Surgical Technology Program Information

The Surgical Technology program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the recommendation of the Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (ARC/STSA).

Students may receive three credits for the HIM 1530 Medical Terminology from another accredited institution if the course meets or exceeds the three-credit requirement and the HIM 1530 course description. 

Credit is not given for experiential learning or prior learning in the core surgical technology courses due to programmatic requirements to fully assess students' knowledge and achievement of the required cognitive, psychomotor, and affective competencies.

CST Examination Outcomes (First-Time Pass Rates)

2024: 40%
2025: 28.6%

Graduate Employment and Continuing Education Outcomes

2024: 90%
2025: 80%

Mission Statement

To provide students with the opportunity to enter entry-level positions as surgical technologists through didactic courses and hands-on clinical instruction.

Program Goals

• Prepare entry-level Surgical Technologists who are competent in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains to enter the profession.
• Perform one's role as a surgical technologist before, during, and after surgical procedures.
• Exhibit skills that are required for a safe operating room environment, such as decontamination and sterility.
• Demonstrate the ability to follow/adhere to the moral, legal, and ethical responsibilities to the patient.
• Organize surgical instrumentation, equipment, and supplies in an efficient, responsible, and safe manner while utilizing principles of surgical asepsis.
• Demonstrate knowledge of various surgical procedures in surgical specialties in a simulated operating room environment.
• Work effectively with members of the operating room team.

Program Director
Jerome Upchurch BS. CST,CSFA. SA-C
Associate Professor

Instruction & Clinical - Adjunct Faculty
Richards Saunders ST, C-SA
Leslie Williams AD, ST

Term 1: Fall Semester

• PAS 1000 First Year Experience
• EGL 1010 English Composition I
• MAT 1250 College Algebra
• BIO 2050 Human Anatomy & Physiology I

Term 2: Spring Semester

• BIO 2060 Human Anatomy and Physiology II
• BIO 2010 Microbiology
• PSY 1010 General Psychology
• COM 1010 Foundations of Communications for Allied Health

Term 3: Fall Semester

• HIM 1530 Medical Terminology
• SGT 1010 Introduction to Surgical Technology

Term 4: Spring Semester

• SGT 1030 Surgical Procedures I

Term 1: Summer Semester

• SGT 2010 Surgical Technology Clinical I

Term 5: Fall Semester

• SGT 2050 Surgical Procedures III
• SGT 2200 Surgical Technology Clinical III
• SGT 2300 Professional Success Preparation

Total Program Credits: 60

Surgical technologists assist surgeons during surgical procedures under direct supervision. Surgical technologists prepare, set up, and maintain the surgical environment, making them an integral part of the surgical team.

Surgical technologists work in a variety of health care settings, including hospitals, surgery centers, outpatient care centers, educational institutions, oral maxillofacial, and many other facilities. Some surgical technologists also work in direct medical sales as sales representatives.

• Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics - Surgical Technologists
• Occupational Outlook Handbook - Surgical Technologists

Surgical technologists perform administrative and clinical services, filling several roles in various health care environments. They work directly with providers and patients in the perioperative area to provide health care and ensure patient safety.

As with any health care position, certain occupational risks come into play:

• Exposure to infectious diseases
• Sharp injuries
• Blood-borne pathogens and biological hazards
• Chemical and drug exposure 
• Ergonomic hazards from lifting, sitting, and repetitive tasks
• Latex allergies
• Stress

The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) provides important protections within health care environments to protect the safety of health care workers and patients. Students learn about the hazards and occupational risks they will face on the job—including the protocols in place to ensure workplace safety.

Tuition and Costs

• Scrubs (2 Pairs): $60.00 each
• Lab Coat: $40.00
• Shoes: $100.00
• Supplies: $40.00
• Textbooks: $350.00
• Cost for National Exam: $362.00

In the event of emergency or college closing due to unforeseen circumstances, the surgical technician program will work with the department chair, dean, and Provost/Vice president of TLSS to ensure that all students are informed and procedures followed. The program will communicate with ARC-STSA if there is an extended or prolonged (undetermined) interruption to didactic, laboratory, and clinical instruction to ensure accreditation compliance. The program will use the Canvas Learning Management System to ensure students have current information and resources.

Admissions & Registration

• Association of Surgical Technologists
• Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (ARC/STSA)
• The National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting