North Central Michigan College Catalog 2012-13
Surgical Technologist Certificate Program Code: 183 Director: Peter Olson
Credit Hours: 66
Contact Hours: 123
Surgical technologists are allied health professionals, who are an integral part of the team of medical practitioners providing surgical care to patients. Surgical technologists work under the supervision of a surgeon to facilitate the safe and effective conduct of invasive surgical procedures, ensuring that the operating room environment is safe, that equipment functions properly, and that the operative procedure is conducted under conditions that maximize patient safety. Surgical technologists possess expertise in the theory and application of sterile and aseptic technique and combine the knowledge of human anatomy, surgical procedures, and implementation tools and technologies to facilitate a physician's performance of invasive therapeutic and diagnostic procedures. North Central’s Surgical Technologist Program courses are offered over four semesters (excluding summer), beginning in the fall term of odd-numbered years, and ending at the close of the winter term one year later. The Surgical Technologist program, in full compliance with the Association of Surgical Technologist’s (AST) Core Curriculum, offers students the chance to complete a Certificate or an Associate of Applied Science degree. Since this program is very rigorous and demanding, students should consider carefully their outside work schedule given the requirements of the program (and especially in SRG 230 (Surgical Technologist IV— Externship, where students will be placed for 36 hours each week in a clinical setting). Students should also realize that they may be expected to travel as much as 40-100 miles one way for clinical observations and/or externships at regional hospitals so as not to overload a single clinical facility with too many students. Every effort will be made to assign students to clinical and externship sites fairly. This is a selective admission program, which means that more students typically apply than the program can accept; students are ranked for admission based on the following criteria: • Submission of completed Allied Health Program Application; • Submission of assessment scores (either Compass or ACT Reading and Math scores); • Completion of ENG 111; • Completion of MATH 110 (or ACT Math score of 21 or higher or Compass Math score of 146 or higher); • Completion of EMS 101 (or current American Heart Association Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers or American Red Cross CPR for the Professional Rescuer; this certification must be maintained throughout the program); • Overall grade point average; • Grade point average and completion status of these prerequisite courses: • BIO 226 Microbiology (taken within 5 years of application deadline) • BIO 235 Anatomy and Physiology I (taken within 5 years of application deadline) • BIO 236 Anatomy and Physiology II (taken within 5 years of application deadline) • OAS 116 Medical Terminology • Visit, volunteer, or work experience in healthcare (as documented on North Central’s “Visit, Volunteer, Work Experience Statement,” which is part of the Allied Health Program Application form). Students should complete the Allied Health Program Application form and return it with all necessary attachments by July 1 of the year they plan to enter the Surgical Technologist program in the fall. Students who are accepted into the program must enter the program in the fall following their application; students who are not admitted to the program, or who decide not to accept the offer of admission immediately, must re-apply; applications will not be kept on file, nor is there a waiting list for the program. Students may apply to the program while completing pre-requisite courses, but all prerequisite courses
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