Surgical technology and nursing students in a clinical lab

The Surgical Technology curriculum prepares individuals to assist in the care of the surgical patient in the operating room and to function as a member of the surgical team.

Students will apply theoretical knowledge to the care of patients undergoing surgery and develop skills necessary to prepare supplies, equipment, and instruments; maintain aseptic conditions; prepare patients for surgery; and assist surgeons during operations.

Employment opportunities include labor/delivery/emergency departments, inpatient/outpatient surgery centers, dialysis units/facilities, physicians' offices, and central supply processing units.

Students of Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) accredited programs are required to take the national certification exam administered by the National Board on Certification in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) within a four-week period prior to or after graduation.

Coastal Carolina Community College offers an Associate in Applied Science. This has been identified as a limited enrollment program and may involve certain deadlines. See an academic advisor/counselor for additional information. The appropriate coursework is listed below.

Program Accreditation

The Surgical Technology program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Accrediting Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting.

Minimum Expectations Statement

The program intends to prepare entry-level Surgical Technologists who are competent in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains to enter the profession.

Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) Exam Pass Rate
 Year Coastal Carolina Community College
2023  NA*
2022  92%
 2021 100%
2020 100%
2019 100%

*Note: Because Coastal Carolina Community College's Surgical Technology Program transitioned from a one-year curriculum (diploma) to a two-year curriculum (Associate in Applied Science) in Fall 2022, no CST exam pass rate data is available for 2023.

Curriculum Pathways

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Surgical Technology Bulletin
Additional Information for Surgical Technology