Surgical Technology

Surgical technologists are key members of the healthcare field, working in skilled teams to assist with life-saving procedures. They set up a sterile operating area and provide optimal patient care before surgery. During surgery, they assist the operating team in all phases of the surgical procedure.

As a student in the surgical technology program, you will be immersed in a complete surgical operating room setting, where you will learn a wide variety of procedures used in the operating room and how to work in high-pressure situations. Under the supervision of a surgical professional, you receive instruction in essentials of healthcare, role of the surgical technologist, surgical instrumentation, anatomy, physiology, medical terminology, and pharmacology.

As life expectancy increases, there is a greater demand for medical personnel to perform surgical procedures. As a result, employment opportunities in surgical technology are expected to grow much faster than average[1].

The objective of the AAS in Surgical Technology program is to prepare students to join a health care team as competent, entry-level surgical technologists. Opportunities exist in hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, private plastic surgery centers, traveling surgical technologists, education and administrative roles in a sterile processing department.

Upon successful completion of the program, Eastwick College will award the student an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Surgical Technology.

Facilities. The surgical mock operating room includes a fully functional laparoscopic tower, equipment, instrumentation, and supplies required for the instruction of numerous procedures in general, obstetric, gynecologic, genitourinary, orthopedic, plastic, neurologic, oromaxillofacial, otorhinolaryngologic, cardiac, and vascular surgeries. A designated portion of the mock operating room consists of a simulation of the SPD (sterile processing department) work area, where items are decontaminated, prepared for sterilization and repurposed.

• Graduates are prepared for a wide range of career opportunities in hospitals, ambulatory surgery settings, private practice in cosmetic surgery settings, and sterile processing departments

For admission to Eastwick College, applicants must interview with an admissions representative to obtain information about curriculum characteristics and professional profiles of our programs in each of their areas of interest. Applicants who determine that an Eastwick program is right for them must submit proof of high school completion or GED equivalency, complete an application for admission, and take an admission exam. The director of admissions oversees the admission process, and the campus director makes the final decision for acceptance.

Students in programs that include practicum, clinical, fieldwork, or externship experience must meet all health requirements to be eligible to start their rotations, and criminal background checks will be completed on all such students.

Program length (catalog): 18 Months, Full-Time (Day); 27 Months, Part-Time (Evening); 101 quarter credits.

Eastwick College’s classes meet Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. Classes may also be offered on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to meet academic requirements or address special group needs. Clinical and laboratory experiences may have earlier starting times and later ending times and may also be offered on Saturdays and Sundays.

The school year is divided into four 12-week terms.

The clinical externship (S250) requires a daytime schedule of 40 hours/week.

According to the 2026 academic calendar, the Fall Term starts October 19, 2026 and ends January 9, 2027.

Cost of Attendance. Tuition is $375 per quarter credit for 101 quarter credits, for total tuition of $37,875. The application fee is $25 and the registration fee is $100; books and supplies are $1,281, for a total cost of $39,281 (Schedule of Tuition and Fees effective July 1, 2026; subject to change). The cost of tuition does not include the cost of transportation to and from school.

Financing Your Education. Financial aid is available for those who qualify.

• Eastwick College Payment Plan: Quarterly or monthly payments. Cash, checks, and money orders, as well as American Express, Discover, Visa and Master Card charges are accepted.
• Pell Grant: Based on need; grants for the 2025 - 2026 Aid Year range from $767 - $7,395 per academic year. To apply for Title IV aid, a student must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
• New Jersey Tuition Aid Grant (TAG): degree-seeking students who have lived in New Jersey at least twelve consecutive months may be considered; students must attend full-time.
• Federal Direct Subsidized Loan: If you qualify, you may borrow $3,500 for the first academic year.
• Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan: If qualified, an independent student may borrow up to $6,000 per academic year.
• FSEOG: awards range from $100 to $4,000 per year depending on the student’s financial aid need.
• Parental Loan (PLUS), College Ave, NJ Class and EdvestinU private loans for those who qualify.
• NJ-GIVS: A State of New Jersey scholarship that will pay up to $2,000 per year to eligible New Jersey residents for the cost of enrollment in an eligible certificate program.
• Scholarships awarded by the Eastwick Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization.
• Eastwick College Book Grant: a book and laptop grant applied as a tuition/book discount each term for students in good financial standing.
• Waiver of application and registration fees: prospective students may be eligible under the Policy on Application and Registration Fees.

Eastwick College Ramsey is approved to train eligible veterans under Title 38, US Code. Federal School Code (FAFSA) for Eastwick College Ramsey: 013618. Net Price Calculator.

Career paths named by the school.

• Surgical technologist
• Traveling surgical technologist
• Sterile processing department roles

ACCSC Student Achievement (2025 Annual Report, updated December 7, 2025).

• Day session: cohort of 54 students, graduation rate 54%, employment rate 100%.
• Evening session: cohort of 31 students, graduation rate 52%, employment rate 87%.

Certification Exam Pass Rates (provided by NBSTSA). CY 2024: 41 students tested, 37 passed (90%). CY 2023: 41 tested, 27 passed (66%).

Student/graduate eligibility for certification examinations (credentialing organizations may change their requirements without notice):

• Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) — National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) (successful program completion)
• Certified Sterile Processing Department Technician (CSPDT) — Certification Board for Sterile Processing Distribution (CBSPD) (successful program completion)
• Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) — Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA) (completion of 400 hours in a sterile processing department after graduating from the program)

While we strive to provide students with the best tools to prepare for their careers, we cannot and do not guarantee employment.

New student orientation. Attendance at an orientation session for new students is required before starting a program and is held prior to the beginning of each term. College staff present institutional regulations and distribute schedules, and orientation gives new students the opportunity to become familiar with the campus and to meet informally with other new students. Programs with specialized accreditation may require additional orientation activities.

Class schedule. Eastwick College's classes meet Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. Classes may also be offered on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to meet academic requirements or address special group needs. Clinical and laboratory experiences may have earlier starting times and later ending times and may also be offered on weekends. The school year is divided into four 12-week terms, except for the evening Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Technology program, which is offered in 8-week modules.

Class size. Lecture courses have a maximum of 90 students. The maximum number of students in a laboratory varies with the setting, with a maximum of 10 students for each laboratory instructor.

Dress code. No dress code is required for either the day or evening division, but students are asked to use good judgment and dress in accordance with the business setting. Medical and nursing students must dress in compliance with OSHA regulations to attend laboratory activities, and students at clinical sites must meet the dress code requirements of the affiliated institutions.

Attendance. Lateness and excessive absences are strongly discouraged; documented absences may be justified only for illness or other unavoidable reasons. Instructors explain the attendance policy for each course in the syllabus, and failing to meet attendance requirements in a course with a clinical or laboratory component may result in a failing grade. Students are withdrawn after an absence of 14 consecutive calendar days.

Graduation. To graduate, students must pass all subjects in the prescribed curriculum, earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 (2.5 in the Bilingual Licensed Practical Nursing, Licensed Practical Nursing, AAS in Nursing [LPN-to-RN Bridge] and BS in Nursing [LPN-to-BSN] programs), and obtain authorization from the financial aid department.