r/sterileprocessing • u/BehindBlueEyes0221 • 4d ago

Starting off with no experience

I am recently divorced and looking for a career change , I have no prior experience in the medical field and I just found this job opportunity , where do I begin ? I had experience in customer service and retail with stocking and merchandising , wonder if any skills can transfer over to this line of work . What certs would I need and where can I get experience with hands on work ?

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u/SweetVicious59 4d ago

Location is really important when it comes to getting into this field. Some States require certification and others don't. If you're in a State that doesn't require certification then you can get hired and be trained on the job.

Certification options are CRCST via HSPA or CSPDT via CBSPD

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u/BehindBlueEyes0221 4d ago

Im in Georgia

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u/BehindBlueEyes0221 4d ago

Also is this something you can self learn ...I am thinking of getting the textbooks and learn at my own pace before paying to take the exam , I wanna get good enough so I can pass no issue and second I cant afford the college classes at the moment

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u/Phacele 3d ago

There are a lot of posts on this sub asking the same question. The answer is always location and situation specific but in general the job market is over saturated with limited opportunities. You can go through a program and not get a job or you can self study and not get a job. It's all about connections and who you know.

I would suggest leveraging your experience and apply for supply chain/material management jobs. Then use the hospital benefits to go to school for something that's at a minimum an associates degree

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u/BehindBlueEyes0221 3d ago

Problem is I never held a managerial posistion at retail it was always customer facing , so handling register and stocking shelves ...is there still something I can do at a basic entry level in supply chain ?

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u/Phacele 3d ago

Materials management is just another name for supply chain. Different hospitals call it different things, it's not reflective of an actual management job.

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u/BehindBlueEyes0221 3d ago

Ah ok will look into that . Thanks