Interview with Author and Nationally Certified Surgical Technologist, Michelle A. Muhammad
Photo Credit: Michelle A. Muhammad
In my interview with author and nationally Certified Surgical Technologist, Michelle A. Muhammad, she shared with me the story behind her study guide, Surgical Technology PREP.
Nadine Muhammad: Please, would you tell our readers about yourself?
Michelle Muhammad: I am a nationally Certified Surgical Technologist with an Associate Degree of Applied Sciences for Surgical Technology and is a Fellow of the Association of Surgical Technologists (the highest recognition for a surgical technologist in this profession). I have been working in this profession for over 36 years in many capacities. I have done every kind of surgery there is but my specialty is adult and pediatric hearts. I have taught this profession in hospitals and colleges. I have also been director of a surgical technology program and the lead instructor for another surgical technology program in Houston, TX. I am currently the lead surgical technology instructor and clinical coordinator at Delaware County Community College in Media, PA. Serving my profession in many capacities include being President of the surgical technologists in the state of Louisiana; being on the board of directors for the state of Texas surgical technologists; serving on the board, vice-president and president of the state of Pennsylvania's surgical technologists. In all of these places I have served on all educational committees making sure surgical technologists in that state kept up with current training and trends in the medical community. At one point I served on the National Board of Directors for The Association of Surgical Technologists. This is the entity that governs, educates and makes policies that govern my profession. I have been a part of the process of surgical technologists passing a law in Texas and Pennsylvania that makes it mandatory to be nationally certified to work in the hospitals of that state. This ensures the patients in Texas and Pennsylvania have a person in surgery that was properly trained to be next to the surgeon doing their surgery.
Nadine Muhammad: What is your motivation for writing your book?
Michelle Muhammad: My motivation in writing my book was to make sure those who qualify for the national certification exam, are fully prepared to take the exam. There are not that many study guides for the national exam and I wanted to help my profession by writing a book that will help in this process.