Surgical Technology Associate Degree
A surgical technologist education prepares you to serve in an intense health care environment as a vital part of a lifesaving surgical team.
Surgical technologists assist surgical teams throughout every step of an operation. In the surgical technology program at PA College, you’ll learn alongside certified technologists with years of operating room experience to hone your skills for this high-intensity career.
With surgical technologist classes, you’ll get access to a variety of advanced technology that makes simulation learning as close to real clinical situations as it can be. By graduation, you’ll have performed at least 120 surgical procedures in real-life settings. This exposure prepares students to take the certification exam that will allow them to begin their career as a certified surgical technologist.
This program exposes students to a wide variety of surgical specialties in the acute care setting that may include:
- Obstetrics and gynecology
- Genitourinary surgery
- General surgery
- Plastic and reconstructive surgery
- Otorhinolaryngology
- Ophthalmology
- Orthopedics
- Neurosurgery
- Peripheral vascular surgery
- Endoscopy
- Cardiothoracic surgery
See the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ job outlook.
Applicants who meet general admissions requirements may also apply for our certificate program.
PA College cannot guarantee clinical rotations for students who have not received the COVID-19 vaccine.
Accreditation
Our surgical technology program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the recommendation of the Accreditation Review Committee on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting. See more accreditation information.
Surgical Technology Curriculum
First Year: Associate in Applied Science Degree Total Credits: 37
| Fall Semester | Credits | |
| BIO 175 | Human Anatomy & Physiology I | 4 |
| CSS 101 | College Studies Seminar | 3 |
| ENG 100 | English Composition | 3 |
| MAT 100 | Quantitative Reasoning and Skills | 3 |
| HSC 100 | Medical Terminology | 1 |
| SOC XXX | Sociology Elective | 3 |
| Total | 17 | |
| Spring Semester | Credits | |
| BIO 176 | Human Anatomy & Physiology II | 4 |
| SUR 100 | Perioperative Services | 2 |
| SUR 102 | Perioperative Pharmacology | 2 |
| SUR 103 | Surgical Armamentarium | 2 |
| SUR 115 | Perioperative Services Lab | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Total | 16 | |
| Total Combined Credits | 33 |
Second Year: Associate in Applied Science Degree Total Credits: 28
| Fall Semester | Credits | |
| BIO 185 | Microbiology | 3 |
| HSC 101 | Methods of Patient Care | 1 |
| SUR 110 | Intraoperative Patient Care | 4 |
| SUR 230 | Surgical Procedures and Pathophysiology I | 4 |
| SUR 215 | Perioperative Services Clinical I & Lab | 4 |
| SUR 212 | Professionalism in Surgical Technology | 1 |
| Total | 17 | |
| Spring Semester | Credits | |
| PHI 210 | Ethical and Legal Dimensions in the Health Sciences | 1 |
| PSY 100 | Psychology | 3 |
| SUR 225 | Perioperative Services Clinical II | 6 |
| SUR 240 | Surgical Procedures & Pathophysiology II | 4 |
| SUR 299 | Certification Exam Review | 1 |
| Total | 15 | |
| Total Combined Credits | 65 |
Will I be successful?
At the completion of the program, the graduate will:
- Function as a competent entry-level surgical technologist in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills) and affective (behavior) learning domains.
- Apply principles of liberal arts and sciences to the care of the perioperative client.
- Prepare the intraoperative environment with attention to quality and cost effectiveness.
- Respect the ethical, legal, moral and cultural issues that impact the care of the perioperative client.
- Formulate a plan for personal and professional growth.
Demonstrate a commitment to lifelong knowledge and skill enhancement. - Utilize effective communication skills and interactions with patients, members of the surgical team and other health care practitioners.
- Function as an integral member of the surgical team by performing perioperative technical skills in a safe, efficient and cost-effective manner.
Use the horizontal scroll bar below the table to view the full chart. The following data encapsulates both Certificate and Associate level degrees.
| Year | Graduation | Certification Examination | Job Placement Rate | Continuing Education | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Enrollment | Graduated | Rate | Number Who Took Exam | Exam Participation Rate | Number Passed | Pass Rate | Graduates | Jobs within 6 months | Rate | Graduates | Continuing Formal Ed. | Rate | |
| 2019-2020 | 2 | 2 | 100% | 2 | 100% | 2 | 100% | 2 | 2 | 100% | 2 | 0 | |
| 2018-2019 | 15 | 11 | 73% | 11 | 100% | 9 | 82% | 11 | 11 | 100% | |||
| 2017-2018 | 14 | 9 | 64% | 9 | 100% | 9 | 100% | 9 | 9 | 100% | 9 | 0 | 0% |
| 2016-2017 | 12 | 9 | 75% | 9 | 100% | 7 | 78% | 9 | 8 | 89% | 9 | 0 | 0% |
| 2015-2016 | 15 | 8 | 53% | 8 | 100% | 8 | 100% | 8 | 8 | 100% | 8 | 1 | 13% |
| 2014-2015 | 8 | 4 | 50% | 4 | 100% | 4 | 100% | 4 | 4 | 100% | 4 | 1 | 25% |
| 2013-2014 | 12 | 9 | 75% | 9 | 100% | 9 | 100% | 9 | 7 | 78% | 9 | 1 | 11% |
Meet Your Faculty
Ready to Learn More?
What is a surgical technologist? What does a surgical technologist do? Is surgical technology a good field to go into? Our admissions counselors can help answer these questions and more! Get more information about PA College by submitting the form below. You’ll also receive a promo code that waives our application fee — so you can apply for FREE.