Surgical Technology, Associate of Applied Science Degree (ST13)
Offered at the Griffin Campus
Program Entrance Term: Spring
Minimum Length of Program: 6 terms
Minimum Credit Hours for Graduation: 70
Program Description
The Surgical Technology (ST) program provides entry-level skills in surgical technology. As an essential team-member in the operating room of hospitals, labor & delivery departments, outpatient surgical centers, and specialized surgical centers, the surgical technologist is responsible for tasks and duties in the perioperative phases of surgery. The surgical technology student will encounter training in the didactic and clinical setting in over twelve specialty areas. Topics include: aseptic technique, sterilization methods, surgical positioning and draping, perioperative case planning, surgical wound management, professional ethics, microbes and infection, perioperative pharmacology, robotic surgery, minimally invasive surgery, general surgery and various surgical specialties.
College Admission Requirements
- Submit completed application and application fee
- Be at least 17 years of age
- Submit official high school transcript or GED transcript with test scores and all post-secondary transcripts in an official sealed envelope
- Meet assessment requirements
Program Admission Requirements
Student is listed as a Healthcare Management student until completion of the Competitive Selection Process and acceptance into the ST Degree Program. The Competitive Selection Process is based on the combination of the highest competitive courses’ GPA and HESI A2 examination score. Only courses found in the Healthcare Management are considered by Financial Aid while the student is under that program.
The ST Program, a daytime only program, will admit once each year at the Griffin Campus. The deadline to apply for Competitive Selection is the last day of the Summer Term. The program cohort begins each Spring Semester. The following steps are required:
- Complete the six competitive selection courses with a minimum grade of C or better; there is no minimum GPA required (ENGL1101 Composition and Rhetoric, MATH1111 College Algebra, PSYC1101 Introductory Psychology, ALHS1090 MedTerm/Allied Health Sciences, BIOL2113 Anatomy and Physiology I, BIOL2113L Anat and Physiology Lab I) before the application deadline: Allied Health Acceptance Dates and Deadlines
- Submit the Allied Health Program Application online: Allied Health Program Application
- Submit current HESI A2 scores (minimum score of 70 is required for this program). Scores cannot be older than one year at the time of application.
- Upon acceptance into the ST Program, the successful completion of a criminal background and drug screen along with a History and Physical prior to beginning the Spring cohort
- Obtain CPR certification – BLS Providers through the American Heart Association
- Completion of BIOL2114 Anatomy and Physiology II and BIOL2114 Anatomy and Physiology IIL prior to starting the Spring cohort is required
The College accepts credit from the College Board's College-Level Examination Program (CLEP). A grade of EXP is assigned for awarded CLEP credit. Quality points are not awarded for CLEP, therefore, courses with CLEP credit are not calculated into the GPA during the competitive admissions process.
Readmission Policy
Students who are not successful in their first attempt in the ST program and/or withdraw for medical reasons can attempt readmission based on the competitive selection process. Readmission is not guaranteed and is a one-time readmission with the following condition: repeat of the SURG1010 Intro to Surgical Technology course. Grading standards for the Surgical Technology Program are very stringent. For students to progress to the next course of study, a minimum grade of “C” must be achieved in every Surgical Technology course.
Program Fees
The following fees are approximate and subject to change:
| Cost | Price |
|---|---|
| Books | $600 |
| Uniforms | $100 |
| Background check | $80 |
| BLS card | $55 |
| Certification Exam | $250 |
| ACEMAPP | $50 |
Applicant & Student Disclosures
Prospective and current students should carefully review the following information regarding the technical standards and physical demands of the Surgical Technology Program, occupational risks associated with surgical technology education and practice, and the policies and procedures used for assignment to clinical education experiences. These requirements apply to participation in laboratory and clinical education and should be considered when determining whether the Surgical Technology Program is an appropriate educational and career pathway.
Technical Standards and Physical Demands
Surgical Technology is a physically demanding healthcare profession. Students must be able to meet the technical and physical requirements necessary to participate safely and effectively in laboratory and clinical education. The program's technical standards apply to both on-campus laboratory experiences and hospital-based clinical experiences.
- Standing: approximately 7–10 hours per day; maintaining balance; and standing on raised surgical step stools.
- Walking: approximately 1–2 hours per day; walking approximately 100 meters in one minute; and climbing stairs.
- Bending and positioning: bending, squatting, and returning to a standing position.
- Reaching: reaching above the shoulders and below the waist.
- Lifting, pushing, and pulling: lifting up to 75 pounds independently; assisting with patient transfers and positioning; repetitively lifting instrument trays weighing 30 pounds or more; and pushing or pulling large equipment.
- Fine motor ability: manipulating small objects, assembling and disconnecting equipment, and performing repetitive hand movements.
- Hearing: hearing and understanding normal speech and detecting faint body sounds and equipment alarms.
- Vision: seeing objects at close and distant ranges and distinguishing colors.
- Tactile ability: detecting vibrations, palpating a pulse, and distinguishing temperature differences.
Students must be able to meet the applicable technical standards necessary to perform required program competencies, with reasonable accommodations when appropriate and consistent with College policies and applicable law.
Occupational Risks
Participation in Surgical Technology education and employment involves inherent occupational risks because students train in operating rooms and other healthcare environments where exposure to biological, physical, chemical, and environmental hazards may occur.
- Exposure to blood, body fluids, bloodborne pathogens, and communicable diseases.
- Needlestick, scalpel, and other sharps injuries.
- Contact with contaminated instruments, specimens, surfaces, or biohazardous materials.
- Exposure to surgical smoke or plume, aerosols, and chemical fumes.
- Exposure to disinfectants, sterilants, medications, cleaning agents, and other chemicals.
- Exposure to radiation, lasers, electrical equipment, heat, or other energy sources used during surgical procedures.
- Latex or other environmental sensitivities or allergic reactions.
- Musculoskeletal strain associated with prolonged standing, repetitive movement, lifting, positioning patients, and moving equipment.
- Slips, falls, burns, or other injuries that may occur within the perioperative environment.
- Psychological or physical stress associated with emergency situations, exposure to surgical procedures, and the fast-paced nature of perioperative care.
Students receive instruction and are expected to comply with established institutional, program, and clinical-site safety requirements. Safeguards include Standard Precautions, hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, sterile and aseptic technique, sharps-safety practices, infection-control procedures, proper handling and disposal of biohazardous materials, radiation and laser safety practices, and applicable clinical-site exposure-control procedures.
Clinical Experience Assignment
Clinical education is a required component of the Surgical Technology Program and provides students with opportunities to achieve professional competencies. Students are expected to demonstrate maturity, professionalism, responsibility, and safe, legal, and ethical practice throughout their clinical experiences.
Students are assigned to clinical rotations based on clinical-site availability, student case requirements, and potential for graduate job placement. Clinical sites are within a 50-mile radius of the Griffin Campus. Students may be assigned to one or more clinical sites throughout the program. Although consideration may be given to clinical-site location and student drive time, these factors are not deciding factors in clinical assignments.
Students are responsible for transportation to and from assigned clinical locations and for any parking or transportation-related expenses. Paid parking is required at some clinical sites. Students must complete each assigned clinical rotation and the minimum clinical case requirements to successfully complete the applicable clinical courses and the program.
Clinical Eligibility and Site Requirements
Students are required to follow the medical clearance policies designated by their assigned clinical sites. Clinical affiliates may require vaccinations against specific diseases, testing for specific diseases, or other health and compliance documentation. If a student does not satisfy the requirements of an assigned clinical site, the student may not have access to clinical education, which may delay or prevent program completion.
Students are also required to complete the program's applicable criminal background check and drug screening requirements before clinical participation. Clinical placement is required for program completion; therefore, circumstances that prevent a student from being eligible for clinical placement may prevent completion of the Surgical Technology Program.
Additional Information
Applicants are encouraged to review these requirements before enrollment and to contact the Surgical Technology Program with questions regarding program expectations. Current students remain responsible for complying with the complete policies and requirements published in the Surgical Technology Program Student Handbook and applicable Southern Crescent Technical College policies.
Published Clinical Case Requirements
To qualify for graduation from the Surgical Technology Program, students must complete a minimum of 120 surgical cases in accordance with the current Core Curriculum for Surgical Technology and applicable ARC/STSA expectations. Clinical case documentation is used to verify progression in the scrub role and completion of the required distribution of general and specialty surgical experiences.
Specialty First Scrub distribution: Of the 60 required specialty cases completed in the First Scrub role, students must complete at least 10 First Scrub cases in each of four different surgical specialties (40 cases). The additional 20 First Scrub specialty cases may be distributed within one specialty or across multiple specialties.
Recognized specialty areas: Cardiothoracic; Genitourinary; Neurologic; Obstetric and Gynecologic; Orthopedic; Otorhinolaryngologic; Ophthalmologic; Oral Maxillofacial; Peripheral Vascular; Plastics and Reconstructive; and Procurement and Transplant.
Additional case-count provisions: Up to 10 diagnostic endoscopy cases may be counted toward the required 120 cases in the Second Scrub role, and up to 5 vaginal delivery cases may be counted in the Second Scrub role within the Obstetric/Gynecologic specialty. Observation cases must be documented but do not count toward the required 120 cases.
Student responsibility: Students are responsible for accurately documenting clinical cases and monitoring progress toward all case and role requirements. All applicable clinical case requirements must be satisfied before graduation.
Reference: Association of Surgical Technologists, Core Curriculum for Surgical Technology, Seventh Edition, Surgical Rotation Case Requirements (pp. 234-237).
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.
To contact CAAHEP:
Commission on Accreditation
of Allied Health Education Programs
9355 – 113th St. N., #7709
Seminole, FL 33775
727-210-2350
(www.caahep.org)
To contact ARC/STSA:
Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting
19751 E. Mainstreet, Ste 339
Parker, CO 80138
Main: (303) 694-9262
Fax: (303) 741-3655
http://www.arcstsa.org/
The following is a suggested path to complete this program in a timely manner. An individual’s path to completion may be different based on institutional and personal factors affecting his/her academic progress.
Note: While all courses are offered, they may vary by term and campus. See the program advisor for any questions.
Contact Us
Hannah Corbitt, Program Coordinator
Email: Hannah.corbitt@sctech.edu
Phone: (770) 412-5778