Surgical Technologists
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 29-2055.00
Assist in operations, under the supervision of surgeons, registered nurses, or other surgical personnel. May help set up operating room, prepare and transport patients for surgery, adjust lights and equipment, pass instruments and other supplies to surgeons and surgeons' assistants, hold retractors, cut sutures, and help count sponges, needles, supplies, and instruments.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
Low· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery highGroup-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
- Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.000
0.000Range of values carried here0.745Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
- Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.30
0.09Range of values carried here0.70Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
What kind of figure this source publishes
The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.
Task-level exposure
Show 15 hidden tasks16 rated tasks · 2 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (12.5%)
β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.
- Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
- All rated tasks are in the O*NET 31.0 task list.
- Source
- OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
- Release
- gh-main-0471612
- License
- MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
| Task (O*NET 20.1) | Claude.aiRaw / share % |
|---|---|
Prepare dressings or bandages and apply or assist with their application following surgery.29-2055.00 | 0.0020100.0 |
Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Maintain files and records of surgical procedures.O*NET Task ID 1972 | 1.0 |
Order surgical supplies.O*NET Task ID 15245 | 0.5 |
β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.
Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Anthropic Economic Index, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (18)
All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.
| Task (O*NET 31.0) | Type |
|---|---|
| Count sponges, needles, and instruments before and after operation. | Core |
| Hand instruments and supplies to surgeons and surgeons' assistants, hold retractors and cut sutures, and perform other tasks as directed by surgeon during operation. | Core |
| Scrub arms and hands and assist the surgical team to scrub and put on gloves, masks, and surgical clothing. | Core |
| Provide technical assistance to surgeons, surgical nurses, or anesthesiologists. | Core |
| Wash and sterilize equipment, using germicides and sterilizers. | Core |
| Prepare, care for, and dispose of tissue specimens taken for laboratory analysis. | Core |
| Prepare dressings or bandages and apply or assist with their application following surgery. | Core |
| Operate, assemble, adjust, or monitor sterilizers, lights, suction machines, or diagnostic equipment to ensure proper operation. | Core |
| Monitor and continually assess operating room conditions, including patient and surgical team needs. | Core |
| Maintain supply of fluids, such as plasma, saline, blood, or glucose, for use during operations. | Core |
| Maintain a proper sterile field during surgical procedures. | Core |
| Prepare patients for surgery, including positioning patients on the operating table and covering them with sterile surgical drapes to prevent exposure. | Core |
| Clean and restock operating room, gathering and placing equipment and supplies and arranging instruments according to instructions, such as a preference card. | Core |
| Observe patients' vital signs to assess physical condition. | Supplemental |
| Maintain files and records of surgical procedures. | Supplemental |
| Order surgical supplies. | Supplemental |
| Schedule surgical procedures for patients. | Supplemental |
| Transport patients to and from the operating room. | Supplemental |
0.16/ 3· Robot exposure index
Scale, basis and source
Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time
Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks
Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.
The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.
Tier of each physical task
Robot environment tiers (E0–E3)
E0 noneDetails
Rated not doable by robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated, even in a purpose-built setting
E1 purpose-built robot settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting built around the machine, such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line
E2 structured facilitiesDetails
Rated doable in a human work facility that an institution keeps to a working standard, such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port
E3 unstructured settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting that no institution keeps to a working standard, such as a private home or a construction site
Only tasks classified as physical are listed; other tasks have no tier in the source.
| Task (O*NET 29.3) | Robot environment tier |
|---|---|
| Count sponges, needles, and instruments before and after operation. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Hand instruments and supplies to surgeons and surgeons' assistants, hold retractors and cut sutures, and perform other tasks as directed by surgeon during operation. | E0 none |
| Scrub arms and hands and assist the surgical team to scrub and put on gloves, masks, and surgical clothing. | E0 none |
| Provide technical assistance to surgeons, surgical nurses, or anesthesiologists. | E0 none |
| Wash and sterilize equipment, using germicides and sterilizers. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Prepare, care for, and dispose of tissue specimens taken for laboratory analysis. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Prepare dressings or bandages and apply or assist with their application following surgery. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Operate, assemble, adjust, or monitor sterilizers, lights, suction machines, or diagnostic equipment to ensure proper operation. | E0 none |
| Maintain a proper sterile field during surgical procedures. | E0 none |
| Prepare patients for surgery, including positioning patients on the operating table and covering them with sterile surgical drapes to prevent exposure. | E0 none |
| Clean and restock operating room, gathering and placing equipment and supplies and arranging instruments according to instructions, such as a preference card. | E0 none |
| Maintain supply of fluids, such as plasma, saline, blood, or glucose, for use during operations. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
- Employment, 2025
- 118K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 124K
- Change (2025–35)
- +5%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $64,650
- Typical education needed for entry
- Postsecondary nondegree award
Korea classification links (KSCO)
Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.
| KSCO code | KSCO title | Relation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24950 | 간호조무사 | This occupation is narrower | confirmed |
Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)
ILO occupational description
AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.
- ISCO-08 3259Health Associate Professionals Not Elsewhere Classified
The definition, tasks and examples below are the ILO's description of that unit group, not of this occupation.
This unit group covers health associate professionals not classified elsewhere in Sub-major Group 32: Health Associate Professionals. For instance, the group includes occupations such as HIV counsellor, family planning counsellor and other health associate professionals.
Tasks
- In such cases tasks would include:
- (a) interviewing and examining patients to obtain information on their health status and the nature and extent of injury, illness or other physical or mental health condition;
- (b) providing information and counselling to patients and families about certain health conditions, prevention and treatment options, treatment adherence, and personal behaviours that can affect health outcomes;
- (c) administering therapeutic care and treatment to patients;
- (d ) performing certain basic clinical procedures, such as administration of HIV antibody tests or insertion of intrauterine devices;
- (e) dispensing and advising on dietary supplements, antiretroviral and prophylaxis medications, and other healthcare products
- (f) monitoring patients' progress through treatment plans, and identifying signs and symptoms requiring referral to a medical doctor or other health professional;
- (g) recording information on patients' health status and responses to treatment in medical records-keeping systems;
- (h) sharing information with other health care providers when required to ensure continuing and comprehensive care.
Example occupations
Anaesthesia technician · Family planning counsellor · HIV counsellor · Respiratory therapy technician
Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits
ESCO occupational vocabulary
Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.
- doctors' surgery assistantESCO 3256.1Same scope
Doctors' surgery assistants support doctors of medicine in medical measures, in performing simple support activities during medical procedures, standardised diagnostic programmes and standardised point-of-care tests, ensuring surgery hygiene, cleaning, disinfecting, sterilising and maintaining medical devices and performing the organisational and administrative tasks required for operating a doctor`s surgery under supervision, following the orders of the doctor of medicine.
- anaesthetic technicianESCO 3259.1Overlapping, not the same
Anaesthetic technicians assist specialised doctors in anaesthetics. They prepare operating theatres and other specialised clinics for anaesthetic procedures, prepare the equipment needed for anaesthesia, and assist with inducing and maintaining adequate anaesthesia and post-anaesthesia procedures. They do so under supervision, following the orders of the doctor of medicine.
- clinical perfusion scientistESCO 3211.1Overlapping, not the same
Clinical perfusion scientists operate heart-lung equipment during surgical operations to ensure breathing and blood circulation. They work as part of the surgical team, connect patients to the heart-lung machines in preparation for surgery, monitor their condition during surgery, report to the team on the patients' status and determine the necessary techniques according to their needs.
Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)
License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)
ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.
France classification links (ROME)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.
| ROME code | ROME title (French) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| J1504 | Infirmier / Infirmière de bloc opératoire (IBODE) | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
| J1309 | Agent / Agente de stérilisation de service hospitalier | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.
ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)
Spain classification links (CNO-11)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| CNO-11 code | CNO-11 title (Spanish) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 5611 | Auxiliares de enfermería hospitalaria | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
| 2122 | Enfermeros especializados (excepto matronos) | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)
Germany classification links (KldB)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| KldB code | KldB title (German) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 81332 | Berufe in der operations-/medizintechnischen Assistenz - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | Same scope |
Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)
Japan classification links (JSCO)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| JSCO code | JSCO title (Japanese) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 379 | その他の保健医療サービス職業従事者 | This occupation is narrower |
| 133 | 看護師（准看護師を含む） | Related, not a match |
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)
Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources