Surgical Technology program recognized for grads’ success

Students who graduated from Washtenaw Community College’s Surgical Technology program during the 2016-17 academic year have since achieved a 100-percent pass rate on the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) examination.

The CST is widely recognized in the health care community as the foremost credential for surgical technologists in the nation. It is required for employment with many local, state and national health care organizations.

“Completing our rigorous program and passing the national CST exam speaks volumes about an individual,” said Elizabeth Connors, a WCC faculty member and the Surgical Technology program director. “For the entire class to pass the exam, that speaks volumes about our dedication to every student at Washtenaw Community College.”

The accomplishment was recognized at the WCC Board of Trustees’ October meeting, where Connors accepted a certificate of merit from the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting on behalf of the college.

Connors calls surgical technologists the “silent angels” of the health care system.

“People know about the doctors and nurses and anesthesiologists, but the surgical technologists are really the glue of the operating room,” she said.

According the Department of Labor, there were 107,000 surgical technologist jobs in the country in 2016 and that number is expected to increase 12 percent by 2026, a faster-than-average growth rate.

The median pay for the position is $45,160.

WCC uses a competitive admission process for high-demand programs in health care, including the Surgical Technology program.

Each year, approximately 20 students are accepted into the full-time program that culminates in an Associate in Applied Science Degree. l

For more information, visit health.wccnet.edu.