Surgical Technology is an Associate Degree program (Hybrid) offered by The College of Health Care Professions in Austin, TX. The program takes 80 weeks (2128 clock hours) to complete, with a total tuition of $37,950.
Program Overview
The program is designed to prepare students for entry-level employment as a competent Surgical Technologist: Level I, in the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective learning domains, via classroom and clinical hands-on training, as well as professional development. Graduates will demonstrate skills in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Surgical Techniques, Surgical Procedures, disinfecting and decontamination, sterilization, gowning and gloving, instrument categories and usage, specialty equipment usage, homeostasis, instrument counts, skin preparation and patient positioning, surgery preparation, and assisting of surgeons. Students will utilize these work place skills in clinics that perform surgery, out-patient surgery centers and hospital operating theaters. The Surgical Technology Program provides education for entry-level competency into the profession of surgical technology. At the time of completion, a student will have 896 hours in an operating room setting with a minimum of 120 cases of experience.
What Sets This Program Apart
Associate of Applied Science degree offered at the AUS, DAL, HNW, MCA, and NSA campuses. Entrants must pass the Scholastic Level Exam with a minimum score of 19, and the college uses an applicant ranking system to select the most qualified candidates. The Surgical Technology programs at the Houston-Northwest, San Antonio, and Austin campuses are programmatically accredited by ABHES; the AAS program at the Houston Northwest campus is programmatically accredited by CAAHEP upon recommendation by ARC/STSA. Upon successful completion of all course work and sitting for the NBSTSA-CST national exam the student is awarded the AAS degree.
Admission Requirements & Process
Entrance Requirements
The college is open to eligible persons with a genuine desire to train for a career in the allied health care field. Prerequisites for each program are listed at the beginning of each course outline and at the end of each individual subject within each course outline. A high school diploma or GED is required for all programs. All prospective students must be at least 18 years of age by their program start date. The college makes every effort to determine in advance the prospective student's likelihood of being successful in the allied health care field. Therefore, a personal interview with an admissions representative is necessary before enrollment. An interview with an admissions representative may be scheduled during the college's business hours. Unless indicated otherwise in the program description, all programs are taught in the English language.
The following items are required of all applicants to determine eligibility for acceptance:
- An interview with an admissions advisor.
- An invitation to tour the school. You will be asked to sign and date a receipt on the day you receive your tour. (not required for full distance education programs).
- Submit proof of one of the following: Secondary education completion (high school diploma, successful completion of public, private, or homeschooling at a high school level or a GED). Note: All diplomas and documents issued outside the United States must be translated and formally evaluated for U.S. equivalency and must be equivalent to a U.S. high school diploma.
- Payment of the registration fee.
- All applicants must take and pass an entrance exam. For most programs the required minimum score is on the Wonderlic Scholastic Level Examination (SLE); the nursing and degree completion programs have separate entrance exam requirements found on the program pages. A minimum CASAS Assessment score of 4 on the Math portion and 5 on the Reading portion is an acceptable equivalent to the SLE for certain programs.
- For blended and hybrid delivery programs, the completion of a Computer Literacy Assessment to determine that the applicant has the skills and competencies to succeed in distance education. Remediation with an academic staff member may be required to ensure competency prior to acceptance.
- Completion of an enrollment agreement and enrollment documentation packet.
- Online students must actively participate in their virtual orientation prior to logging into the Learning Management System (LMS) and posting attendance in their online classroom, unless they meet one of the stated exceptions.
- Additional program specific admissions requirements, laboratory skill requirements, registration/licensure requirements and pre-clinical requirements are located and detailed on the program pages in this catalog.
Criminal Background Checks
The college, as part of the admissions process and in preparation for clinical/externship rotations, requires background checks for programs where criminal histories may interfere with the student's ability to participate in clinical/externship training and/or to obtain professional licensure, registration, or certification. Applicants in programs requiring background checks must consent to, and satisfactorily complete, a criminal background check prior to final acceptance into the program.
Admissions Applicant Ranking
Many programs at CHCP have limited enrollment capacity. In addition to the general entrance requirements, these programs require that qualified candidates be scored on an academic, readiness, and program fit assessment and interview. Acceptance of students will be based on the highest rankings to match the available program positions for the current admission cycle.
School Information
Location
Accreditation & Approvals
The College of Health Care Professions believes in accreditation as a means of ensuring continuous academic improvement at a programmatic and institutional level.
- The College of Health Care Professions is approved and regulated by the Texas Workforce Commission, Career Schools and Colleges Department, 101 East 15th Street, Austin, Texas, 78778, 512-936-3100, for degree and non-degree programs.
- The College of Health Care Professions is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) for both degree and non-degree programs, 6116 Executive Blvd., Suite 730, North Bethesda, MD 20852, (301) 291-7550. In addition, the Surgical Technology Programs at the Houston-Northwest, San Antonio, and Austin Campuses are programmatically accredited by ABHES.
- The Texas Medical Board and the Texas Workforce Commission, Career Schools and Colleges Department jointly regulate the Limited Medical Radiologic Technology program.
- The College of Health Care Professions – Houston Northwest campus Nursing (LVN to ADN) and Vocational Nurse Programs are approved by the Texas Board of Nursing, 333 Guadalupe Street, Suite 3-460, Austin, Texas 78701, (512) 305-7401.
- The College of Health Care Professions has qualified for an exemption as defined in Chapter 7.3 of The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) rules and is legally authorized to grant degrees and credit towards degrees in the State of Texas. Authority for this exemption is based on the college's accreditation with the ABHES.
- The college periodically provides educational training services for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
- The College of Health Care Professions is approved to train veterans eligible under Title 38 by the Texas Veterans Commission.
- The Surgical Technology – Associate of Applied Science program at the Houston Northwest campus is programmatically accredited by The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) upon recommendation by the Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (ARC/STSA).
- The Diagnostic Medical Sonography – Associate of Applied Science program at the Austin and Fort Worth campuses is programmatically accredited by The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) upon recommendation by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS).
- The College of Health Care Professions has entered into an agreement with the United States Department of Education to participate in the Federal Pell Grant and Federal Direct Student and Parent Loan Title IV, HEA federal student assistance programs.
Application Process
- 1Submit ApplicationComplete the online application form with your personal information and educational background.
- 2Submit TranscriptsProvide official high school transcripts or GED certificate. Some programs may require additional documentation.
- 3Financial AidComplete the FAFSA to determine eligibility for federal financial aid. Meet with a financial aid advisor to review your options.Complete FAFSA Application
- 4EnrollmentOnce accepted, complete enrollment paperwork, register for classes, and attend orientation.
Program Schedule
Program Length: The length of time normally required to complete the program is eighty (80) weeks.
Delivery Method: Blended Program, delivered by both residential and distance education. Surgical Technology Clinical hours are typically 6:30 am – 3:00 pm Monday through Friday.
Curriculum
- Anatomy & Physiology A
- Law, Ethics, and Professionalism
- Microbiology
- Critical Thinking
- Introduction to Surgical Technology
- English Composition
- Technological Sciences
- Introduction to Psychology
- Pharmacology
- Medical Terminology A
- College Mathematics
- Fundamentals of Aseptic Technique
- Surgical Procedures I
- Anatomy & Physiology B
- Medical Terminology B
- Surgical Procedures II
- Anatomy & Physiology C
- Medical Terminology C
- Clinical I
- Professional Readiness A
- Clinical II
- Professional Readiness B
- Clinical III
- Professional Readiness C
- Clinical IV
- Professional Readiness D
Cost of Attendance & Financial Aid
The College of Health Care Professions administers several types of financial aid assistance to students that qualify. Most aid is based on individual student financial needs. The financial aid office has application packets available for those that wish to apply.
Financial Assistance Application Process
After interviewing with the admissions department, applicants wishing to apply for Title IV student financial assistance must provide personal income information (and parent income if applicable) in order to determine eligibility for the various programs. Applicants who will be receiving Work Source or other sources of alternate funding must present the agency's written authorization before starting school. Students who do not wish to apply for Title IV student financial assistance or who do not qualify for an alternate source of external funding must make monthly payment arrangements with the business office of the college, which will commence on the first day of class. Methods of payment of all direct program costs will be outlined in the finance plan section of the enrollment agreement.
Different Types of Financial Aid Programs
Financial Aid generally consists of a combination of grants and loans which supplement the student's (and possibly parent's) contribution toward the Cost of Attendance.
- Federal Pell Grant – gift assistance which generally does not have to be repaid, awarded to students who have a financial need as determined by the U.S. Department of Education standards.
- Federal Supplementary Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) – gift assistance which does not have to be repaid, awarded to Pell eligible students demonstrating exceptional financial need until funds are depleted.
- Federal Work Study – an award made by the school provided by the federal government to eligible students employed under the Federal Work Study program.
- Veteran's Benefits (VA) – CHCP locations with approved programs work with the Department of Veterans Affairs to process education benefits.
- Federal Direct Loans – Direct Subsidized Stafford, Direct Unsubsidized Stafford, and Direct PLUS (for Parents) loans through the U.S. Department of Education's Direct Loan Program.
- Private Educational Loans – CHCP does not use a preferred lender list; students should select a private lender of their choice after first applying for Federal Student Aid.
- CHCP Tuition Grant Programs – several institutional, need-based grants available to qualifying prospective students who complete the CHCP Financial Aid Process and maintain at least half-time enrollment and satisfactory academic and attendance progress.
Tuition is $37,950.00; total program cost is $38,500.00.
Career Outcomes
Placement Assistance Program
THE COLLEGE DOES NOT GUARANTEE PLACEMENT.
The college assists graduates by helping them obtain entry-level positions in their chosen career fields and providing guidance on self-directed job searches. This is accomplished through regular marketing via externship sites and contacts from employer referrals. Job placement sites are qualified from publications and the Internet. From these ad sources seeking allied health care workers, the Career Advisor assesses the market needs of the community and markets the college graduates accordingly. Further, the college has an employer base comprised of companies that either have hired our graduates in the past or are looking to hire our graduates. The college also seeks employment opportunities for its graduates by making initial contact to companies, doctors, etc., and informing them of the skills our graduates possess. Upon successful completion of the program, we will assist the graduates in obtaining entry level positions in the allied health care field by referring them to and presenting their resumes to prospective employers in their chosen career path.
What to Expect as a Student at The College of Health Care Professions
Description of Facility
The campuses of the College of Health Care Professions were built and are maintained as private, modernized locations for a technical/career institute. The campuses are designed to foster close contact between instructors and students, encourage individualized attention to student progress, and create opportunities for cooperation and interaction among the student body. At the same time, they include the necessary classroom and laboratory space to ensure students receive proper academic instruction and practical training opportunities. In both classroom and laboratory space, enrolled students work with equipment and instruments related to their academic program and field of study. Classes conducted are unique and supervised by approved faculty members. The college limits enrollment to help ensure students receive personal attention in both the classroom and laboratory. Each campus also includes a student lounge area and a computer lab with internet connectivity.
Professional Advisory Board
The college has an Advisory Board composed of qualified individuals working in the allied health care field, institutional staff, faculty, and graduates of the college. The board addresses such topics as the institution's mission, objectives, and curriculum, as well as student, graduate, and employer comments. The Advisory Board works to assist the institution in its mission to continuously improve its academic programs to ensure students receive appropriate training aimed at preparing them to enter their field of study upon graduation.
School Information
Location
Accreditation & Approvals
The College of Health Care Professions believes in accreditation as a means of ensuring continuous academic improvement at a programmatic and institutional level.
- The College of Health Care Professions is approved and regulated by the Texas Workforce Commission, Career Schools and Colleges Department, 101 East 15th Street, Austin, Texas, 78778, 512-936-3100, for degree and non-degree programs.
- The College of Health Care Professions is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) for both degree and non-degree programs, 6116 Executive Blvd., Suite 730, North Bethesda, MD 20852, (301) 291-7550. In addition, the Surgical Technology Programs at the Houston-Northwest, San Antonio, and Austin Campuses are programmatically accredited by ABHES.
- The Texas Medical Board and the Texas Workforce Commission, Career Schools and Colleges Department jointly regulate the Limited Medical Radiologic Technology program.
- The College of Health Care Professions – Houston Northwest campus Nursing (LVN to ADN) and Vocational Nurse Programs are approved by the Texas Board of Nursing, 333 Guadalupe Street, Suite 3-460, Austin, Texas 78701, (512) 305-7401.
- The College of Health Care Professions has qualified for an exemption as defined in Chapter 7.3 of The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) rules and is legally authorized to grant degrees and credit towards degrees in the State of Texas. Authority for this exemption is based on the college's accreditation with the ABHES.
- The college periodically provides educational training services for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
- The College of Health Care Professions is approved to train veterans eligible under Title 38 by the Texas Veterans Commission.
- The Surgical Technology – Associate of Applied Science program at the Houston Northwest campus is programmatically accredited by The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) upon recommendation by the Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (ARC/STSA).
- The Diagnostic Medical Sonography – Associate of Applied Science program at the Austin and Fort Worth campuses is programmatically accredited by The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) upon recommendation by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS).
- The College of Health Care Professions has entered into an agreement with the United States Department of Education to participate in the Federal Pell Grant and Federal Direct Student and Parent Loan Title IV, HEA federal student assistance programs.