without cutting corners on sterility?

performance under time pressure during off-hours call without sacrificing safety

This role includes weeknight call, one weekend in six, and holiday call. How do you think about balancing that kind of schedule, and what's made it work or not work for you before?

realistic expectations and personal capacity for the specific call burden of this job

If you noticed damaged equipment right before a case was about to start, what would you say, and to whom, so it gets fixed without delaying the surgery more than necessary?

clear communication and judgment about escalation paths under time pressure

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: 37703 AMC Summit - Surgery Room Status: Full time Benefits Eligible: Yes Hou rs Per Week: 40 Schedule Details/Additional Information: Aurora Medical Center-Summit operates with 11 ORs and 1 dedicated Cysto Room. You can expect procedures and top surgeons covering Ortho, Ent, Plastics, General, GYN, Neuro/Spine, and Robotics. Our age population is pediatric to Geriatric. This is a full-time Day shift position, with options/considerations t o work 8-, 10-or 12-hour shifts. Weeknight call will be once a week starting at 1500-0630, weekend call will be once every sixth weekend (Friday1500-Monday 0630); will also have holiday call.  H oliday call is one in- house 12-hour shift and one 24-hour call shift. * Call requirements dependent on number of teammates in the rotation. Aurora continues to offer leading benefits, and a very competitive wage program to help you live your best life! In addition: ​ ✅ Sign-On Bonus ✅ Surgical Tech/Assist Professional Development program/financial incentives ✅ Top-Notch team ✅ Become part of the 3rd largest nonprofit organization in the country (Advocate Health) Pay Range: $26.55 - $39.85 Position Duties Include(not limited to) • Performs a variety of preparatory, scrubbing and related services necessary to provide patient service in the operating room. Assists with surgical cases in all specialty areas. • Provides for a clean, safe and efficient area conducive to optimal patient care. Utilizes aseptic surgical techniques in the preparation of materials, supplies and equipment for surgical procedures (e.g., assistance with gowning and gloving; preparation and draping of the surgical area; provision of a sterile field, instruments, suture and related materials; anticipation of the Surgeons' needs; passing of instruments and/or supplies; holding of retractors, observing and reporting possible breaks in aseptic technique; and assisting in maintaining a sterile, dry, unobstructed field). • Performs all types of procedures and maintains basic knowledge of a variety of procedures. • Ensures the environmental disinfection, safety and efficiency of the operating room. This includes setting up the room for each case including moving equipment (i.e., tables, cameras, microscopes, fracture table, and instrument pans), operating the various types of equipment used during operating room procedures, and returning equipment post procedure. • Functions as a Second Assistant as necessary. • Notifies appropriate staff of equipment and supply problems. • Transports patients and/or equipment and supplies. • Maintains a specialty cart or item, ensuring its completeness and availability. This includes checking the working condition of equipment, sterility, and sending damaged items out for repair. • Performs various patient positioning and transporting duties, which require lifting and pushing/pulling, while utilizing proper technique. Licenses & Certifications Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers certification issued by the American Heart Association (AHA) needs to be obtained within 6 months unless department leader has determined it is not required. Degrees Completion of an accredited or approved program in Surgical Technology. Required Functional Experience No experience required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Knowledge of aseptic surgical techniques used in the preparation of materials, supplies and equipment for various surgical procedures.Knowledge of various types of equipment used in the operating room.Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills.Basic computer proficiency.Certification AddendumTeam members will maintain annual educational requirements for hospital based certifications (e.g. DNV, CARF or others) This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties. Our Commitment to You: Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more – so you can live fully at and away from work, including: Compensation • Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training • Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job • Incentive pay for select positions • Opportunity for annual increases based on performance Benefits and more • Paid Time Off programs • Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability • Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses • Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave • Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs • Educational Assistance Program Note: Eligibility for programs listed above may depend on your FTE or status (e.g., full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.); please ask a Recruiter for more information during an interview. About Advocate Health  Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.

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