Patient care technicians and surgical technicians both play vital roles in direct patient care—but their responsibilities, training, and career paths are very different. Here's how they compare in duties, salary, education, and job outlook.
Choose Patient Care Technician if you want to:
Choose Surgical Technician if you want to:
Both careers offer strong job growth and the chance to make a difference. If you’re looking for fast entry and bedside interaction, patient care technician training is a great option. If you’re drawn to surgery and sterile environments, surgical technology may be the better fit.
Explore Dreambound to find the best training programs near you. Read these other blogs:
Sunshine is a member of the School Growth team at Dreambound, where she assists students and schools with their billing and onboarding needs. She is a licensed mechanical engineer. Outside of work, she enjoys road trips with her family, discovering cozy cafes, and exploring her love for art.
Article continues after recommendations
A patient care technician (PCT) provides basic care to patients in hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities.
Learn more about what a patient care technician does.
A surgical technician, or surgical tech, assists surgeons during operations and ensures a sterile environment.
Learn more about what a surgical technician does.
Patient Care Technician:
Surgical Technician:
Get courses selected just for you
Try our powerful search engine
Article continues after recommendations