Surgical Technology, Certificate

Surgical technologists work under the supervision of surgeons to ensure operative procedures are conducted in a safe and efficient manner. They assemble and organize necessary equipment while maintaining a sterile environment. Surgical technologists help prepare patients for surgery and assist during the procedure. Knowledge of anatomy, physiology, pathology and surgical equipment is vital to facilitate a physician’s performance of therapeutic and diagnostic procedures.

Accreditation:

The Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs (CAAHEP). Instruction is consistent with the curriculum frameworks as administered by the Florida Department of Education (FDOE). Additional information about CAAHEP can be found at caahep.org. CAAHEP is located at 9355 113th Street N. #7709, Seminole, FL 33775. The phone number is 727-210-2350.

Licensure and Certification:

Successful completion of all certificate requirements may provide you eligibility to take the Certified Surgical Technologist exam offered by the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting. You may also qualify to take the exam specializing in surgical technology offered by the National Center for Competency Testing. If you are a student who resides outside of Florida, Santa Fe College has not made a determination that its degree program or curriculum meets educational requirements for professional licensure in your state. Please locate and contact the Licensure Board in your state in order to determine whether this degree program will meet their licensure requirements.

Requirements for Admission

The following prerequisite requirements must be completed in order to apply to the Surgical Technology program:

Possess minimum college ready placement scores in reading, writing and mathematics or present transcript showing previous college level coursework.
Possess a minimum college GPA of 2.5.

All transcripts and coursework must be evaluated and accepted by SF College at least four (4) weeks prior to the application date in order to qualify for application. Application must be submitted by 4 p.m. on the deadline date.

See Application Dates and Deadlines.

Program Cost, Scholarships and Aid

All tuition and fees are estimated costs and subject to change without notice.

Program Costs:
In-state Tuition (1332 contact hours)	$3,383.28
Out-of-state Tuition (1332 contact hours)	$12,907.08
Lab Fees	$411.49
Uniforms	$200.00
Books	$560.00
Health Physical and Immunizations	up to $450.00
Flu Vaccination	$20.00
American Heart Association Basic Life Support CPR	$55.00
Level 2 and Expanded Background Screenings; drug test	$208.00
Clinical Tracking System	$100.00
Miscellaneous Expenses	$100.00
Total In-state:	$5,487.77
Total Out-of-state:	$15,011.57

Scholarships:

There are many scholarships available for Santa Fe College students to apply to. Please visit the Scholarships webpage for more information and how to apply.

Financial Aid:

There are many options to finance your education. You may be eligible for Federal Grants, Work Study, State Grants, Federal Loans, and Institutional Scholarships. Please visit the Financial Aid page for more information and how to apply.

Selection Criteria / Points System

Selection criteria and points system is subject to change. It is the applicant's responsibility to check with the Health Sciences Advisement Office for up-to-date requirements and information.

Prior Degree or Credential: Maximum Points = 12 Degrees cannot be combined for points	Points Allotted:
CNA, EMT, Paramedic, Medical Assistant, Vet Technician, other direct patient care certification or license (must have current credential)	5 points
A.A./A.S. degree	2 points
B.A./B.S. or higher degree	7 points

Work Experience and Previous Coursework: Maximum Points = 44	Points Allotted:
BSC2084 Anatomy and Physiology	A = 8; B+ = 7; B = 5; C+ = 4; C=3
HSC1000 Introduction to Healthcare	A = 8; B+ = 7; B = 5; C+ = 4; C=3
HSC2531 Medical Terminology	A = 8; B+ = 7; B = 5; C+ = 4; C=3
2+ years health related work experience	20 points
2+ years non-health related work experience	10 points
Work experience must be documented on official stationary or Health Sciences Work Experience form and signed by employer. Incomplete or undocumented forms will not count for points consideration. Health Sciences Advising Office cannot contact employers or verify work experience hours. Part-time (PT) hours will be converted to full-time (FT) hours based upon a 40-hour work week. Documentation should include dates, hours worked, PT or FT status and duration of employment. Falsifying documents is grounds for revoking application to program.

Military Service:

Military Service - 5 points will be awarded to US Armed Forces active duty and honorably discharged veterans. Includes recent Reservist and National Guard combat deployments. DD-214 or proof of current service required. Minimum of 1 year active duty service required. Part-time Reservist or National Guard service must be documented separately and equal 365 active duty days (i.e., weekend service, annual 2-week assignment and deployment). Service dates may be combined with proper documentation. Veterans who receive a general discharge must be classified without misconduct.

Program Goals and Outcomes

Goal 1: Students will be competent in the cognitive domain.

Student learning outcomes:

Students will demonstrate a mastery of aseptic technique and surgical technology skills as established in the AST core curriculum.
Students will be prepared for successful completion for the National Certification exam administered by NBSTSA.

Goal 2: Students will be competent in the psychomotor domain.

Student learning outcomes:

Students will demonstrate knowledge of various surgical specialties by identifying appropriate surgical instrumentation and supplies needed for cases in laboratory.

Students will participate in surgical cases necessary to successfully complete our program requirements in accordance to AST standards.

Goal 3: Students will be competent in the affective domain.

Student learning outcomes:

Student will demonstrate professional conduct by adhering to clinical duties and responsibilities.
Students will demonstrate acceptance of constructive guidance.

Program Length, Format, and Curriculum

The Surgical Technology program spans four semesters with courses meeting in a variety of formats to include: on-campus, online, and virtually. In addition, students will conduct clinical internships at local and regional hospitals.

The program is academically rigorous and requires students to be available Monday thru Friday 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

The program is a total of 1332 contact hours (44.4 credit hours).

The Program courses must be taken as a cohort in the order indicated below. Talk with a Health Sciences Academic Advisor if you have previously taken the TERM 1 courses.

Term 1 Summer (186 contact hours)(6.2 credit hours):
BSC0700*	Human Anatomy - Structure and Function	75 clock hours (2.5 credit hours)
HSC0003*	Introduction to Healthcare	48 clock hours (1.6 credit hours)
HSC0530*	Medical Terminology	63 clock hours (2.1 credit hours)

Term 2 Fall (423 contact hours)(14.1 credit hours)
STS0003	Surgical Technology I	54 clock hours (1.8 credit hours)
STS0120	Surgical Specialties I	108 clock hours (3.6 credit hours)
STS0155C	Surgical Techniques and Procedures	213 clock hours (7.1 credit hours)
STS0255L	Introduction to Clinical Practicum	48 clock hours (1.6 credit hours)

Term 3 Spring (435 contact hours)(14.5 credit hours)
STS0004	Surgical Technology II	42 clock hours (1.4 credit hours)
STS0121	Surgical Specialties II	42 clock hours (1.4 credit hours)
STS0256L	Clinical Practicum I	315 clock hours (10.5 credit hours)
STS0803	Pharmacology Anesthesia ER	36 clock hours (1.2 credit hours)

Term 4 Summer (288 contact hours)(9.6 credit hours)
STS0005	Pathophysiology and Assessment	18 clock hours (.6 credit hours)
STS0257L	Clinical Practicum II	240 clock hours (8 credit hours)
STS0930	Surgical Topics Review	30 clock hours (1 credit hour)

* The Program reserves the right to substitute HSC 2531, BSC 2084 and HSC 1000 for HSC 0530, BSC 0700 and HSC 0003. The cost of the substitution college credit courses may be greater than the cost of the contact hour courses.

Performance Standards

The Surgical Technology program is a practice discipline with cognitive, sensory, affective and psychomotor performance requirements. Based on these requirements, the following list of Program Performance Standards has been developed. Each standard has an example of activities which a student will be required to perform, with or without an accommodation, while enrolled in the Surgical Technology program. The Program Performance Standards should be used as a guide to assist applicants in determining whether or not accommodations or modifications are necessary in order to meet program participation requirements. Applicants who identify potential difficulties with meeting the Program Performance Standards should communicate their concerns to the Academic Chair for Allied Health Programs. If the concern is related to a documented disability, applicants are responsible for contacting the Disability Resource Center. Determination of reasonable and appropriate accommodation will be made on an individual basis in consultation with the Disability Resource Center. Additionally, applicants should assess their aptitude and ability to perform professional duties by reviewing the Program Performance Standards below and discussing them with their healthcare provider.

Issue	Standard	Examples
Critical Thinking	Critical thinking sufficient for clinical judgment.	Handle multiple priorities in stressful situations. Exercise independent judgment and discretion in the safe technical performance of medical procedures. Concentrate for prolonged periods of time.
Interpersonal	Interpersonal abilities sufficient to interact with individuals, families and groups from a variety of social, emotional, cultural and intellectual backgrounds.	Display patience, empathy and concern for others. Deal with fear, anger and hostility in a calm manner. Work with others in stressful situations.
Communication	Communication abilities sufficient for interaction with others in verbal and written form.	Communicate needs in a prompt, clear and concise manner. Able to communicate the identity of items such as drugs, tools, or implants. Accurately record/document pertinent information. Interact with patients and health care providers in a professional manner.
Mobility	Physical abilities sufficient to safely and effectively perform skills required of a Surgical Technologist.	Walk to and from departments. Maneuver nimbly in small spaces. Respond swiftly to patient's needs, manipulate equipment, lift a minimum of 30lbs, exert a sustained force of 20lbs, push/pull mobile equipment weighing up to 300lbs; participate as a team member of four in moving an incapacitated patient; ensure patient safety; stand for prolonged periods of time (sometimes wearing a 12-20lb lead apron underneath gown). Walk an equivalent of 5 miles per day. Must be able to reach 18" above head and pass instruments, reaching at least 30" across operating table. Gowns provided by clinical affiliates are limited to size 3X. This could limit the student's ability to complete mandatory proficiency requirements.
Tactile and Motor Skills	Gross and fine motor abilities sufficient to safely and effectively perform surgical technology skills. Must have good manual dexterity. Must possess tactile ability sufficient for physical assessment and handling of tissues.	Ability to grasp, hold, grip, seize, turn or otherwise work with hands. Accurately and safely pass sharps and instruments. Examples include working with fingers to thread or load delicate suture needles; assemble air powered drills and mix bone cement. Perceive attributes of an object via touch. Palpate. Handle tissue/organs with gentle accuracy as instructed. Must have good eye-hand-foot coordination.
Hearing	Auditory ability sufficient to monitor and assess health needs.	Detect and evaluate the sounds of advanced surgical equipment such as gas, video and cardiac monitors, power driven tools, fire alarms, etc. Able to follow verbal instructions.
Visual	Visual ability sufficient for observation and assessment necessary in surgical technology.	Observe and monitor patients; assist in surgery in full and dimmed light. Possess vision near acuity of 20 inches or less with clarity. Distinguish depth, color and spatial attributes of objects or images.
Professional Appearance	As a representative of Santa Fe College and the Surgical Technology program, students must abide by specific professional appearance guidelines required by our clinical affiliates. Prospective students must be aware that these requirements have been agreed upon by Santa Fe College's Surgical Technology program and its clinical partners. Hair must be maintained within the range of natural color and must be conservative in length and style. Completely shaved or bald styles are acceptable; however, no partially shaved or one-sided haircuts are permitted. Visible tattoos must be covered by garments at all times. Visible body piercings are not allowed and earlobe gauges must be covered. Earrings are limited to one stud-style pair per ear. Clothing and footwear must comply with standards prescribed by the program. Facial hair should be kept neat and trimmed short. Artificial nails, nail polish, jewelry, watches and perfume are not permitted.

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Surgical Technology, Certificate

Program Overview