Surgical Technology
Do you dream of a career where you’re an integral part of a team of medical practitioners providing the highest level of safe, surgical care to patients?
Surgical Technology just might be the perfect career path for you! Industry demand for surgical technologists is critical, meaning jobs in this high-demand profession will be waiting for graduates. The objective of the program is to prepare entry-level Surgical Technologists who are competent in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains to enter the profession.
Students in the 20-month Surg Tech program will study theory and practice hands-on applications that ensure an operating room is safe, equipment functions properly, and the operative procedure is conducted under conditions that maximize patient safety. Program learning objectives include sterilization procedures; preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative procedures; as well as perioperative case management.
The curriculum prepares students to become highly skilled in:
- Preparing the operating room, including a sterile table set up with instruments, supplies, equipment, and medications/solutions
- Assisting the surgeon with handling instruments, fluids, and supplies
- Performing a supply count
- Monitoring and adjusting sterilizers, lights, suction machines, or diagnostic equipment
- Performing post-procedure activities including instrument decontamination and sterilization of instruments
In addition to on-campus training, Surg Tech students are required to complete clinicals at an approved healthcare facility. Graduates of the Surgical Technology program will be prepared to take the national Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) exam.
The Surgical Technology program at Lake Area Technical College has a site visit scheduled for pursuing initial accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org). This step in the process is neither a status of accreditation nor a guarantee that accreditation will be granted.
Clinical Experience Case Requirements
Students must complete a minimum of 120 cases as delineated below.
A. General Surgery cases
- Students must complete a minimum of 30 cases in General Surgery.
- 20 of which must be performed in the First Scrub Role.
- The remaining 10 cases may be performed in either the First or Second Scrub Role.
B. Specialty cases
- Students must complete a minimum of 90 cases in various surgical specialties, excluding General Surgery.
- 60 of which must be performed in the First Scrub Role.
- The additional 30 cases may be performed in either the First or Second Scrub Role.
- A minimum of 60 surgical specialty cases must be performed in the First Scrub Role and distributed amongst a minimum of four surgical specialties.
(1) A minimum of 10 cases in the First Scrub Role must be completed in each of the required minimum of four surgical specialties (40 cases total required).
(2) The additional 20 cases in the First Scrub Role may be distributed amongst any one surgical specialty or multiple surgical specialties.
(3) The remaining 30 surgical specialty cases may be performed in any surgical specialty either in the First or Second Scrub Role.
Lake Area Technical College’s curriculum for Surgical Technology meets the educational requirements for professional certification. Professional certifications are recognized nationwide. Read more here regarding Professional Licensure Disclosures.
