Scrub Tech Program Helps Turn Health Care Passion Into Career

For Deandra Hyatt, a career in health care was never a question, it was a calling. Raised in a family deeply rooted in the medical field, Hyatt said, “That’s all my heart has ever known.” 

Her journey began in the mid-1990s with her first job working alongside Dr. Rishi Rajan and his staff. Years later, Hyatt became part of history as a student in the inaugural class of East Alabama Health’s Scrub Tech Apprenticeship Program. 

“I heard of the apprentice program for surgical techs while I was completing the Student-At-Work (now Pathways to Advancement) program here at EAH,” she said. “I was a student in the first class, so it was a touch-and-go experience. I’d like to think that our class paved the way for the future classes that have been continued.”

The program, which started in 2022 to meet the growing demand for scrub techs, was designed to prepare employees for the operating room, combines classroom instruction with hands-on clinical rotations. Hyatt recalled, “We did six to eight weeks of class, with another few months of clinicals and finishing off with rotations once we gravitated toward our chosen specialty.”

For Hyatt, mentorship was key. “My mentorship was amazing. I had the best supporters as well,” she said. That support helped her choose The Surgery Center as her specialty area, drawn by the variety of cases and the opportunity to deepen her knowledge. “Surgery is not just about passing instruments for a surgical tech,” Hyatt said. “It goes beyond that with the peace that you just helped save someone’s life.”

Looking back, Hyatt has nothing but praise for the program. “My thoughts on the program have always been positive. I will always support our apprentice programs here at EAH,” she said. Her advice to future apprentices is simple: “It’s a wonderful opportunity at making your dreams come true! Stay with the programs offered. Never give up!”

The Scrub Tech Apprenticeship Program continues to train qualified employees for this vital role in the operating room, ensuring smooth surgical procedures and patient safety. For Hyatt, being part of its beginning was more than a career move, it was a chance to make a lasting impact.

About East Alabama Health

East Alabama Health encompasses East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital in Valley, East Alabama Medical Center North, the Spencer Cancer Center in Opelika, the Auburn Medical Pavilion and a host of other key medical clinics and practices that help provide a continuum of care to patients throughout an 11-county area. EAMC is a 316-bed regional referral hospital. EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital provides emergency and outpatient services while its campus also features a nursing home and an ambulatory surgery center. East Alabama Health employs about 3,800 people and is the second largest employer in the region, trailing only Auburn University.