What is a Surgical Technologist?    
Surgical Technologists, often referred to as “scrub nurse”, “scrub tech” or “operating room tech”, are integral members of the operating room team.  Their role includes assisting the surgeon during surgery by preparing and handling instruments, equipment, supplies and medications.

Job opportunities:
Surgical Technologists usually work within the operating room itself which may offer specialization in specific fields such as orthopedics, plastics, ENT, ophthalmic or cardiovascular.  However technologists may qualify for work within various medical fields such as, dental assistants, veterinary assistants, procurement technicians and instrument processing technicians without much more education than on the job training.  As medical technology advances, so does the opportunities for the working surgical technologist.

Curriculum:
The curriculum is designed as hybrid courses of lab, classroom, online instruction and surgery clinicals to provide theoretical foundations of operating room techniques.  The student will learn skills in a competency-based clinical lab and apply learned skills in the clinical facilities.  Within the operating room, the student will observe, and then participate in a supervised position.  The student will then be expected to advance to a high level of independence by their internship.

Program Goal and Outcomes: 
Upon completion of the Surgical Technology Program, students will be prepared to begin a successful career as a surgical technologist, often referred to as a scrub tech or operating room tech. The goal of the Surgical Technology Program is to prepare competent entry-level surgical  technologists in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomoter (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains.

The Surgical Technology Program will meet or exceed Accreditation Review Committee on Education in Surgical Technology (ARC-ST) benchmark standards on  student retention, PAE and/or CST exam results, graduate job placement, employer satisfaction, and greaduate satisfaction.

Student Outcomes:

Graduates will be prepared to...

• Work with surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses and other health professionals in providing direct or indirect patient care while demonstrating positive work ethic, professionalism and appropriate interpersonal skills in the surgical setting.
  
• Practice professional, value directed actions based on didactic and clinical knowledge, ethical principles and legal standards as a member of the surgical team.
  
• Organize surgical instrumentation, supplies and equipment in an efficient manner while utilizing principles of aseptic technique for physical preparation and maintenance of the surgical environment.
  
• Perform under pressure in stressful and emergency surgical situations.
  
• Demonstrate understanding of biomedical sciences and technology as it applies to the patient focused events that occur in the operating room.

Application and Registration: 
The Surgical Technology Program has a limited number of students per year due to clinical space and various other factors.  This requires the student to complete a conditional application one semester prior to the semester they plan to begin the program.  Program begins only in the spring semester. Please call for an appointment to obtain this application from the program director.

Program accreditation: 
This program is nationally accredited through  CAAHEP, the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, in collaboration with the Accreditation Review Committee on Education in Surgical Technology.

Please contact the program director to plan a course schedule that will work best for you.

Prerequisite Courses

Fall Semester

Spring Semester