17c起草社区

Albert Magdaleno is one of 17c起草社区鈥檚 Surgical Technology instructors.聽 Mr. Magdaleno not only shows passion towards his students, he lives it.聽 Read his interview below.

Have you always been a Surgical Technologist?

Yes.聽 Certified Surgical Technologist for over 26 years, went to school for it, and been in education for the past 20 years.聽 I trained at聽California Paramedical and Technical College in Long Beach.聽 It was a half military, half civilian class.聽 It鈥檚 not there anymore; it鈥檚 gone.聽 I went to that program through the United States Naval Reserve.聽 It catered to the military.聽 Because we were military personnel, it was a little stricter.聽 The Surgeons are Commissioned Officers so we refer to them as Sir or Ma鈥檃m.聽 My job in the Navy was as an Operator Room Technician, which is another name for Surgical Tech.聽 I was in active duty at Naval Medical Center of San Diego.

What led you to pursuing instructing?

It was my love of teaching.聽 My first instructing job was in 1997.聽 I鈥檝e always wanted to share my knowledge and pay it forward.聽 I had a lot of experience in the Navy, and what I learned over 26 years ago was 鈥淎eger Primo,鈥� which is Latin for 鈥淧atient First.鈥澛� That鈥檚 the core of what I teach students.聽 It starts in the operating room.聽 The reason we use proper aseptic technique is for the patient.聽 The worst possible thing to happen is for a patient to go home with an infection-site or wound infection because somebody in the room used bad technique.聽 My teaching style is all about technique.聽 Why?聽 鈥淎eger Primo.鈥�

Who has been your greatest inspiration or mentor?

Keith Orloff, C.S.T.聽 He taught me 鈥淎eger Primo.鈥澛� And I鈥檝e carried that my entire career. 27 years ago now.聽 He instructed me, and now we鈥檝e become lifelong peers and professional colleagues.聽 He鈥檚 still involved with the Association of Surgical Technologists.聽 I can open up a periodical and his name will be there. And 鈥淎eger Primo,鈥� is the motto the AST.

How are you involved with Surgical Technology outside of 17c起草社区?

I spend a lot of my time here at 17c起草社区, but I鈥檓 also a member of the California State Assembly for Surgical Technology.聽 It鈥檚 our California organization of ST鈥檚 where we talk about laws pertaining to Surgical Technology and credentialing- so how people qualify to become ST鈥檚.聽 It directly impacts the people that I teach.

Do you have any advice for potential students interested in pursuing a career in surgical technology?

My advice is to care about your patients and have passion for your patients. If you have the passion, that evolves into career opportunities.聽 Employers want to have someone on their team who cares, and if you start with passion, the rest will follow suit.聽 In the operating theatre, it鈥檚 not about me, it鈥檚 about the patient.聽聽 You have to keep reminding yourself and stay passionate.