Surgical Technology AAS

Program Description

Surgical technologists are allied health professionals who are an integral part of the team of medical practitioners providing surgical care to patients in a variety of settings.

The surgical technologist works under medical supervision to facilitate the safe and effective conduct of invasive surgical procedures.  This individual works under the supervision of the surgeon to ensure that the OR environment is safe, that equipment functions properly, and that the operative procedure is conducted under conditions that maximize patient safety.

A surgical technologist possesses expertise in the theory and application of sterile and aseptic technique and combines the knowledge of human anatomy, surgical procedures, and implementation tools and technologies to facilitate a physician’s performance of invasive therapeutic and diagnostic procedures.  The Surgical Technology AAS degree is designed to prepare individuals with the knowledge, skills, and behaviors required of this profession.

Admission to the Program

Program Application Instructions

1. All prospective Surgical Technology students who have not been enrolled at TCC within the past year must complete an application for admission to the College and submit their high school or GED transcripts, ACT or course placement test scores, and previous college transcripts to:

Metro Campus Student Completion Services office at 909 South Boston, Tulsa, OK 74119.

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

2. Applications to the Surgical Technology program must be completed online at tulsacc.edu/ApplySurgTech by April 1 each year for fall admission.  For more information, contact the School of Health sciences office at (918) 595-8219.
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 by email regarding their selection.

Program Admission Requirements

• 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 “C” or better.
• Student 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. All health sciences students participating in clinicals are required to 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 and could prevent the student from completing clinical requirements.

English Language Proficiency

An official iBT® TOEFL (internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language) test score or an IELTS (International English Language Testing System) Band score is required as proof of English proficiency for any International student for whom English is a second language who is applying to any Tulsa Community College health sciences program. Students who have graduated from a U.S. high school will not be required to take the iBT Toefl or IELTS tests.  Your scores must be current within 2 years of the semester for which you are applying.

For health sciences students, the minimum sub-scores on the internet based TOEFL (iBT®) are 21 for Writing; 24 for Speaking; 20 for Reading; and 20 for Listening, with a total minimum score of 85.

For students choosing the IELTS test, acceptable scores include: 6.5 for Reading; 6.5 for listening; 7.5 for Speaking; and 6 for Writing, for a total IELTS Bans score of 6.5.  These required minimum scores must be met for each of the four sub-tests on a single exam. A total score that does not meet the sub-score minimums does not meet the requirement. Exceptions to this policy may be considered on an individual basis.

Students must go to www.ets.org/toefl to find a TOEFL iBT testing site, register and pay for the test. Students may go to www.ielts.org/en-us to find an IELTS testing center and register and pay for the test. Both tests cost approximately $190. Students are highly encouraged to take practice tests to prepare for these important tests. Your official scores, including ALL Sub-scores, must be sent directly to the TCC Registrar’s Office.

 

Contact Information

Program Director

Sherry Conder, BS, RN, CST, CSFA
918-595-7062
sherry.conder@tulsacc.edu

 

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Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program you will be able to:

• Communicate effectively and professionally with all communities of interest (Affective/Communication, Social Responsibility)
• Demonstrate accountability and ethical decision making as a member of the surgical team (Affective/Social Responsibility, Critical Thinking)
• Apply critical thinking skills for appropriate and safe patient care (Cognitive/Critical Thinking)
• Correlate the knowledge learned in healthcare sciences to the role of the surgical technologist (Cognitive/Critical Thinking)
• Utilize strict aseptic technique practice standards (Cognitive/Personal Responsibility & Social Responsibility)
• Demonstrate practical skills required for a competent entry level surgical technologist in the perioperative setting (Cognitive, Psychomotor/Critical Thinking)
• Identify personal positive attributes and self-care strategies for members of the health care team (Cognitive, Psychomotor, Affective/Personal Responsibility)

 

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Careers

Search careers in this field at Focus 2 Career or schedule an appointment with TCC Career Services to learn more about our free career planning and job preparation services.

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Degree Requirements

View a semester-by-semester course plan of study on the Surgical Technology AAS Program Map