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Surgery Technology FAQ
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Bellingham Technical College Surgery Technology Program is nationally accredited through the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
9355 113th St N, #7709 Seminole, FL 33775 727.210.2350
Attend an online Nursing & Allied Health Info Session and learn about our Nursing & Allied Health programs, and about funding and student support resources that can help you get started at BTC.
Attend the online session and learn about our Surgery Technology Program! Learn more about our entry requirements and about funding and student support resources that can help you get started at BTC.
If you are interested in being a valuable part of surgery teams, working beside surgeons, nurses, and other medical professionals, you can train for an exciting career as a Surgery Technologist. With BTC’s high quality education and hands-on training, you’ll gain the valuable skills needed now by hospitals, outpatient surgery centers, and dental surgery offices.
BTC's students graduate prepared for top jobs: 100 percent of program graduates passed the National Certification of Surgical Technology Exam in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. 90% passed in 2018. 100% passed in 2019 and 2020.
Upon successful completion of the BTC Surgery Technology Program, students are awarded an Associates Degree in Applied Science-Transfer (AAS-T) and are eligible for licensure as a Surgical Technologist in WA State.
Note: BTC has not made a determination that the Surgery Technology curriculum meets educational requirements for licensure/certification outside of Washington State. We encourage students who plan to work out-of-state to check relevant local licensure/certification requirements.
95% BTC graduate placement rate
$47,341 starting annual wageStudents interested in the Surgery Technology Program are encouraged to meet with the Program Navigator Laura Doss ldoss@btc.edu. The student navigator will help you plan a course of study.
Surgery Technology FAQ
This program typically admits students into first quarter core courses in the fall. Registration for Fall Quarter starts halfway through Spring Quarter.
Program-ready students are invited to register for Surgery Technology courses. Students who have completed ALL prerequisite requirements before the start of first quarter core courses will be allowed entry based on the order in which they register.
There is no separate admission process or application for this program.
Applicants must score at the "PROFICIENT" level or higher in each of the four areas on one transcript. See the ATI Test of Essential Academic Skills handout for more information about this entrance assessment.
The Test of Essential Academic Skills- ATI TEAS Handout
Students must be 18 years or older before beginning program core courses.
Prior to registering for the program core courses students complete all prerequisite courses at BTC or complete the transcript evaluation process for courses taken at another institution.
Completion of the following courses with a minimum grade of 3.0 (B) or higher in each course:
Human A&P 1 (BIOL& 241)
Human A&P 2 (BIOL& 242)
Microbiology (BIOL& 260)
Introduction to Chemistry (CHEM& 121 or CHEM& 161)
English Composition 1 (ENGL& 101)
Math in Society (MATH& 107) or any MATH course from the AAS-T alternative course list will be accepted.
Intro to Surgery Technology (SURG 100)
Completion of the following courses with a minimum grade of 2.0 (C) or higher in each course:
General Biology with Lab (BIOL& 160)
Interpersonal Communications (CMST& 210) or General Psychology (PSYC& 100)
Fundamentals of Medical Terminology (HT 100)
AFTER admissions acceptance into the program and prior to beginning program classes students must submit proof of all Clinical Placement Requirements.
This program requires a criminal history background check prior to attending the clinic practicum. Criminal History Background Check Information Sheet
The goal of this program is to prepare competent entry-level surgical technologists in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains
Adhering to the Core Curriculum for Surgical Technologists, 6th ed. and employer and instructor’s expectations, upon completion of the Surgery Technology program, the student will:
Employment of surgical technologists is expected to increase. Technological advances such as fiber optics and laser technology will also permit new surgical procedures to be performed.
About 95% of BTC Surgery Technology students are employed within nine months of graduation. The average annual wage in this field is $55,661, with an earning potential of about $64,709 per year.*
Criminal convictions may restrict or prevent student participation with internships and employment in this industry.
Most surgical technologists are employed by hospitals and work primarily in operating and delivery rooms. Others are employed in clinics and surgical centers and in the offices of physicians and dentists who perform outpatient surgery. Hospitals will continue to be the primary employer of surgical technologists, although much faster employment growth is expected in offices and clinics of physicians, including ambulatory surgical centers.
Laura Doss has been at BTC for 10 years in the roles of Academic & Career Advisor, Student Navigator, Instructor, Completion Coach and now College Navigator for the Allied Health Programs. Laura earned her Bachelor of Science while serving in the US Army and stationed in Germany and her Master of Education while stationed at Fort Sill, OK. Her initial education and training was in the mental health field before moving into education. Outside of work, Laura likes to spend time with her four kids, walking the trails, cuddling with her tiny dog and reading a ton of books!