<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3dE7fx_16jLR2Dl00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3dE7fx_16jLR2Dl00" width="1200" height="600" >DULUTH, Minn. (Northern News Now) - Essentia’s newest surgical technologists are ready to head to the operating table after successfully completing the apprenticeship program there.Essentia Health created a 12-month paid apprentice program to help address staffing shortages within the rural healthcare system. The hospital covers all costs associated with the program that combines studying, on-the-job training, and mentorship from current surgical technologists. The first two apprentices to enroll in the program successfully graduated on Thursday and are now equipped to be Essentia employees for at least the next two years. During the intimate graduation ceremony, Essentia leaders took time to recognize Jake Galatz and Elijah Zielke.“This is a fully immersive, hands-on program where the apprentices are able to be full-time employees. They work in the operating room five days a week, 7-3:30, and they’re able to complete their online studies on their own time,” said Ray Kordek, Essentia Health’s Surgical Technologist program manager.We caught up with one of the new graduates who was initially a nursing assistant at Essentia but found his passion to be in the surgical room.“Hands-on is the way to learn this type of job; it’s a very hands-on kind of job. You are setting up the field, you’re assisting the surgeon. You need to know the case as well as the surgeon to know what they need and anticipate their needs,” said Elijah Zielke, one of the new surgical technologists. This is the first year the surgical technologist program has been launched with Essentia, with other training programs located in the hospital’s Brainerd and Moose Lake facilities.Copyright 2025 Northern News Now. All rights reserved.</div></body>

Block Source: northernnewsnow.com

Misinformation

Clickbait

Old or repetitive news

Explicit content

Location not relevant

DULUTH, Minn. (Northern News Now) - Essentia’s newest surgical technologists are ready to head to the operating table after successfully completing the apprenticeship program there. Essentia Health created a 12-month paid apprentice program to help address staffing shortages within the rural healthcare system. The hospital covers all costs associated...

Essentia recognizes newly graduated surgical technologists

NewsBreak

DULUTH, Minn. (Northern News Now) - Essentia’s newest surgical technologists are ready to head to the operating table after successfully completing the app

Essentia recognizes newly graduated surgical technologists

Comments