In order to be a candidate for surgical assisting technology, applying students must attain one of the following criteria.

1. Certified surgical technician with 1 year of work experience
2. Registered nurse with CNOR credential and 1 year of work experience
3. Physician assistant with 1 year of current surgical experience
4. Military training with passing score on entrance proficiency exam and 2 years of work experience in surgery within last 5 years

Surgical technologists set up the instrumentation and equipment needed for the surgery. They pass the instruments to the surgeon and the surgical assistant or resident during the procedure.

Surgical assistants provide exposure, retract tissue, suction, tie suture, and close incisions. They are an extra set of hands for the surgeon.  They also assist with prepping, positioning, inserting catheters, drains, applying dressings, and transport.

Students that are accepted into the program will have to purchase the following.

• Scrubs-$20.00

No, students that are accepted into the program will be placed at a clinical site by the clinical coordinator.

The surgical assisting program is a night track. Some of the technical courses can be taken online (Web 3) or partially online (Web 2). The courses and labs that are face to face will be offered after 4:30 p.m.

Students will have to work their clinical hours around their work schedules.  For example, students that work 3 (12’s) can complete clinical on the 2 days that they are not working.  Students can also complete hours after work. (afternoon shift) In certain instances a student may permitted to complete clinical on the weekends.

Students must be able to commit at least 15 hours per week to clinicals. Students must complete 140 surgical cases between two semesters.

Enrollment is limited due to clinical site placement. Cohorts are only admitted one time per year, starting in the summer term.