Surgical Technologist AAS-T
Here is a general overview of what your classes will look like following each quarter. This map shows the program for students who started in fall 2022 or spring 2023. Please contact your adviser for more information regarding the courses. To see which materials are needed for your courses, click this bookstore link (Links to an external site.) and enter the course information.
General Overview
When can I start? Fall (September) or Spring (April)
How long is the program?
- 6 quarters (16 to 17 months) with 108 total credits for the AAS-T program
When do classes meet? 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. weekdays with a mix of hybrid and online classes
Are summer classes required? Yes. If you start in the fall, you will need to attend one summer quarter, and if you start in spring, you will need to attend two summer quarters.
In this program, you learn human anatomy, medical procedures, and advanced healthcare technology to work on a surgical care team. A surgical technologist ensures that the operating room is set up safely for patients and supports doctors who perform a variety of therapeutic and diagnostic procedures. You will get to practice your skills in regional healthcare facilities before you graduate. The Surgical Technologist program is accredited nationally by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) in collaboration with the Association of Surgical Technologists and the American College of Surgeons.
What do surgical technologists do?
What is the average salary?
$60,540 annually
Links to an external site. in the Seattle-Bellevue-Tacoma area. Most surgical technologists in King County earn at least $47,510.
Who can I contact with questions?
- New students, please visit our Zoom lobby (Links to an external site.) to talk with someone by video chat, or e-mail our advising department.
- For current students, please visit RTC's advising page (Links to an external site and look for the faculty counselor assigned to Surgical Technologist.
Overall Materials Needed:
- Access to a functioning laptop or computer (you may use computers in the RTC Library or Learning Resource Center)
- USB drive (thumb drive)
- Webcam
- Headset with microphone
- Working internet connection
- CastleBranch account ($106)
- Personal health insurance
- Immunizations and personal physical exam Links to an external site.
- General liability and malpractice insurance ($14.62 per year)
- 2 sets of scrubs with a jacket, plus comfortable shoes ($150)
- Safety goggles ($15)
- Textbooks and learning materials ($435)
- Skills lab supply kit (cost TBD)
You must earn a grade of 2.7 or higher in all of your SURG classes in order to graduate.
Applying to the Program
These steps apply to students who started the program through April 2023.
You must apply to the Surgical Technologist program. See the RTC website for details about deadlines and information sessions Links to an external site.! Here are the basic requirements:
- You must be 18 years old when you begin the fifth quarter of the program.
- You must complete 5 prerequisite classes in General Education with a minimum of 2.0 GPA in each one. Classes must have been completed within the previous 5 years:
- AMATH 190 Financial Algebra or other intermediate algebra prerequisites for college-level, transfer mathematics
- BIOL& 160 General Biology
- BIOL& 241 Human Anatomy and Physiology I
- BIOL& 242 Human Anatomy and Physiology II (maybe in progress at time of application to the program)
- ENGL& 101 English Composition (learn more about English placement)
- You will submit an unofficial transcript showing these 5 classes, as well as a copy of your high school diploma, GED, or high school completion equivalent and the prospective student document Links to an external site..
Once you are accepted to the Surgical Technologist program, you will need to provide proof of immunizations and a current physical examination. Links to an external site.
Requirements
Before applying for this program you must have completed three-quarters of prerequisite classes with a GPA of 2.0 or higher. Biology classes are a sequence. You must pass BIOL& 160 before you can take BIOL&241, and you must pass BIOL& 241 before you can take BIOL&242.
| Course ID | Course Name | Materials | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL& 160 | General Biology | NO | 5 |
| ENGL& 101 | English Composition | varies by section | 5 |
Estimated cost for 10 credits: $1,416
| Course ID | Course Name | Materials | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL& 241 | Human Anatomy & Physiology I | YES | 5 |
| AMATH 190 | Financial Algebra | NO | 5 |
Estimated cost for 10 credits: $1,446
| Course ID | Course Name | Materials | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIOL& 242 | Human Anatomy & Physiology II | YES | 5 |
Estimated cost for 5 credits: $751
Total estimated cost for prerequisites: $3,613
Materials Warning
Some materials on this page are listed as TBD, which means that the materials have yet to be determined. Please consult your instructor on what textbooks or materials are required for the class. If you rent a textbook, make sure you return it by the deadline. If you purchase a textbook, you can sell it back to the RTC bookstore -- but make sure that you won't need the book again for classes in the future!
Quarter 1 Classes
Description: You will learn about operating room design, care of surgical patients, roles of the surgical team, and safety hazards. You also will complete a transfer mathematics class required for your AAS-T degree.
| Course ID | Course Name | Materials | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| COL 101 | College Success | NO | 2 |
| SURG 102 | HC Provider First Aid/ CPR AED and BBP | NO | 2 |
| SURG 103 | Operating Room Environment | YES |
3 |
| MATH& 146 | Introduction to Statistics or other transfer mathematics (MATH& 107, MATH& 141, or higher) | YES | 5 |
| Estimated Tuition and Fees: $1,623 |
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Quarter 2 Classes
Description: You will explore medical terminology needed to work in an operating room and microbiology for sterile technique, decontamination, sterilization, and disinfection.
| Course ID | Course Name | Materials | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| SURG 130 | Medical Terminology | YES | 3 |
| SURG 131 | Microbiology | NO | 3 |
| ANTH& 235 or SOC& 101 |
Cross-Cultural Medicine or Introduction to Sociology or other social science class |
NO | 5 |
| Estimated Tuition and Fees: $1,542 |
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Quarter 3 Classes
Description: You will learn how to move, transfer, and position patients for procedures in six surgical specialties: obstetrics, gynecology, ophthalmology, laparoscopy, endoscopy, and general surgery. You also study aseptic technique, surgical patient preparation, wound care, anesthesia administration, and other medications.
| Course ID | Course Name | Materials | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| SURG 101 | Surgical Techniques | NO | 5 |
| SURG 106 | Surgical Procedures I | NO | 3 |
| SURG 109 | Skills Lab I | NO | 6 |
| SURG 132 | Pharmacology | NO | 3 |
| Estimated Tuition and Fees: $2,103 |
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Quarter 4 Classes
Description: You will learn how prepare for procedures in seven new surgical specialties: reconstruction, oral maxillofacial, ear-nose-throat (ENT), genitourinary, cardiothoracic, vascular, and neurology. You practice related skills in the mock operating room to prepare for your first clinical placement in Quarter 5.
| Course ID | Course Name | Materials | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| SURG 107 | Surgical Procedures II | YES | 13 |
| SURG 115 | Skills Laboratory II | NO | 5 |
| Estimated Tuition and Fees: $2,149 |
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Quarter 5 Classes
Description: You will learn how to support surgical patients who have anxiety and fears about death while you complete your first clinical practicum in a local hospital or healthcare facility. You also start to review for the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) exam.
| Course ID | Course Name | Materials | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| SURG 112 | Professional Preparation I | YES | 1 |
| SURG 180 | Human Relations | NO | 3 |
| SURG 194 | Operating Room Clinical Practicum I | YES | 11 |
| Estimated Tuition and Fees: $2,293 |
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Quarter 6 Classes
Description: You complete your second and final clinical practicum, and you spend time preparing your job search and interviews. You will complete your intensive preparation for the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) exam.
It's time to apply for graduation!
| Course ID | Course Name | Materials | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| SURG 113 | Professional Preparation II | NO | 1 |
| SURG 170 | Communications | NO | 4 |
| SURG 195 | Operating Room Clinical Practicum II | NO | 5 |
| Estimated Tuition and Fees: $1,616 |
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The CST exam for Certified Surgical Technologists costs $190 for Association of Surgical Technologists (AST) Links to an external site. members or $290 for non-members.
The Surgical Technologist license fee for WA state is $70.
Grand Total Estimated Costs:
without prerequisites, $12,300 plus the cost of personal health insurance and skills lab kit
with prerequisites, $15,913 plus the cost of personal health insurance and skills lab kit
Not quite the path you want to take? Let's go back to the Program Map!