Surgical Technology (ST13) Degree
Program Description:
The surgical technology degree program prepares entry-level surgical technologists who are competent in cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains to enter the profession. The program provides learning opportunities that introduce, develop, and reinforce academic and technical knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for job acquisition, retention, and advancement in surgical technology. In addition, the program provides opportunities to upgrade present knowledge and skills or to retrain in surgical technology. Graduates of the program receive a surgical technology associate of applied science degree and are qualified for employment as a surgical technologist, as well as eligible to sit for the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) examination through the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA).
Click here to download the Surgical Technology Student Track for success.
Program Admission:
Admission to the Surgical Technology program is competitive. Students must complete the prerequisite courses with a grade of "C" or higher and have a minimum of a 2.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale to be eligible for a progression into courses with the SURG prefix. General Core Courses (ENG 1101, MATH 1111, or MATH 1101, PSYC 1101, ALHS 1090, BIOL 2113/L, BIOL 2114/L, BIOL 2117/L, a Humanities/Fine Arts Elective, and a General Core requirement from Area I-IV must be completed in order to progress into the Surgical Technology courses. If there are more than 25 applicants that apply and meet the requirements for the program, then applicants with the highest grade point average will be chosen to fill the 25 seats. If there is a tie, the BIOL course grades will be used to determine who fills the available seats. High school graduation or GED is required for admission to this program. The minimum age requirement is 17. For more information regarding this process, please contact the admission office at (229)430-6194.
Entrance date:
Core courses: Any Semester
Occupationally specific courses: Spring semester
Length of Program: Five semesters
Program admission requirements:
Minimum Test Scores
| ACCUPLACER NEXT GENERATION- | Reading | 236 | ACCUPLACER – | Sentence Skills | 70 |
| Writing | 249 | Reading Comp. | 64 | ||
| Quantitatice Reasoning | 245 | Elem. Algebra | 57 | ||
| Advanced Algebra | 249 |
High School diploma or equivalent required for admission.
Applicant must be at least 17 years old.
Employment Opportunities: Surgical technicians are in demand for employment in hospitals, operating rooms, physicians’ offices, veterinary hospitals, ambulatory and day surgery centers, central sterile processing departments, and managerial roles, and more.
Credits required for graduation: 72
Note:
- A student may be a part time or full time status until entering any SURG course. Once a student enters the SURG courses you must maintain a full time status. Students who have to repeat any of the General Core or Designated Occupational courses more than once to achieve a grade of "C" or higher will not be eligible for progression. Students will be admitted during any semester to take prerequisite courses but will not be admitted to the program until Spring Semester, after completing the competitive admission process. ALHS 1090 and any BIOL courses older than five years will not be considered as completed for entrance into the program. The student would have to repeat these courses, however, it will not count as a failure. Any student who withdrawals or fails a course twice will be automatically dropped from the program.
Note:
A grade of “C” or higher is required for all courses.
- A student who does not earn a grade of “C” or higher in any course with the SURG prefix will have to wait one year before reentering the program. The student must complete an individualized remedial program assigned by the department head. The student will be required to retake ALHS 1090 and ALHS 1011. A student who does not earn a grade of “C” or higher in any two courses with the SURG prefixes will not be allowed to reenter the Surgical Technology program.
- Prior to participation in clinical settings, students are required to submit completed medical and dental examination forms. These forms will be distributed by the program director. All required immunizations, including Hepatitis B, must be accompanied by documentation. Students who refuse to take the Hepatitis B vaccination series must sign a declination form and be aware that clinical practicum sites may refuse them an opportunity to gain clinical experience.
- Conviction of a felony or gross misdemeanor may prohibit employment in field and may make a student ineligible to take licensing/certification exam(s) required for the profession. A background check will be required by some agencies before a student attends a clinical practicum. For more information, contact the appropriate program advisor.
- All student activities associated with the curriculum, especially while students are completing clinical rotations, will be educational in nature. Students will not be substituted for hired staff personnel within the clinical institution, in the capacity of a surgical technologist.
- In addition to being accepted into the program, each student must be able to demonstrate a variety of knowledge, psychomotor, and behavioral skills in order to graduate from the Surgical Technology program.
- Graduates are required to take the NBSTSA National Certification Examination for Surgical Technologist prior to graduation.
Surgical Technology Outcomes
| Annual Reporting Year | Academic Year | Standard Reporting | Percentage of that Standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 8/1/2022-7/31/2023 | Retention Rate | 71% |
| CST Exam Pass Rate | 100% | ||
| CST Graduate Placement Rate | 100% | ||
| 2023 | 8/1/2021-7/31/2022 | Retention Rate | 88% |
| CST Exam Pass Rate | 100% | ||
| CST Graduate Placement Rate | 100% | ||
| 2022 | 8/1/2020 - 7/31/2021 | Retention Rate | 86% |
| CST Exam Pass Rate | 100% | ||
| CST Graduate Placement Rate | 100% | ||
| 2021 | 8/1/2019 - 7/31/2020 | Retention Rate | 73% |
| CST Exam Pass Rate | 100% | ||
| CST Graduate Placement Rate | 100% | ||
| 2020 | 8/1/2018 - 7/31/2019 | Retention Rate | 72% |
| CST Exam Pass Rate | 89% | ||
| CST Graduate Placement Rate | 194% |
The Surgical Technology program is in continuing accreditation status and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, 9355 - 1113th St. N, 7709, Seminole, FL 33775, Phone 727-210-2350, www.caahep.org based on the recommendation from the Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (ARC/STSA) located at
19751 East Mainstreet
Suite 339
Parker, CO 80138
Phone 303-694-9262, www.arcsta.org.
| General Core Courses 15 cr. | 15 |
|---|---|
| Area-I-Language-Arts-Communications | |
| ENGL 1101Composition and Rhetoric
Explores the analysis of literature and articles about issues in the humanities and in society. Students practice various modes of writing, ranging from exposition to argumentation and persuasion. The course includes a review of standard grammatical and stylistic usage in proofreading and editing. An introduction to library resources lays the foundation for research. Topics include writing analysis and practice, revision, and research. Students write a research paper using library resources and using a formatting and documentation style appropriate to the purpose and audience. |
3 |
| Area-II-Social-Behavioral-Sciences | |
| PSYC 1101Introductory Psychology
Introduces the major fields of contemporary psychology. Emphasis is on fundamental principles of psychology as a science. Topics include research design, the organization and operation of the nervous system, sensation and perception, learning and memory, motivation and emotion, thinking and intelligence, lifespan development, personality, psychopathology and interventions, stress and health, and social psychology. |
3 |
| Area-III-Natural-Sciences-Mathematics | 3 |
| MATH 1111College Algebra
Emphasizes techniques of problem solving using algebraic concepts. Topics include fundamental concepts of algebra, equations and inequalities, functions and graphs, and systems of equations; optional topics include sequences, series, and probability or analytic geometry. |
3 |
| MATH 1011Business Math
Emphasizes mathematical concepts found in business situations. Topics include basic mathematical skills, mathematical skills in business-related problem solving, mathematical information for documents, graphs, and mathematical problems. |
3 |
| Area-IV-Humanities-Fine-Arts | |
| Program-Specific-Gen-Ed-Course-Requirements-3 | |
| ECON 1101Principles of Economics
Prerequisite: MATH 1111 Provides a description and analysis of economic operations in contemporary society. Emphasis is placed on developing an understanding of economic concepts and policies as they apply to everyday life. Topics include basic economic principles; economic forces and indicators; capital and labor; price, competition, and monopoly; money and banking; government expenditures, federal and local; fluctuations in production, employment, and income; and United States economy in perspective; personal finance, budgeting, and consumer credit. *Students are required to have completed MATH 1111 or to have met the associate-level testing requirements before registering.* |
3 |
| ENGL 1102Literature and Composition
Prerequisite: ENGL 1101 Emphasizes the student's ability to read literature analytically and meaningfully and to communicate clearly. Students analyze the form and content of literature in historical and philosophical contexts. Topics include reading and analysis of fiction, poetry, and drama; research; and writing about literature. |
3 |
| SPCH 1101Public Speaking
Introduces the student to the fundamentals of oral communication. Topics include selection and organization of materials, preparation and delivery of individual and group presentations, analysis of ideas presented by others, and professionalism. |
3 |
| SOCI 1101Introduction to Sociology
Explores the sociological analysis of society, its culture, and structure. Sociology is presented as a science with emphasis placed on its methodology and theoretical foundations. Topics include basic sociological concepts, socialization, social interaction and culture, social groups and institutions, deviance and social control, social stratification, social change, and marriage and family. |
3 |
| MATH 1113Precalculus
Prerequisite: MATH 1111 Prepares students for calculus. The topics discussed include an intensive study of polynomial, rational, exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric functions and their graphs. Applications include simple maximum and minimum problems, exponential growth and decay. |
3 |
| Non-General-Education-Degree-Courses-14-credits | 14 |
|---|---|
| ALHS 1090Medical Terminology for Allied Health Sciences
Introduces the elements of medical terminology. Emphasis is placed on building familiarity with medical words through knowledge of roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Topics include: origins (roots, prefixes, and suffixes), word building, abbreviations and symbols, and terminology related to the human anatomy. |
2 |
| BIOL 2113Anatomy and Physiology I
Corequisite: BIOL 2113L Introduces the anatomy and physiology of the human body. Emphasis is placed on the development of a systemic perspective of anatomical structures and physiological processes. Topics include body organization, cell structure and functions, tissue classifications, integumentary system, skeletal system, muscular system, and nervous and sensory systems. |
3 |
| BIOL 2113LAnatomy and Physiology Lab I
Corequisite: BIOL 2113 Selected laboratory exercises paralleling the topics in BIOL 2113. The laboratory exercises for this course include body organization, cell structure and functions, tissue classifications, integumentary system, skeletal system, muscular system, and nervous sensory systems. Please Note: Transferability of online lab courses to your prospective institution may vary. We recommend verifying with your institution's admissions or academic department whether they accept online lab courses for credit |
1 |
| BIOL 2114Anatomy and Physiology II
Prerequisites: BIOL 2113, BIOL 2113L Continues the study of the anatomy and physiology of the human body. Topics include the endocrine system, cardiovascular system, blood and lymphatic system, immune system, respiratory system, digestive system, urinary system,and reproductive system. |
3 |
| BIOL 2114LAnatomy and Physiology Lab II
Prerequisites: BIOL 2113, BIOL 2113L Selected laboratory exercises paralleling the topics in BIOL 2114. The laboratory exercises for this course include the endocrine system, cardiovascular system, blood and lymphatic system, immune system, respiratory system, digestive system, urinary system, and reproductive system. Please Note: Transferability of online lab courses to your prospective institution may vary. We recommend verifying with your institution's admissions or academic department whether they accept online lab courses for credit |
1 |
| BIOL 2117Introductory Microbiology
Corequisite: BIOL 2117L Provides students with a foundation in basic microbiology with emphasis on infectious diseases. Topics include microbial diversity, microbial cell biology, microbial genetics, interactions and impact of microorganisms and humans, microorganisms and human disease. |
3 |
| BIOL 2117LIntroductory Microbiology Lab
Corequisite: BIOL 2117 Selected laboratory exercises paralleling the topics in BIOL 2117. The laboratory exercises for this course include microbial diversity, microbial cell biology, microbial genetics, interactions and impact of microorganisms and humans, microorganisms and human disease. Please Note: Transferability of online lab courses to your prospective institution may vary. We recommend verifying with your institution's admissions or academic department whether they accept online lab courses for credit |
1 |
| Occupational Courses 43 credits | 43 |
|---|---|
| SURG 1010Introduction to Surgical Technology
Provides an overview of the surgical technology profession and develops the fundamental concepts and principles necessary to successfully participate on a surgical team. Topics include: Topics include: introduction to preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative principles of surgical technology; assistant circulator role, professionalism as well as health care facility information. |
8 |
| SURG 1020Principles of Surgical Technology
Corequisites: SURG 1010, Provides continued study of surgical team participation by wound management and technological sciences for the operating room. Topics include: technological sciences; patient care concepts; preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative surgical technology; and perioperative case management. |
9 |
| SURG 2240Seminar in Surgical Technology
Prerequisite: SURG 2030 Corequisites: SURG 2040, SURG 2130, SURG 2140 Prepares students for entry into careers as surgical technologists and enables them to effectively prepare for the national certification examination. Topics include: employability skills and professional preparation. |
2 |
| SURG 2040Surgical Procedures II
Prerequisite: SURG 2030 Corequisites: SURG 2130, SURG 2140, SURG 2240 Introduces the surgical specialties to include Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Ophthalmic (Eye) Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Peripheral Vascular Surgery and Neurosurgery. Topics for each surgical specialty will include Anatomy and Physiology, Pathophysiology, Diagnostic Interventions, and the Surgical Procedure. |
5 |
| SURG 2140Surgical Technology Clinical IV
Prerequisite: SURG 2120 Corequisites: SURG 2040, SURG 2130, SURG 2240 Orients students to the clinical environment and provides experience with basic skills necessary to the surgical technologist. Topics include, but are not limited to: scrubbing, gowning, gloving, and draping; assistance with patient care; processing of instruments and supplies; maintenance of a sterile field; and environmental sanitation. In addition, introduces the development of surgical team participation through clinical experience. Emphasis is placed on observation and/or participation in routine procedures for core and specialty surgery. Topics include: general surgery (to include gastrointestinal), cardiothoracic surgery, otorhinolaryngologic surgery (ENT), ophthalmic surgery (Eye), genitourinary surgery, neurological surgery, obstetrical and gynecological surgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthopedic surgery, peripheral vascular surgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery, and procurement/transplant surgery. The total number of cases the student must complete is 120. Students are required to complete 30 cases in the General Surgery specialty. Twenty of the cases must be in the First Scrub Role. Students are required to complete 90 cases in various surgical specialties. Sixty of the cases must be in the First Scrub Role and evenly distributed between a minimum of 5 surgical specialties. However, 15 is the maximum number of cases that can be counted in any one surgical specialty. Diagnostic endoscopy cases and vaginal delivery cases are not mandatory, but up to 10 diagnostic endoscopic cases and 5 vaginal delivery cases can be counted toward the maximum number of Second Scrub Role cases. Cases that are in the Observation role must be documented but do not count towards the minimum of 120 total cases. |
3 |
| SURG 2130Surgical Technology Clinical III
Prerequisite: SURG 2120 Corequisites: SURG 2040, SURG 2140, SURG 2240 Orients students to the clinical environment and provides experience with basic skills necessary to the surgical technologist. Topics include, but are not limited to: scrubbing, gowning, gloving, and draping; assistance with patient care; processing of instruments and supplies; maintenance of a sterile field; and environmental sanitation. In addition, introduces the development of surgical team participation through clinical experience. Emphasis is placed on observation and/or participation in routine procedures for core and specialty surgery. Topics include: general surgery (to include gastrointestinal), cardiothoracic surgery, otorhinolaryngologic surgery (ENT), ophthalmic surgery (Eye), genitourinary surgery, neurological surgery, obstetrical and gynecological surgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthopedic surgery, peripheral vascular surgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery, and procurement/transplant surgery. The total number of cases the student must complete is 120. Students are required to complete 30 cases in the General Surgery specialty. Twenty of the cases must be in the First Scrub Role. Students are required to complete 90 cases in various surgical specialties. Sixty of the cases must be in the First Scrub Role and evenly distributed between a minimum of 5 surgical specialties. However, 15 is the maximum number of cases that can be counted in any one surgical specialty. Diagnostic endoscopy cases and vaginal delivery cases are not mandatory, but up to 10 diagnostic endoscopic cases and 5 vaginal delivery cases can be counted toward the maximum number of Second Scrub Role cases. Cases that are in the Observation role must be documented but do not count towards the minimum of 120 total cases. |
3 |
| SURG 2030Surgical Procedures I
Prerequisites: SURG 1010, SURG 1020, Corequisites: SURG 1100, SURG 2110, SURG 2120 Introduces the surgical specialties to include General Surgery, Obstetric and Gynecologic Surgery, Genitourinary Surgery, Otorhinolaryngologic Surgery, and Orthopedic Surgery. Topics for each surgical specialty will include Anatomy and Physiology, Pathophysiology, Diagnostic Interventions, and the Surgical Procedure. |
5 |
| SURG 2120Surgical Technology Clinical II
Prerequisites: SURG 1010, SURG 1020 Corequisites: SURG 2030, SURG 1100, SURG 2110 Orients students to the clinical environment and provides experience with basic skills necessary to the surgical technologist. Topics include, but are not limited to: scrubbing, gowning, gloving, and draping; assistance with patient care; processing of instruments and supplies; maintenance of a sterile field; and environmental sanitation. In addition, introduces the development of surgical team participation through clinical experience. Emphasis is placed on observation and/or participation in routine procedures for core and specialty surgery. Topics include: general surgery (to include gastrointestinal), cardiothoracic surgery, otorhinolaryngologic surgery (ENT), ophthalmic surgery (Eye), genitourinary surgery, neurological surgery, obstetrical and gynecological surgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthopedic surgery, peripheral vascular surgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery, and procurement/transplant surgery. The total number of cases the student must complete is 120. Students are required to complete 30 cases in the General Surgery specialty. Twenty of the cases must be in the First Scrub Role. Students are required to complete 90 cases in various surgical specialties. Sixty of the cases must be in the First Scrub Role and evenly distributed between a minimum of 5 surgical specialties. However, 15 is the maximum number of cases that can be counted in any one surgical specialty. Diagnostic endoscopy cases and vaginal delivery cases are not mandatory, but up to 10 diagnostic endoscopic cases and 5 vaginal delivery cases can be counted toward the maximum number of Second Scrub Role cases. Cases that are in the Observation role must be documented but do not count towards the minimum of 120 total cases. |
3 |
| SURG 2110Surgical Technology Clinical I
Prerequisites: SURG 1010, SURG 1020, Corequisites: SURG 2030, SURG 1100, SURG 2120 Orients students to the clinical environment and provides experience with basic skills necessary to the surgical technologist. Topics include, but are not limited to: scrubbing, gowning, gloving, and draping; assistance with patient care; processing of instruments and supplies; maintenance of a sterile field; and environmental sanitation. In addition, introduces the development of surgical team participation through clinical experience. Emphasis is placed on observation and/or participation in routine procedures for core and specialty surgery. Topics include: general surgery (to include gastrointestinal), cardiothoracic surgery, otorhinolaryngologic surgery (ENT), ophthalmic surgery (Eye), genitourinary surgery, neurological surgery, obstetrical and gynecological surgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthopedic surgery, peripheral vascular surgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery, and procurement/transplant surgery. The total number of cases the student must complete is 120. Students are required to complete 30 cases in the General Surgery specialty. Twenty of the cases must be in the First Scrub Role. Students are required to complete 90 cases in various surgical specialties. Sixty of the cases must be in the First Scrub Role and evenly distributed between a minimum of 5 surgical specialties. However, 15 is the maximum number of cases that can be counted in any one surgical specialty. Diagnostic endoscopy cases and vaginal delivery cases are not mandatory, but up to 10 diagnostic endoscopic cases and 5 vaginal delivery cases can be counted toward the maximum number of Second Scrub Role cases. Cases that are in the Observation role must be documented but do not count towards the minimum of 120 total cases. |
3 |
| SURG 1100Surgical Pharmacology
Corequisites: SURG 2030, SURG 2110, SURG 2120 Introduces the fundamentals of intraoperative pharmacology, and emphasizes concepts of anesthesia administration. Topics include: weights and measurements, drug conversions, interpretation of drug orders, legal aspects of drug administration, intraoperative pharmacologic agents, and anesthesia fundamentals. |
2 |
Faculty
Chair/Instructor of Surgical Technology
Health Technology Building, Room 140
Up one level
Programs of Study
Notice and Responsibilities Regarding this Catalog
The purpose of this catalog/handbook is to provide general information. It should not be construed as the basis of a contract between students and Albany Technical College (ATC). While the provisions of this catalog/handbook will ordinarily be applied as stated, ATC reserves the right to change any provisions listed without notice. Such changes may include entrance requirements and admissions procedures, courses, and programs of study, academic requirements for graduation, fees and charges, financial aid, rules and regulations and the College calendar. It is the student’s responsibility to keep informed of all changes including academic requirements for graduation.