Surgical Technologist

Associate in Applied Science Degree

The Surgical Technology field is expected to continue growing as the nation ages and more people need surgical procedures. The prospect of more people obtaining insurance by aging into Medicare, or obtaining coverage through reform can result in a larger pool of potential surgical patients.

Anthem College—St. Louis Park (Minneapolis) trains students through its Associate in Applied Science in Surgical Technologist. The program prepares students to compete for entry-level positions in the field, and eventually assume supervisory roles or advance into more specialized areas.

Hands-On Surgical Technologist Preparation

A surgical technologist program provides students with the professional and technical skills necessary to handle a job in the operating room (OR). Courses discuss issues such as life and death in the OR and ethics, alongside classes in general, special, orthopedic, and cardiovascular surgery.

Surgical technologists are responsible for performing or supervising routine procedures before, during and after surgery. They ensure the OR is clean and disinfected and that all surgical instruments have been properly sterilized. During surgery, they hand and receive instruments to and from the medical team. They follow counting procedures to ensure that all supplies and instruments are accounted for—a key function to control post-surgical infection and complications. After surgery, they disinfect the OR and dispose or sterilize the instruments used in surgery.

After they have successfully finished all coursework, associate degree candidates are placed in externships with local hospitals, surgicenters or physician practices. There, they assist with surgeries to practice and improve their skills in professional settings.

Graduates can compete for entry-level surgical tech positions with medical teams in hospitals or surgical centers. The Minneapolis-St. Paul region is home to several hospitals, including the University of Minnesota Medical Center.

At Anthem College, we care about our students and want to provide an educational experience that supports their personal and academic goals. We offer:

• Real-world training labs
• Day and evening classes
• Student services that help students stay and succeed in school
• Academic advising, tutoring and study groups set up by our dedicated Education Department

Learn more about our surgical technologist program by calling us at 855.331.7769. You can also fill out the provided information form and one of our representatives will contact you shortly.