Surgical Technology, A.A.S.

Program Minimum Expectation: Prepare entry-level surgical technologists who are competent in the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective learning domains to enter the profession.

Program Learning Outcomes:

• Model The Association of Surgical Technologists recommended guidelines in the practice of surgical technology in the lab and clinical setting. (Psychomotor).
• Build critical thinking skills by analyzing information and adjusting a position or plan as evidence dictates. (Cognitive).
• Maintain a high standard for professionalism by accepting responsibility for words or actions. (Affective).
• Measure cognitive competency by correctly answering a minimum of 98 items in the NBSTSA web-based CST exam. (Cognitive).

Learn about program requirements. For in-depth info, check our catalog.

Degree Requirements

Plan your journey through the program. See the full program map in our catalog for more details.

Program Map

Our School of Health Sciences offers programs with a highly competitive applicant pool. Please note that submitting an application does not guarantee acceptance into the Health Sciences program. Before applying to a program, all applicants are required to meet with a School of Health Sciences advisor and may need to attend an orientation for Allied Health-related programs. All communication from the School of Health Sciences will be sent to your TCC email.

Apply to the Program

Program Application Instructions and Process

1. All prospective surgical technology students who have not been enrolled at TCC within the past three years must:
   1. Complete an application for admission to TCC.
   2. Submit high school/college transcripts.
2. In addition, ACT or placement test scores and previous college transcripts if applicable should be included and forwarded to:
   
   Metro Campus Student Completion Services Office
   909 South Boston
   Tulsa, OK. 74119
3. A selection committee will review all applications and eligible applicants will be granted an interview with the Surgical Technology Program admissions committee.
4. Qualified students will be ranked based on admission requirements and awarded admission to the program accordingly. All interviewed applicants will be notified via TCC email regarding their selection.

Admission to TCC does not guarantee admission to the Surgical Technology Program. Incomplete submissions will not be considered for admission into the Surgical Technology Program.

For more information, contact the School of Health Sciences office at 918-595-8219.

Program Admission Requirements

• A minimum overall GPA of 2.0 for all prior high school and college coursework.
• Currently enrolled in or completion of ALDH 1323 Medical Terminology and BIOL 1314 Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology with a grade of "C" or better.
• Students must be able to travel to clinical sites.
• An extensive criminal background check, including but not limited to a seven-year county of residence nationwide criminal history check, national sexual predator screening, Social Security check, and Medicare/Medicaid fraud screening, is required by all clinical affiliates or organizations.
• All health sciences students participating in clinicals must complete these background checks, immunizations, and a drug screening test by the School of Health Sciences office deadline prior to the first clinical rotation. Any positive findings may be subject to review by the clinical affiliates or organizations and could prevent the student from completing clinical requirements.

Interpersonal – Interacts with patients and the surgical team members with a variety of social, emotional, cultural, and intellectual backgrounds. Must be flexible and capable of reacting to changing circumstances in a calm manner with professional decorum.

Critical Thinking – Sufficient for clinical judgment and problem-solving; concentrate and focus for prolonged periods of time.

Communication – Ability to interact with others orally and maintain professional communication.

Mobility – Physical abilities sufficient to move and bend; lift a minimum of 30 pounds; push-pull equipment weighing up to 300 pounds.

Motor Skills – Gross and fine motor abilities to grasp, grip, and hold with hands. Ability to work with and manipulate fine surgical instrumentation and suturing needles.

Hearing – Auditory ability sufficient to hear the surgical team members through a surgical mask with background noise.

Visual – Sufficient for observation in full or dimmed light. Visual near acuity of 20 inches or less with clarity. Distinguish depth, color, and spatial attributes of images.

Tactile – Sufficient for handling and manipulating small surgical instrumentation.

Physical Condition – Condition and stamina sufficient to lift and assist in moving anesthetized patients; move equipment; ability to stand for extended periods of time during surgical procedures.

Students will participate in clinical rotations in the hospital setting during the program and should be aware of the following:

1. Students will be arriving at the clinical site between 6:15 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. depending on the clinical site and all rotations will be scheduled on weekdays.  The length of the clinical day is approximately 7 hours/day.
2. Students are responsible for reliable transportation to and from clinical.
3. The Clinical Coordinator will schedule and monitor all clinical rotations, and students should not be in the clinical setting outside of this schedule unless employed by the facility in surgical services. Students should never be substituted for staff in the clinical setting.
4. Students are required to participate in 120 surgical procedures in various surgical specialties to meet accreditation requirements meeting certain criteria for validation.
5. Students will begin the clinical experience during the summer semester with 10 days of observing surgical procedures.  The final two semesters consist of participating in the surgical procedures three days/week.
6. Most clinical sites are within the Tulsa Metro however, you may travel within 75 miles of the metro for clinicals.
    

While every effort is given to minimize occupational exposure, the surgical technologist's daily workload exposes them to various occupational risks. It is incumbent upon the surgical technology student to practice safe working habits and to utilize safety equipment provided to reduce potential injury.

• Application Point Values
• Attestation of Experience
• Estimate Cost of Program

TCC is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, located at 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, Illinois 60604, phone 800-621-7440.

The Oklahoma State Regents authorize TCC for Higher Education, located at 655 Research Parkway, Suite 200, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104, phone 405-225-9100, to offer certificate, associate in arts, associate in science, and associate in applied science programs.

Initial programmatic accreditation for TCC’s Associate Degree program has been awarded by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).  9355-113th St. N, #7709 Seminole, FL  33775  727-210-2350  mail@caahep.org.