Surgical Technology, Associate of Applied Science

A surgical technologist assists the surgeon and assistants by passing instrumentation and supplies during surgical procedures. Surgical technologists work with other surgical personnel to prepare the operating room for a variety of surgical cases. A surgical technologist may be employed in the surgical department of hospitals and outpatient surgery centers. The program provides a hands-on surgery lab and four semesters of clinical experience to enable students to gain essential surgical skills. Students will be prepared to take the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) Examination. The program is fully accredited by the:

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
9355 - 113th St. N, #7709
Seminole, FL 33775
Phone: 727-210-2350
mail@caahep.org

Program contact: Learn more

Learn more about how certificate credits apply to the related degree.

Related Degrees and Certificates

• Sterile Processing and Distribution Technology, Certificate of Proficiency

Program Admission Requirements

Application may be submitted to the Health Careers Enrollment Center after meeting the below requirements. Deadline to apply is May 31^st.

• High School Diploma/GED
• Complete ENG-1010 College Composition I or ENG-101H Honors College Composition I with “C” or higher.
• MATH-0955 Beginning Algebra  or qualified Math placement to enroll in any MATH-1XXX Ohio Transfer 36 Approved Mathematics course.
• Complete the following:

  Course List

  Code	Title	Credit Hours
  MA-1020	Medical Terminology I	3
  BIO-2331	Anatomy and Physiology I (or BIO-2330) 1	4
  SURT-1000	Survey of Surgical Technology 2	1

• GPA required: 2.5 admissions requirements; 2.5 overall.

¹

To be eligible to enroll in BIO-2331 Anatomy and Physiology I students must either achieve the appropriate placement score on Biology placement test or complete BIO-1100 Introduction to Biological Chemistry with "C" or higher or complete BIO-1500 Principles of Biology I with "C" or higher or complete CHEM-1010 Introduction to Inorganic Chemistry and CHEM-1020 Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry with "C" or higher.

²

A grade of "B" or higher must be earned in SURT-1000, Survey of Surgical Technology for program admittance.

Other Information

• All admission requirements (except ENG-1010 College Composition I) may only be repeated once to improve a grade.
• Upon acceptance to the program and prior to a clinical assignment, students must submit evidence of good health, personal healthcare insurance coverage, and certification in CPR.
• Accepted candidates will be required to attend a student orientation session after acceptance into the program.
• Program only starts in the Fall Semester. Students are strongly encouraged to take BIO-2341 Anatomy and Physiology II and BIO-2500 Microbiology and may take any of the GERs while waiting.
• After admission to the program,BIO-2341 Anatomy and Physiology II and BIO-2500 Microbiology must be completed with a grade of "C" or higher by the end of the summer semester.
• All remaining General Education Requirements must be completed by the end of the third semester (fall semester, second year).
• Non-native English-speaking applicants:  Admission into Cuyahoga Community College is premised on a complete and accurate initial application to the College, including, if applicable, proof of English Language Proficiency Requirements for admission as indicated on the English Language Proficiency Requirements for Admissions to the College, and available on the web at: http://www.tri-c.edu/get-started/international-students/english-language-proficiency-requirements-for-admission.html
  To be accepted into any selective admission programs, students must successfully complete English as a Second Language (ESL) course/s, as referenced above, if deemed necessary by the College at the time of enrollment. Admission is conditioned upon achieving the necessary grade point average (GPA), English language proficiency requirements and any specific pre-requisite courses, and by meeting program accreditation or licensing requirements as evidenced in the Program Handbook for the specific program.
• Criminal background check required.

Program Learning Outcomes

This program is designed to prepare students to demonstrate the following learning outcomes:

1. Apply principles of aseptic technique in the O.R. setting according to AST guidelines.
2. Demonstrate competence in skills required during the peri-operative event to ensure the patients' and staff’s safety and optimal surgical outcome.
3. Demonstrate professional conduct according to the AST Code of Ethics and departmental policies.
4. Apply knowledge of Anatomy & Physiology, Microbiology, Pharmacology and Medical Terminology within the surgical environment.
5. Effectively communicate with the O.R. team members during the peri-operative event according to the facility’s policies and procedures and surgeons’ preferences.
6. Prepare graduates for the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) Examination.

Suggested Semester Sequence

MATH-1140, MATH-1141, MATH-1200, MATH-1270, and MATH-1280 can no longer count towards fulfilling the college-level mathematics requirement.  These courses were re-classified as developmental mathematics by the state of Ohio in 2016.  Tri-C established a 5-year transitioning window for students who had completed these courses prior to 2016 to apply them towards meeting graduation requirements, which expired in Summer 2021. It is highly recommended to see a counselor to determine the appropriate math required for your current major.