Career Opportunities

While demand for surgical technologists varies among communities, the forecast for employment in the surgical technology area is one of rapid growth. Surgical technologists routinely find employment in hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, out-patient care centers, central processing, and physician offices where surgery is performed, including dental/oral surgery. A majority of surgical technologists work primarily in surgical suites and physician offices. Evening, night, weekend, holidays, and on-call rotations can be expected in some settings; otherwise, the surgical technologist follows a standard hospital workday. Most often, the surgical technologist functions as a member of the sterile surgical team and is qualified to work in central processing and/or in supporting roles within the operating room. In some settings, a surgical technologist can be expected to help see to the needs of the patient pre- and post-operatively.

Recommended High School Subjects

While still in high school, students planning to enter the Surgical Technology major should prepare extensively in oral and written communication skills, take math and science courses every year (including at least Algebra II and one year of both biology and chemistry, with labs preferred), and take Anatomy and Physiology, if available. It is also recommended that the student "job shadow" in the operating room prior to enrollment if possible. Students who do not follow this plan can work with advisers at the College to develop an appropriate approach to study of the area. However, it is possible that more courses at the college level will need to be taken to help prepare the student for success.

Special Admissions Requirements

Anyone desiring entrance into this major must first gain admission to Penn College. Acceptance into this selective admission major is based upon additional requirements beyond College admission. Details are available on the Selective Admission Criteria and Process webpage.

Special Equipment Needs

Laptop Computer Required

• Windows 11 or higher (recommended).
• Intel Core i5 or i7 (generation 10 or higher) processor (recommended).
• 8+ GB RAM (recommended).
• 250+ GB Solid State Disk (SSD) drive (recommended).
• Laptop must include a webcam and microphone (required).
• Laptop must include a wireless network card (required).
• Broadband Internet connection when working off campus (required).
• Additional plug-ins may be required (Information Technology Services Service Desk available for assistance).
• Chromebooks and other devices running Chrome OS are prohibited.

Remediation Strategies

All incoming students must meet placement requirements in math. All developmental needs must be remediated prior to being eligible for selection into the Surgical Technology major.

Transfer Procedures

Graduates of the SG major will be eligible to transfer into the College's Applied Health Studies or the Applied Management bachelor’s degree major. In-program students can enter the Applied Health Studies major with permission of the program director and Applied Health Studies department head before graduation.

International health credentials/licensure, sciences courses, and most math courses will not be accepted to satisfy requirements of this major. Please see additional information for international students applying to Health Sciences majors.

Program Goals

• function safely, efficiently, and professionally in the role of surgical technologist within the various healthcare settings and situations.
• demonstrate the interpersonal and communication skills necessary to effectively work with a diverse healthcare team, patients, and their families.
• apply critical-thinking and problem-solving skills as appropriate to the surgical technologist role.
• embrace lifelong learning and continued growth of knowledge and skills through gathering, interpreting, and analyzing published education and new technology related to the field of surgical technology.
• perform the role of the surgical technologist ethically and within the scope of practice as defined by the Association of Surgical Technologists.
• demonstrate and apply appropriate surgical technology techniques and protocols as they apply to specific surgical procedures, instrumentation, and equipment throughout the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative phases of surgery.

Performance Standards

Students must maintain a "C" or greater in all major courses. These courses include all SGT courses, both Introduction to Pathology and Disease courses (HTH126 & HTH127), Anatomy and Physiology (BIO 115 & BIO 125) and Microbiology (BIO 201). If a "D" or lower is earned, the course must be repeated.

Additional Information

Students are responsible for the cost of all clearances and immunizations required for clinical. All students are responsible for cost of travel and housing during clinical experiences.

Notice of Conviction

Child abuse clearance, drug tests, and criminal background checks are required by agencies involved in clinical experiences. Agencies can and will bar students from their sites for infractions. By virtue of contract for Penn College students to be at clinical sites, drug testing is required for admission and students will be subject to drug testing during the program. Inability to gain clinical experiences results in inability to meet program objectives and outcomes. Inability to meet program objectives and outcomes will result in not being able to graduate. For additional clarification, students should speak to the program director or the assistant dean of Health Sciences.

Penn College complies with the federal Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act Amendments of 1989. Pursuant to this Act, all forms of marijuana, including medical marijuana, are classified as prohibited controlled substances. Additionally, alcohol, illegal drugs, and legal drugs obtained without a prescription or which may impair a student’s ability to perform his/her educational responsibilities are strictly prohibited. Students are subject to drug screening at various phases of the program. Please note that a positive drug screening for marijuana will be deemed a positive test and will result in a student being dismissed from the program, even if the student has been lawfully certified to use medical marijuana and/or possesses a valid medical marijuana identification card issued in accordance with applicable state law.

Accreditation

The Penn College Surgical Technology major is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (www.arcstsa.org); Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, 9355 - 113th St. N, #7709, Seminole, FL 33775, (727) 210-2350.

Technical Standards/Essential Functions

Essential Functions: Surgical Technology