Program Description
The Associate of Applied Science degree in Pre-Health Professions: Surgical Technology is a comprehensive approach to preparing students to acquire expertise in the field of Surgical Technology. The responsibility of a surgical technologist is to assist in operations, under the supervision of surgeons, registered nurses, or other surgical personnel. The technologist may also help set up operating room, prepare and transport patients for surgery, adjust lights and equipment, pass instruments and other supplies to surgeons and surgeons' assistants, hold retractors, cut sutures, and help count sponges, needles, supplies, and instruments.
The program is offered in partnership with the hospital-based surgical technologist program at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center. The College provides classroom instruction, and the hospital-based program provides specialized classroom and clinical experience.
Career Opportunities
- Specialization in a surgical specialty such as orthopedics, cardiovascular surgery or trauma
- Employment in material management or sterile processing areas
- Surgical technology instructor and / or program director
- Surgical assistant
- Medical salesperson
- Organ and tissue procurement technician
- Private employment by a surgeon
- Research and product development assistant
- Veterinary assistant
- Labor and delivery technician
- Surgery scheduler
- Anesthesia technologist
- Employment as a traveling surgical technologist to fill temporary staffing needs for health care facilities
- Volunteer opportunities (e.g., Peace Corps)
- Military service
- Technical writing, illustration and photography
- Employment as a private consultant
Program Objectives
Upon completion of the program, the student will be able to:
- Provide a structured educational process, which prepares the graduate to assume an entry-level position as a surgical technologist.
- Utilize scientific knowledge to produce clinical excellence and caring abilities in professional role development.
- Utilize educational innovations in fostering critical thinking skills through the learning interaction between student and teacher.
- Prepare competent entry-level surgical technologists who are competent in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills) and affective (behavior) learning domains to enter the profession.
Obtaining the Degree
To earn the Associate of Applied Science degree, students must:
- Apply to Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center and be accepted into the hospital-based surgical technology program. Application and additional program information can be found at https://www.conemaugh.org/school-of-surgical-technology. Specific application requirements apply.
- Satisfactorily complete all degree requirements including college courses and all hospital-based courses.
Application Process
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College accepts a block transfer of 30 credits from Conemaugh School of Surgical Technology towards an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Pre-Health Professions - Surgical Technology.
Students must apply and be accepted to the Conemaugh School of Surgical Technology in order to complete the Associate of Applied Science Degree. In order to be eligible for admission, the student must meet all requirements set forth by the School of Surgical Technology including the satisfactory completion (C grade or higher) of any specified prerequisite coursework.
The program prerequisite is successful completion all year one courses with Penn Highlands with a grade of C or higher.