Are you looking for a Sterile Processing Technician Training and want to start your career as a sterile processing tech?
Things have changed, and the whole approach for getting your sterile processing training has evolved.
Today, I’ll talk about the different options you have to get your training, plus I’ll also reveal a brand new approach that I can personally vouch for.
With this approach, you can get job-ready as a sterile processing technician in as little as 4 months!
- And, you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on your education.
- You don’t need to get into student loan debt.
- And, You don’t have to spend years driving to college.
This approach, in my opinion, is the fastest and most affordable way to start your career as a sterile processing technician.
Make sure you stick till the end of this article because this approach is designed to help you start your dream career faster than ever before!
To kick things off, we’ll first cover what are the things you typically need to start your sterile processing technician career the right way.
Essentially, there are the main pillars -
The first pillar is formal education. This is obvious because in order to start any career, you need formal education. That’s the case with sterile processing as well. This is hands-down the most important step, and it sets the foundation for your new career.
The second pillar is obtaining the CRCST certification. This is a big one! Essentially, there’s an organization called the HSPA that conducts an exam to test aspiring sterile processing technicians. Once you clear the exam, you obtain the CRCST certification & you’re a certified Sterile Processing Tech. Having this certification is huge, and if you’re a complete beginner in healthcare, having the CRCST certification can be incredibly important for you. If you want a successful career as a Sterile Processing Technician, I highly recommend obtaining this certification.
And the third pillar, and perhaps something that is ignored, is hands-on clinical experience. This is a clinical job, and having hands-on experience in a clinical setting can really appeal to a prospective employer. Not only that, but in order to get the ‘Full’ CRCST certification, you need to have 400 hours of hands-on experience. Now, employers know about this, and they’ll typically hire even if you have a Provisional CRCST certification. For the provisional CRCST certification, you still need to pass the exam, but you don’t need hands-on experience. Once you start working, you can meet those 400-hour requirements and obtain the full CRCST certification. But if you walk into that job interview stating that you already have some experience under your belt, it’ll show that you take this career seriously.
Now, there’s a way to get this hands-on clinical experience before you get a job, even if you are a complete beginner in healthcare. I’ll talk more about that later in the video.
Alright, to recap, these are the 3 pillars for starting your sterile processing technician career -
One, Formal Training
Two, CRCST Certification
Three, Hands-on Experience
But it all starts with the right training. You need the right Sterile Processing Training.
How do you get that?
Well, for formal sterile processing training, you typically had only one option: enrolling in a full-time certificate program at a community college. You’ve probably considered enrolling in a college program yourself. But there are some major problems with such programs that you need to aware of. And I feel these problems can prove to be deal-breakers for many of you, so hear them out -
One, They Can be Expensive!
A certificate program can cost between $5,000 and $10,000, which can be a big turn-off for many people. I’ve spoken with people who were interested in this career but didn’t pursue it because the cost of education was very high for them. Students typically opt for student loans to cover the cost of tuition, and again, student loan debt is something that not many want today.
Two, They’re Long!
It can take up to 12 months to complete a certificate program. That’s a long time! Essentially, you’re going back to school and putting a pause on everything for a whole year. Again, not many adults want this.
Three, Classes Are on a Fixed Schedule
Since this is a college program, you have to attend classes that are on a fixed schedule. You have to drive to campus multiple times a week, and this can be challenging for adults. Because of some unavoidable situations & commitments, you might miss a few classes. This could be a serious problem as you start to fall behind, and it can get difficult to catch up on your own.
Four, These Programs Can be a Hit Or Miss
From what I have seen, not all certificate programs are created equal. Some can be good, but many can be downright average or worse. You might spend thousands of dollars on your education and still not feel secure or ready.
And Finally, Five, You Might Not Have Many Options Around You
In many parts of the country, you won’t find a college offering a sterile processing program. The demand might be there in your town or city, but there are few full-time sterile processing programs that you can enroll in.
So, yeah, These are some glaring problems that you might face with a certificate program. Look, I’ve been in this space for many years now, 21 years to be exact. And, I’ve realized that there needs to be a better, faster & more affordable approach to start your sterile processing technician career. Fasten your seat belts because we’re about to get to the good stuff!
So, If I could design an ideal approach for anyone looking to land a job as a sterile processing technician, here’s how I would do it.
One, Having a University Certificate for your training.
Look, if you could somehow eliminate the problems with these traditional certificate programs, And get that University Certificate, there’s nothing like it. It’s healthcare my friends. Doctors, Nurses, Surgeons, the admin staff, everyone respects university education and a university certificate. So if you can have that, that would be wonderful!
Two, Self-Paced & Online Training
Driving to campus and attending classes that run on a fixed schedule, I feel, is an inefficient way to get your training. So ideally, if your training could be online & self-paced, I would totally get behind that. This way, you can learn on your own time and on your schedule from anywhere you like. Perfect for adults with responsibilities!
Third, You Should Be Prepared for the CRCST certification
This is very important. As I said at the beginning of the video, CRCST certification is an important requirement. Your training should prepare you for that at a minimum.
Fourth, It Should Be Affordable
Education in the US is expensive, but if you can get your education for less than $3,000, that’s really affordable.
And Finally Fifth, Hands-on Experience
The best way to get hands-on experience before you have a job is through an externship. With an externship, you’re placed at a local healthcare facility, and you can get real-life experience working in a clinical setup. Typically, you have to find an externship on your own. But if your training organization helps arrange that for you, that’s perfect! I know what you’re thinking; all of this sounds great.
But, Brandon, you're in dreamland; there’s no way we can get all of this!
Well, Well, Well, There’s a company that has made this a reality. They take care of every single thing I’ve just talked about. Every Single Thing!
I’m talking about Preppy and their Sterile Processing Technician Certification Program. It’s a revolutionary program, and Preppy has helped hundreds of students get training for their careers. Their Sterile Processing Technician Program is totally unique, and quite frankly, I haven’t seen anything like this. I love the Preppy approach, and here’s everything you get with Preppy.
First, a University Certificate
Preppy is in partnership with a nationally recognized, non-profit university - Auburn University. Auburn is a non-profit university, and it's a well respected 150-year-old university. Because of their partnership, once you complete Preppy’s Sterile Processing Technician Program, you’ll get a certificate from Auburn. This could be huge for your resume, and as I said earlier, everyone in healthcare loves a university certificate
Two, Its 100% Online & Self-Paced
You get a university certificate, but you don’t have to deal with the problems that I talked about earlier. Preppy’s program is 100% online & self-paced. You can access the training anytime, on any device, and learn at your own pace & schedule. Again, this can be really handy if you have responsibilities like a child, or if you’re taking care of someone sick, or if you’re already working and want to switch careers.
Three, It’s Faster
It’s a self-paced program, but if you put in a few hours weekly, you can be done with your training in just 16 weeks. That’s incredibly fast! Since it's a self-paced program, you can go even quicker, but if you’re someone who likes to take time with their training, you have nothing to worry, As you have access to the program for a full year.
Fourth, You’re Prepared for the CRCST exam
Preppy’s curriculum is in accordance with the latest HSPA guidelines, and you’re prepared for the CRCST exam. This is a big deal, and as I said earlier, having the CRCST certification builds trust in your skills as you’ve been tested & certified by a nationally recognized institution. After completing your training with Preppy, you can apply & sit for your exam.
And Fifth, This is Really-Really Huge, an Externship Opportunity is Included With Preppy!
Preppy also takes care of the hands-on experience part, as an externship is also included with the program. Their externships are available nationwide across the US. After you complete the training, you’ll be placed at a local healthcare facility, and you can get real-life, hands-on clinical experience for a few weeks. This is a big bonus, and if you’re good, who knows, the externship might even result in a full-time job. I feel Preppy is not just a training program; it’s a game-changing approach that is designed to help you get job-ready as a Sterile Processing Technician.
Now, the big question: How much does it cost? Look, I said earlier that anything under $3000 is really affordable. You can enroll in Preppy’s program for almost half of that price!
You can enroll in Preppy’s program for just $1599 total. No hidden fees, no add-on fees, just a flat $1599. And everything I mentioned is included. Everything for just $1599. And if that was not crazy enough, for a limited time, they’ll ship you a free laptop if you enroll in their program. If you pay in full, you get a free laptop, and it’s not a loaner; it's yours to keep, even after you complete the program.
If you want to enroll in Preppy’s program right now, click here.
With Preppy, you can literally get started today. There are no application forms or waiting for semester start dates. You can sign up and get started today. This program checks all the right boxes for me. And its easily the fastest and most affordable way to get started as a Sterile Processing Technician.
Click here to get your career as a Sterile Processing Technician started right now!
