Jill Davis, Director

The Surgical Technology program is designed to prepare the student for employment as a surgical technologist, an integral member 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. They ensure 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 of each year. 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, which may include rural, critical access facilities. 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 and complete a drug screening. 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 has discontinued its satellite programs in Butte and Billings. Interested students can still apply for a slot 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).