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Meet Gracie Chatman: First to Pursue 海角社区E鈥檚 Surg Tech Program at 海角社区A

In all operating rooms, there are surgical technologists who work elbow-to-elbow with surgeons to make sure they have the right instruments at the right time, and everything in and near the patient remains sterile. The workforce demand for surgical technologists is high and rising, especially at smaller hospitals and in rural areas. Now, 海角社区 Eunice and 海角社区 Alexandria are leveraging the strength of the statewide university to bring surgical technology training to Central Louisiana.

鈥淩ather than building a new program from scratch, we can partner,鈥� said Renee Guillory, director of the surgical technology program at 海角社区E, now in its seventh year.

Starting this semester, 海角社区E surgical technology students can attend lectures and do labs in 海角社区A鈥檚 Allied Health Building in downtown Alexandria and continue to complete their clinical rotations with hospital partners in Central Louisiana, such as Rapides Regional Medical Center, CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital, and Central Louisiana Surgical Hospital. Prerequisites for the 海角社区E surgical technology program can also be completed at 海角社区A, offering local students who can鈥檛 travel as far as Lafayette or Shreveport a proven, one-year pathway to well-paid jobs. 

鈥淥ur students are usually employed one or two months before they graduate,鈥� Guillory said.

Gracie Chatman from Oberlin, Louisiana, is one of the first students in the new 海角社区E program on the 海角社区A satellite campus. She was able to complete six of the 11 surgical technology prerequisites already at Oberlin High School thanks to dual enrollment with 海角社区E.

鈥淚鈥檓 so excited, and I think I鈥檓 going to like trauma,鈥� said Chatman, who will complete rotations in as many as 11 surgical specialties, including trauma, general surgery, cardiothoracic, transplant, and plastic surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, neurology, orthopedics, ophthalmology, and otolaryngology. 鈥淎lready week two, we went on a field trip to observe surgeries in Opelousas and I watched a gross hematoma explode, but it was awesome. It gave me motivation鈥攖he good we鈥檒l be able to do.鈥�

Chatman said she is drawn to surgical technology because she wants to work in a fast-paced environment where no two days or patients are the same.

鈥淚鈥檓 an adrenaline junkie,鈥� Chatman said. 鈥淚 like to be busy.鈥�

Right now, busy means going to school five days a week while working three days a week as a valet at Coushatta Casino Resort in Kinder, Louisiana. Chatman is the first in her family to pursue a healthcare degree and career.

鈥� My mom stays at home and my dad works in the oil field and goes offshore,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 have a whole bunch of blue collar and farmers in my family. And then there鈥檚 me, medical. 鈥�

Chatman鈥檚 grandfather is a cattle farmer.

鈥淗e has diabetes, and I help him monitor his blood sugar,鈥� Chatman said. 鈥淲e got him a medical device that鈥檚 an implant that goes into his arm, but he鈥檚 hard-headed, like me, so he calls me to do it for him.鈥�

Chatman said 海角社区E鈥檚 expansion of its surgical technology program to 海角社区A made her career choice much easier.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just closer to where I live, an easier drive,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 important to me to stay in this area. I鈥檓 very close to my family, and after I finish the surgical technology program at the end of next summer, I would like to work at Rapides Regional Medical Center in Alexandria. Ever since my grandfather went to the hospital there when I was younger, I鈥檝e always wanted to work toward that.鈥�

Her biggest challenge in the surgical technology program so far has been sterile gloving and gowning.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just really hard,鈥� Chatman said. 鈥淵ou have to put on your gloves with your hands covered by the gown, so the gloves remain sterile, and the gowns are large or extra-large, so it鈥檚 like having a big blanket on. But there are ways to make it easier. It just takes practice.鈥�

Program director Renee Guillory aims to have 10 surgical technology students on the 海角社区A satellite campus by next year.

鈥淢ost people don鈥檛 realize how important surgical technology is,鈥� Guillory said. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 do surgery without surgical technologists, and we鈥檙e the only team member in the operating room who learns everyone else鈥檚 job, so we can stay one step ahead and always protect the patient.鈥�

鈥淲e need to know everybody鈥檚 roles in the operating room and everything a surgeon does,鈥� Chatman said. 鈥淚f they鈥檙e going to clamp a tissue, we have to know what to give them and anticipate their needs for the surgery to go as smoothly as possible.鈥�

Clinical partner Rapides Regional Medical Center in downtown Alexandria has multiple job openings for surgical technologists.

鈥淭here is a great need for surgical techs, just like there鈥檚 a great need for all healthcare specialties,鈥� said Katlin Bolton, chief nursing officer at Rapides Regional Medical Center. 鈥淥ur population is aging, and the acuity of sickness is increasing. While we can provide on-the-job training, that will never be enough to meet the workforce gap.鈥�

鈥満＝巧缜� recognized the need and demand, and by extending the 海角社区 Eunice surgical technology program to 海角社区 Alexandria, we can now collaborate to be part of a solution that will have an immediate impact in filling job openings within our organization鈥攕omething our community needs,鈥� Bolton continued. 鈥淪imply having the program here helps raise awareness of surgical technology as a career possibility, which is very important.鈥�

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