There are many job opportunities for Surgical Technologists. These include positions in hospital Operating Rooms, Ambulatory Surgical Centers, Sterile Processing Departments, Tissue Banks, and private work with physician groups. A Surgical Technologist can also pursue training to become a First Assistant. The First Assistant role actually moves the Surgical Technologists from a position of passing the instruments into a position of using the instruments and assisting in the surgical procedure. First Assistants can cut tissue, manipulate tissue, place retractors, provide hemostasis and close wounds. In our area, most Surgical Technologists can expect to have a starting pay of $20.00 per hour.