surgical tech question

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Apr 9, 2005

Around this area in Virginia, it's 2 years.

ShirleyM · Apr 10, 2005

Wow, I didn't know wait lists for Scrub Tech school were that long! About El Centro College, I'll try to find out for you. The educator at my work goes there from time to time so I'll try to find out. In the meantime, have you tried any other colleges? I know we've had scrub students from Tarrant College and High-Tech do their rotations with us. If you were a third year nursing student I would've suggested checking out some O.R externship programs in the Dallas area.:)

pixie-dust37 · Apr 10, 2005

Thanks for the info. I have checked around for some other schools, and the only other school that has the program is Sanford-Brown Institute, which costs about $10-15,000 And I live in McKinney, so the only other school that is closest is El Centro. So, idk what I'll do now. This is so discouraging.

sunnyjohn · Apr 11, 2005

I hope I have not offended anyone by using this message board, but the AST board is not working right now, and I noticed that alot of CST's post here. So, my question is: Does anyone know about how long the wait list is for a Surgical Tech. program in Dallas, Texas at El Centro College? or anywhere else for that matter. Here they only accept 12 students per year, so I'm thinking it may be just as difficult to get into as the LVN program. If anyone has any info, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks

I graduated from the surg tech program at EL Centro very recently. There is no waiting list for surg tech. They are really allowed to take 20-25 students each year, but have limited the number due to budget cuts and a limited staff.The program has not reached maximum in many years, but it is getting more popular.

A few of my classmates and I were taking prereq's right up to the summer before classes started. It is the least competitive of all the EL Centro programs. 8 of the people in my class came into Surg Tech after the deadline because the programs they wanted had filled up.

If you are really interested, talk to the program director and she will help you out.

FYI, I would strongly suggest that you ONLY attend a school that is CAAHEP acredited and specifically approved by AST and the Liason Council on Certification for the Surgical Technologist to train scrub techs.

There are a few schools in DFW that say their graduates are "certified", but those folks CANNOT take the AST exam which gives them the right to use the title CST.

This has happened to a few friends of mine (who by the way are great techs).

If you want more info PM me...

Agape

strugglingstudent · Apr 12, 2005

I hope I have not offended anyone by using this message board, but the AST board is not working right now, and I noticed that alot of CST's post here. So, my question is: Does anyone know about how long the wait list is for a Surgical Tech. program in Dallas, Texas at El Centro College? or anywhere else for that matter. Here they only accept 12 students per year, so I'm thinking it may be just as difficult to get into as the LVN program. If anyone has any info, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks

I am currently a surgical technician at a small ASC in Lanc, PA. The doctor that I work for was kind enough to let the Clinical director teach me everything that I know. But I reached a point where I felt that I needed a "real" education. So I looked into Surg. Tech school and the waiting list was 2 yrs. However, I decided to go for my LPN. Luckily the facility that I work for can utilize me for both positions with a pay increase when I graduate. Now almost finished with my LPN classes, I have decided to go on for my BSN. So anyway depending on where you are employed or plan to be employed probably would dictate if the facility could use you as an LPN in the O.R.. THe LPN program around here is 1-2yr wait.

sunnyjohn · Apr 12, 2005

With regard to the program in the Dallas County Community College District, they do not waitlist.

This is true for Surgical Technologist, Echocardiology, Invasive Cardiovascular, Radiologic Sciences, Ultrasound, LPN or ADN. It is also true for ALL the other healthcare programs in DCCCD/El Centro.

If you don't get in the semester you are applying for, you have to go through the admissions process again.

If anybody out there is looking for a group of schools with an excellent reputation and strong health care focus, consider DCCCD.

It would even be worth moving to Dallas to pursue an education at Dallas County.

http://www.elcentrocollege.edu/Programs/HealthLegalStudies/index.asp