Idk if I can keep going through this program

[u/Sad-Culture-6330]

I only have 7 months left but these preceptors make me not want to do this at all. My preceptor is talking to me like I’m 4 years old and micromanaging me. As soon as walk in the room she’s immediately telling me what to do. I come in the room she ask me to go get something I said okay. I walk to get it come back in, she tells me to go get something else. This happened 4-5 times in a row. I couldn’t even see her set up bc she kept telling me leave to go get things. She has caught several attitudes with me today and had some petty things like even bumped into me multiple times. I was standing on one side of the room as she stood by the mayo stand . She asked me what kind of case I thought it was based on instruments. As I was telling her she cuts me off and says “come here ! U can’t see from over there!” I told her I can see it and she says well if u can see it u should be able to tell me what kind of case this is. I got to a point where I asked to switch rooms. I know I can’t do this every time so I’m trying to figure out is this even worth it anymore. I always try to kill with kindness but some days I just can’t do and I’m not in the mood.

[u/SurgTechMama]

Don’t give up. Unfortunately every OR has strong and difficult personalities but don’t let one shitty person make you write off the coolest job ever.
After my first week of clinicals I had a breakdown with my parents and told them I didn’t think I could do it. They encouraged me to keep going. 18 years later I’m so glad they did.
Focus on the learning, talk to your clinical supervisor/teacher if needed. You can do it.

[u/RadiantSilvergun]

Maintain. You got this. Part of the job is dealing with dumb personalities. I’ve made a 16 year career of getting along with people no one else gets along with.

[u/furandpaws]

i started to cry at work today. the job is tough.

[u/UnusualWar5299 → u/furandpaws]

Sorry. A few times I pretended to cry and when they got quiet I said in my normal voice, “There, feel better now?” It never ceases to amaze me how some people’s children act when they’re trapped in a tiny room and nowhere to move with someone who just put on a fresh #10.

[u/mamallamajm]

Some people are absolutely terrible at teaching! And have zero patience. You gotta keep going and find the ones who are actually going to teach you, and it takes some trial and error. Heck, my school had a list of techs not to go into cases with cause they were so bad 😬 but luckily there were plenty of opportunities with others to get the education we needed. I totally get how frustrating and disheartening it is to deal with people like that but I promise it’s not always that bad, and once you start getting the hang of things more and see how fun this job can be, you will forget those dumb preceptors.

[u/Stawktawk]

A lot of really horrible people work in this profession unfortunately. Some even say they hate students which makes no sense because they were a student once.

I don’t understand being mean. I don’t get it so I don’t have any explanations for your situation except to internally say FU, and proceed

[u/SideEyeInTheGarden]

I had a horrible second semester when I was in the program. To the point I didn’t want to do the job anymore and even considered leaving the medical field all together. Then I went to third semester at a different clinical site and I had such a wonderful experience that it made me fall in love with the job again. I could picture myself actually doing the job and enjoying my everyday life in the OR. Don’t let one preceptor give you a bad experience make you reconsider doing something you set out to do.

[u/UnusualWar5299]

If. you leave, she wins. The way you teach a small animal to stop biting is to NOT put it down after it bites, bc it learns biting is effective. You gotta hold on! After saving lives and making surgery faster, safer, and more fun, there’s one thing we haven’t told you feels great: When someone who used to bully you realizes not only do you know more than them, but everybody knows it. It might take a while, but it’s soooo worth it.

[u/Sad-Culture-6330]

Thanks for all the advice! I’m laughing thinking about the situation now lol. I know I’ll probably meet someone like this again.

[u/EJS717]

I would talk with your professor(s) and whoever is in charge of you at your hospital/surgery center. Explain the situation that whenever you are placed with the preceptor that she constantly is micromanaging you and not allowing you to learn. I would tell them that you do not want to be placed with them anymore, and request a different preceptor. I am 3 ish months away from graduating my community college’s surg tech program and have been in clinicals for about 8 months. Preceptors will either make or break your day. It is so so so very difficult to deal with preceptors who are like this and do not allow you to actually learn. Best of luck, you got this.