Surgical Technology

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Program Level:

Degrees

Department:

Healthcare Sciences and Early Childhood and Family Studies

Institute:

Health & Biosciences

College:

SPC

What is the Surgical Technology program?

Surgical Technology will prepare students for the operating room, including the sterile field, and setting up surgical equipment, supplies, and solutions. Upon completion of the Surgical Technology Program, you will be qualified to assist the surgical team during surgery.

What will I learn?

A surgical technologist may work as a surgical scrub person, passing instruments and surgical supplies to the surgeon, assisting the RN circulating during the surgical procedure, or other areas within the operating room department. You will learn theory, surgical procedures, instrumentation, aseptic technique, and surgical equipment and supplies during your training. Through a clinical education course, you will receive valuable clinical experience in the operating suite of a local hospital. The program's goal is to prepare competent entry-level Surgical Technologists in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains. You will be eligible to take the National Certification Examination upon completing your coursework.

What can I do with this course of study?

Surgical Technologist

What's special about the program?

The Surgical Technology Program is an Associate of Applied Science program starting in the fall semester. The Surgical Technology Program is accredited through the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).

Program Accreditation and Licensure

The Surgical Technology Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Accrediting Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting.

The National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA), formerly the LCC-ST was established in 1974 as the certifying agency for surgical technologists. NBSTSA is organized as a 501-C(6) organization, and is solely responsible for all decisions regarding certification; from determining eligibility to maintaining, denying, granting and renewing the designation. The purpose of NBSTSA is to determine, through examination, if an individual has acquired both theoretical and practical knowledge of surgical technology or surgical first assisting. In addition, through the acquisition of continuing education credits or by re-examination, CST’s certified after August 31, 1977 and all CST/CSFAs are required to stay up to date with changes in the medical field.

The National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA), is the credentialing agency for Surgical Technologists and Surgical Assistants. This agency is a nationally recognized credentialing agency for both surgical specialties. In the State of Texas, the national certification exam is the mandatory credential. Students from CAAHEP-accredited surgical technologist and surgical assisting programs are eligible to take the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting national Certified Surgical Technologist examination and Certified Surgical First Assistant examination.

The Association of Surgical Technologists (AST) was established in 1969 with the mission of ensuring quality patient care.

Today, AST is proud to acknowledge more than 55,000 members and represents the interests of more than 80,000 practitioners nationwide. AST actively promotes education for the profession; legislatively advocates for practitioner recognition; supports state-level constituent organizations; and has committed to students as the future of the profession.

See the National Board of Surgical Technology and Assisting or Association of Surgical Technologists for details. See also CAAHEP for further information or contact CAAHEP at 9355 113^th Street N., #7709, Seminole, FL 33775-7709 or phone at 727-210-2350 or by email at mail@caahep.org.

THECB Statutory Requirement

Admissions and Prerequisite Requirements

Admissions Requirements

Students desiring to specialize in Surgical Technology must meet all previous admission requirements for acceptance to St. Philip's College and the Surgical Technology Program. These include the following:

St. Philip's College Admissions
Surgical Technology Program Admission Requirement
- Proof of Immunizations prior to clinical (mid-September)
  - Tuberculosis (TB) PPD
  - Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
  - Hepatitis A series
  - Hepatitis B series
  - Diphtheria, Tetanus within 10 years
  - Varicella (chicken pox)
  - Current flu shot
Criminal Background Check
Drug Screening Test
CPR Certification (AHA ONLY)

Prerequisite Requirements

All students must also meet the following prerequisites by the start of the program with a grade of C or better.

Semester I (Prerequisites)
ENGL 1301 Composition I
MATH 1314 College Algebra
CHEM 1405 Introductory Chemistry I or CHEM 1411 General Chemistry I

Semester II (Prerequisites)
HITT 1305 Medical Terminology I
BIOL 2404 Human Anatomy & Physiology (or BIOL 2401 & BIOL 2402)
BIOL 2420 Microbiology for Allied Health Majors

The student applying to the Surgical Technology Program must complete an application form and be available for an interview by the faculty. Criteria for selection are based on an interview, application, essay, completed prerequisites, corequisites, and GPA. Please see the Student Technical Standards listed below.

Applications are only being accepted for the fall program during the prior spring semester. The deadline for applications is June 1st.

Learn more

Application and Selection Process

Information Sessions

Please review the information sessions schedule on this website for dates and times. In each session, you will learn about the Surgical Technology program, the admissions process, and prerequisite requirements. In addition, we will review the application process and deadline. All candidates are required to attend one information session. Proof of attendance will be provided.

Application Deadline

Completed application packets, including all supporting documents, are accepted by the deadline of June 1^st of every year. After the application deadline, the program selection committee reviews all application packets.

A completed application packet includes the following:

Application Checklist
TEAS pre-entrance exam score
Resume and certifications, certificates, or licenses (if applicable)
Student Application form
Application and Selection Process form
Official Transcripts
“Information Session” – Proof of attendance
NOTICE TO ALL APPLICANTS AND ENROLLED STUDENTS
Two-page essay

Application Checklist Selection Process Apply Now

Selection Process

After the June 1^st deadline, the program selection committee will review all application packets.
Applicants will be scheduled for an interview.
Applicants are ranked in accordance with the “Application and Selection form” weighted points system.

Students are responsible for monitoring their ACES email for program communication regarding their application or program acceptance.

The timeframe for acceptance/non-acceptance notification (on or before): June 30^th

Acceptance to the program is conditional, contingent on the satisfactory results of a mandatory criminal background check and drug screen required of all Health Sciences students. Accepted students are further required to provide the program immunization record, proof of personal health insurance, and proof of American Heart Association BLS (Basic Life Support) for Health Care Professionals certification.

No person shall, on the basis of race, color, sex, pregnancy, religion, creed, national origin (including ancestry), citizenship status, physical or mental disability, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, transgender status, gender identity, gender expression, veteran or military status (including special disabled veteran, Vietnam-era veteran, or recently separated veteran), predisposing genetic characteristics, domestic violence victim status, any other protected category under applicable local, state or federal law, or persons who have opposed discrimination or participated in any complaint process on campus or before a government agency, be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination in employment or under any program or activity sponsored or conducted by the College District. H.1.1

Program Outcomes

Surgical Technology, AAS

60 credit hour, five-semester program

Students prepare to become surgical technologists.

Surgical technologists (also known as operating room techs or scrub techs) are healthcare professionals who assist in surgical operations. They are responsible for preparing the operating room, sterilizing equipment, and assisting the surgical team during procedures by passing instruments, maintaining sterile fields, and ensuring the safety and efficiency of the surgery. Below is a breakdown of their key duties:

Preparing the Operating Room
Assisting During Surgery
Managing Surgical Supplies
Maintaining Safety and Sterility
Post-Surgery Duties
Working with the Surgical Team
Specialty Roles

Key Skills for Surgical Technologists

Attention to Detail: Precision is crucial in this role to ensure that all instruments, supplies, and equipment are correctly handled.
Manual Dexterity: Surgical technologists need to handle delicate instruments and equipment with skill.
Knowledge of Anatomy and Procedures: A solid understanding of human anatomy, surgical procedures, and the specific instruments used in various surgeries is essential.
Communication Skills: The ability to communicate effectively with the surgical team is critical, especially in high-pressure situations.

In short, the duties of a surgical technologist encompass preparing the operating room, maintaining a sterile field, assisting during surgeries, managing surgical supplies, and ensuring patient safety before, during, and after the surgery. Their role is vital to the efficiency and success of surgical procedures.

St. Philip’s accepts about 20-25 students per year

Program Effectiveness Data

St. Philip’s College
Surgical Technology- Program# 2810
Program Effectiveness Data

Retention (Program Completion) Data

CST Participation Rates
Annual Benchmark=100%

CST Pass Rates
Annual Benchmark= 70%

Employment (Graduate) Placement Rates
Annual Benchmark= 80%