Surgical Technology, Associate of Applied Science

Program Information

If you are interested in providing hands-on patient care in a fast-paced hospital environment, a degree in Surgical Technology may be the challenge to kick-start a satisfying medical career. As an integral part of every hospital operating room, surgical technologists are highly valued players with responsibilities that include assisting surgeons and working with registered nurses, anesthesiologists, and other hospital staff to care for the surgical patient.

The San Jacinto College Surgical Technology program:

• Offers a curriculum that combines classroom theory with supervised clinical practicum;
• Offers students hands-on operating room experience on how to prepare equipment, surgical supplies, and medications, pass instruments to surgeons and assistants, monitor counts, care for specimens for lab analysis, and apply dressings, as well as operate lights, suction machines, and endoscopy equipment; and
• Trains students for surgical and post-surgical procedures that meet Universal Standards/Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines.

Program Accreditation

The Surgical Technology program is accredited by the Commission for Accreditation for Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). Upon receiving the AAS degree, the graduate is eligible to take the National Certification exam by the National Board of Surgical Technologists and Surgical Assistants. The state of Texas requires all surgical technologists to be certified.

Commission on Accreditation for Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
9355 - 113th Street N, #7709
Seminole, Florida 33775

Phone: 727-210-2350
www.caahep.org

Career Opportunities

Hospitals are the primary employers of surgical technologists.

Private specialty practices such as ophthalmology, neurosurgery, orthopedics, and plastic/reconstructive surgery also hire surgical technologists.

There has been an increase of surgical technologists seeking the Certified First Assistant position. With the AAS and further training, the Licensed Surgical Assistant (LSA) is qualified to work in a specialty position with a surgeon or a group.

Earning Potential

Surgical Technologist: $59,576¹ per year

¹

Source: texaswages.com, median salary Gulf Coast region, 2022

For additional information, students may contact 281-478-3612.

Campus

Central Campus

Links

For application packet and information session details, students may go to the Surgical Technology page on the College website. 

Information

Surgical technologists are an integral part of the surgical team, and work closely with nurses and surgeons to provide the best possible care for the patient during the intraoperative phase of a surgical procedure. Surgical technologists are responsible for assisting during surgery by passing instruments and other equipment to the surgeon in a prescribed manner and maintaining sterility throughout the surgical procedure.

The goal of the Surgical Technology program is to provide students with the opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to gain employment as entry-level surgical technologists, and to become contributing members of the health care team. The program curriculum is a balance of theoretical and technical courses, with supervised clinical experience at area hospitals. This combination provides the student an opportunity for educational development and skill competency.

Students enrolling into San Jacinto College programs with external learning experiences (i.e., clinical, practicum, externship, cooperative, etc.) will be required to comply with the immunization requirements and policies of the clinical/external learning sites to engage in all clinical/external learning experiences. Vaccination requirements at clinical/external learning sites are implemented pursuant to the independent authority of such facilities and are not mandated by San Jacinto College. Failure to meet the immunization requirements mandated by clinical/external learning sites may limit a student’s ability to complete the program and/or may delay the student’s graduation date. San Jacinto College does not process exemptions, and students should address potential vaccination exemptions directly with the clinical/external learning site.

Students who wish to pursue a bachelor’s degree after graduation from San Jacinto College may want to consider programs in the Western Governors University (WGU) College of Health Professions. WGU will accept credit for students with an AAS in Surgical Technology. Interested students may find more information on the WGU website.

Program Admission Criteria

The Surgical Technology program accepts applicants twice a year. Students can find applications and submission deadlines on the San Jacinto College Surgical Technology web page. 

Students must apply for admission to the department of Surgical Technology by submitting a formal application to the department and by submitting all required official documents to the Office of Admissions.

In accordance with Texas House Bill 1508, the College informs all students in this program who may have a criminal background that a criminal history could keep graduates from being licensed by the state of Texas. Students with any questions about their background and licensure may speak with the Department Chair.  

A criminal background check and drug testing are mandatory along with immunizations, physical examination, proof of health insurance, and proof of American Heart Association Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation training, Basic Life Support (CPR-BLS).

Students who apply for admission will be selected based on their completion of the prerequisite coursework and their total score on the application rubric, as posted on the San Jacinto College website. Applicants must complete prerequisite courses with the grade of C or better in each course. Meeting minimal entry requirements does not guarantee program admission. Students must attend a Mandatory Information Session prior to submission of their application, as posted on the San Jacinto College website Surgical Technology page.

Admission Requirements

This is a selective admission program. Class size is determined by the availability of clinical space with acceptance being based on the score on the Admissions Scoring Rubric.  Rubric scores are based on grades in the pre-requisite courses and GPA along with several other factors. Limited enrollment ensures a quality laboratory and clinical experience as needed to become a competent, entry-level surgical technologist. To be considered for selection to the Surgical Technology program, the following steps must be completed:

For credit earned in a required biology course to be applicable to the Surgical Technology program, credit must have been earned within the past five years and the grade earned must have been a C or above. Credit earned in a required biology course exceeds the five-year stipulation if the credit was earned five or more years prior to the first term in which the student enrolls into the program.

1. Be admitted to San Jacinto College. All students must apply Online using the Apply Texas website at www.applytexas.org. There is no charge to apply.
2. Provide Official Transcripts
   1. High School Diploma or GED Certificate required.
   2. Students with any transfer credits must have college transcripts evaluated by San Jacinto College (admissions transcript evaluation) prior to submitting an application.
   3. Surgical Technology Program Director has final approval of all transferred courses that apply toward the degree in Surgical Technology.
   4. Transcripts from other colleges must be official and sent to the Office of Admissions.
3. Completion of all of the prerequisite courses listed below, with a minimum grade of C, before admission to the program.
4. Attend a mandatory information meeting as posted on the San Jacinto College website.
5. Complete and submit a Surgical Technology application by the deadline as posted on the San Jacinto College website. 

Prerequisites

*

Students who have already completed:

BIOL 2301 Anatomy and Physiology I (Lecture),

BIOL 2101 Anatomy and Physiology I (Lab),

BIOL 2302 Anatomy and Physiology II (Lecture), and

BIOL 2102 Anatomy and Physiology II (Lab)

may use this combination instead of BIOL 2404 Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology (lecture & lab).

Applicants to the Surgical Technology program will be notified regarding their program admission status within two weeks after the application deadline. Applicants who are not selected for admission to the Surgical Technology program may reapply. Applicants who are accepted for admission, but do not accept the position or do not complete the enrollment process, must reapply to be considered for future admission. It is the student’s responsibility to stay current with any changes in the program requirements. A student currently on academic probation is ineligible to apply to the Surgical Technology program.

After acceptance into the program, an applicant must have a physical examination by a licensed physician, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner; must submit documentation of updated immunizations as required by the clinical sites; must provide proof of American Heart Association CPR training, Healthcare Provider Basic Life Support; and must submit all documents to CastleBranch, along with a specified fee. A criminal background check and drug screen are required for all health science students attending clinical courses, and are required prior to admission to the Surgical Technology program.

Student Progression

If a student earns a grade of D, F, FX, W, or I in a Surgical Technology (SRGT or HPRS) course, the student will not be permitted to continue or to graduate from the program until that course has been repeated and a grade of C or above has been earned. Two grades of D, F, FX, W, or I in any combination from SRGT and HPRS courses will result in dismissal from the program.

Students are required to purchase uniforms and accessories specified by the Surgical Technology program. Each student is responsible for their own transportation to the clinical areas and all required parking fees.

Plan of Study

3SURT

Capstone Experience: SRGT 1542 Surgical Procedures II and SRGT 2460 Clinical III Surgical

Verification of workplace competencies.

Upon completion of the program, the student receives the Associate of Applied Science degree and is eligible to take the National Certification Examination to become a Certified Surgical Technologist.

¹

Students who have already completed BIOL 2301, BIOL 2101, BIOL 2302, and BIOL 2102 may use this combination instead of BIOL 2404.

Students must earn a C or better in all courses in the plan of study; the student will not be permitted to continue or to graduate from the program until all courses reflect that a grade of C or above has been earned.