Surgical Technology A.A.S.

This is an archived copy of the 2018-2019 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.umt.edu/.

The Surgical Technology program is designed to prepare the student for employment as a surgical technologist, who is 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 of instrumentation and technologies to facilitate a physician’s performance of invasive therapeutic and diagnostic procedures.

Students admitted to the University of Montana enter as Associate of Arts (AA) General Studies majors with an emphasis in the program of their choice. Students must select the specific prerequisite courses required for their chosen area of study after meeting with the program advisor. Students must apply to the program by October 1. Students may apply while enrolled in the A.A. prerequisite courses with acceptance to the program to be determined after the Autumn semester grades are finalized. BIOH 201N/202N, Anatomy and Physiology I, and lab, must be passed with a grade of B (3.0) and be a face-to-face course. The program-specific courses begin spring semester.

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. 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 and AHST 215, 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 take 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. This credential 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 final semester of the program, internships may be arranged 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 may be refused entry into a clinical facility based on information disclosed in the 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.

The University of Montana-Missoula College Surgical Technology Program will be discontinuing its satellite programs in Butte and Billings. Applications for these programs will not be taken in October of 2018. Current students enrolled in these programs will continue in the program with a May of 2019 commencement. Interested students can still apply for a spot in the Missoula based program with an application deadline of October 1.

The Surgical Technology program is accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), 25400 U. S. Highway 19 North; Suite 158; Clearwater, FL 33763 (www.caahep.org) upon recommendation of the Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (ARC-STSA), 6 West Dry Creek Circle Suite 110 Littleton, CO 80120 (www.arcstsa.org).

Associate of Applied Science - Surgical Technology

Missoula College

Degree Specific Credits: 70

Required Cumulative GPA: 2.0

Catalog Year: 2018-2019

Note: It is preferred that students have the prerequisite core completed by the end of the semester in which they intend to apply to the program (i.e. applying to the program in the fall semester and completing the core by the end of that fall semester.) CAPP 120 may be challenged by testing out.. BIOM 250N and AHMS 270E may be taken prior to applying.

Summary

Surgical Technology Prerequisite Courses19
Surgical Technology Courses48
Total Hours67

Surgical Technology Prerequisite Courses

Note: Along with BIOH 201N BIOH 201N BIOH 201N, students must register for the BIOH 202N BIOH 202N BIOH 202N lab section. These must be passed with a minimum grade of ‘B’.

Complete all of the following courses:
AHMS 144Medical Terminology3
BIOH 201NHuman Anat Phys I (equiv 301) (must be passed with a minimum of a B)4
CAPP 120Introduction to Computers3
M 105Contemporary Mathematics3
PSYX 100SIntro to Psychology3
WRIT 121Intro to Technical Writing3
or WRIT 101 College Writing I
Total Hours19

Minimum Required Grade: C-


Surgical Technology Courses

Note: Along with BIOH 211N, students must register for the BIOH 212N lab section.

Complete all of the following courses:
AHMS 270EMedical Ethics3
AHST 101Introduction to Surgical Techn3
AHST 115Surgical Lab I2
AHST 154Surgical Pharmacology3
AHST 200Operating Room Techniques5
AHST 201Surgical Procedures I4
AHST 202Surgical Procedures II5
AHST 215Surgical Lab II2
AHST 250Surgical Clinical I4
AHST 251Surgical Clinical II5
AHST 298Surgical Internship5
BIOH 211NHuman Anat Phys II (equiv 311)4
BIOM 250NMicrobiology for Hlth Sciences3
Total Hours48

Minimum Required Grade: C