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The University of Arkansas - Pulaski Technical College will offer an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Surgical Technology. Through a comprehensive yet compact curriculum, this program will prepare students with surgery-related knowledge that is not covered in many other health care disciplines.

What Does a Surgical Technologist Do?

A surgical technologist, also called a scrub, scrub tech, surgical technician, or operating room technician is an allied health professional working as a part of the team delivering surgical care. Surgical technologists are members of the surgical team.

The Profession

The employment of surgical technologists is projected to grow 30 percent from 2012 to 2022, much faster than the average for all occupations. Several factors will lead to demand for surgical technologists.

Advances in medical technology have made surgery safer, and more operations are being done to treat a variety of illnesses and injuries. The aging of the large baby-boom generation also is expected to increase the need for surgical technologists because older people usually require more operations. Moreover, as these individuals age, they may be more willing than those in previous generations to seek medical treatment to improve their quality of life. For example, an individual may decide to have a knee replacement operation in order to maintain an active lifestyle.

Hospitals will continue to employ surgical technologists to work in operating rooms because they are more cost-effective than higher-paid registered nurses.

The median annual wage for surgical technologists was $41,790 in May 2012. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $29,710, and the top 10 percent earned more than $60,240.

Employment Information is from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics Website.

Why Earn an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Surgical Technology at UA - Pulaski Tech?

• Students receive the training they need in only 9 months and are prepared to work immediately upon graduation.
• A two-year, part-time option allows students to complete prerequisite courses if they need to work while attending UA-PTC.
• Students train with multi-professional teams, preparing them for real-life situations in the operating room.
• Opportunities to work in medically underserved communities broaden the learning experience.
• Graduates are eligible to apply for the national certification awarded by the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting.

Admission Factors

Admission to the surgical technology program is competitive and based on the following factors:

• Academic achievement
• Reading and mathematics aptitude
• Written and oral communication

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 Accreditation Review Committee in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (www.arcstsa.org).

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
25400 US Highway 19 North, Suite 158
Clearwater, FL 33763
(727) 210-2350
www.caahep.org