Surgical Technology - Associate of Applied Science

Students first apply to to the Missoula College campus of The University of Montana and enter as Associate of Arts (AA) General Studies majors with an emphasis in Pre-Surgical Technology. They then meet with their assigned academic advisor to establish a plan for completing the program prerequisite courses. 

Applications to the Surgical Technology Program itself are accepted once per year with a usual submission deadline of October 1st for spring semester program admission. Students may submit a program application while in the final semester of completing the program prerequisite courses. Admission decisions are made after the Autumn semester grades are finalized.

Find the application and instructions to the professional Surgical Technology Program here.

PREREQUISITE COURSES

SPECIFIC COURSE REQUIREMENTS

• Course Repeat Limit:  All prerequisite courses may be taken a maximum of 2 times ONLY.

• Course Age Limit:  If prerequisite courses were taken ten years (or more) ago, consult with Program Director.

• Grade / Acceptance for BIOH 201N/202N, Human Anatomy and Physiology I:  Must be completed with a minimum grade of “B” (3.0 GPA).  NOTE: online Anatomy & Physiology courses will NOT be accepted without prior approval.

• Grade Requirements for All Other Courses:  Must be completed with a minimum grade of “C” (2.0 GPA).  NOTE: a grade of “C -” will NOT satisfy requirements.

TECHNICAL & HEALTH STANDARDS FOR SURGICAL TECHNOLOGISTS

Every student in the Surgical Technologist program must possess the physical, mental, and emotional capabilities required to successfully complete the program and gain employment in the field. Below are the technical and health standards for the Surgical Technologist program.  All students seeking admission to the program must be capable of meeting these standards:  

Critical Thinking - The prospective surgical technologist student must:

• Possess critical thinking ability sufficient for clinical judgment.
• Possess short/long term memory sufficient to perform tasks including but not limited to mentally tracking surgical supplies and performing anticipation skills intraoperatively.
• Demonstrate calm and effective responses, especially in emergency situations.

Health Standards - The prospective surgical technologist student must be able to:

• Stand, bend, stoop, and/or sit for long periods of time in one location with minimum/no breaks.
• Lift a minimum of 20 pounds. (50 pounds is required in many healthcare settings).
• Demonstrate sufficient peripheral vision to anticipate and function while in the sterile surgical environment.
• Refrain from nourishment or restroom breaks for periods up to 6 hours.
• Demonstrate sufficient visual ability to load a fine (10-0) suture onto needles and needle holders with/without corrective lenses and while wearing safety glasses.
• Hear and understand muffled communication without visualization of the communicator's mouth/lips and within 20 feet.
• Hear activation/warning signals on equipment.

Technical Standards - The prospective surgical technologist student must be able to:

• Manipulate instruments, supplies, and equipment with speed, dexterity, and good hand-eye coordination.
• Ambulate/move around without assistive devices.
• Assist with and/or lift, move, position, and manipulate the patient who is unconscious with or without assistive devices.

Communication Standards - The prospective surgical technologist student must be able to:

• Communicate and understand fluent English both verbally and in writing.
• Communicate both verbally and non-verbally in an effective manner with staff, patients, and physicians, in order to explain procedures, give instructions, and obtain information.

• Make appropriate judgment decisions.
• Demonstrate the use of positive coping skills under stress.
• Demonstrate calm and effective responses, especially in emergency situations.
• Exhibit positive interpersonal skills during patient, staff, and faculty interactions.

• Be free from chemical abuse.
• Demonstration or proof of immunity (natural or artificial) to Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Tuberculosis, and Hepatitis B, may be required.

Once accepted to the program, a student must complete each Surgical Technology-specific course (those courses with an AHST with a minimum grade of ‘C' (80%) in order to continue in the ST program.  All other required courses must also be passed with a grade of "C".   Course grading scales may vary. If a student does not pass the required courses, he/she will not be able to continue in the program and will need to apply for readmission. If a student is re-admitted, he/she will be required to complete skills labs, AHST 115 (SUR 102T) and AHST 215 (SUR 202T), to ensure sterile technique skills are acceptable for patient care. A student may take any required course a maximum of two (2) times.  A student may apply to the program a maximum of two (2) times.

A student will become a member of the Association of Surgical Technologists during the first year in the program. A student anticipating program completion will write the National Certification Exam prior to graduation. A student who successfully completes the ST program is awarded an A.A.S. degree in Surgical Technology. The credential of Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) will be awarded to a student upon passing the National Certification Exam and graduation from the ST program.  The credential of Certified is awarded by the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA).

Students are required to rotate sites during the clinical portion of their education. During the last semester of the program, internships may be outside the Missoula area. Transportation and housing are the student's responsibility.  Prior to entering a healthcare facility for clinical experiences, a student will be required to submit a background check.  Many healthcare facilities have increasingly stringent requirements.  A student could be refused entry into a clinical facility based on information disclosed in a background check.  If this is a concern for you, please consult the Program Director.  If a student is denied agency access based on the Background Check, there will be no placement at an alternate site, and the subsequent inability of the student to complete the clinical education will result in inability to continue in the Surgical Technology program.