Surgical Technology: Career Associate

The Surgical Technology curriculum prepares an individual to assist in caring for the surgical patient in the operating room and to function as a member of the surgical team.  Students apply theoretical knowledge to the care of patients undergoing surgery and develop the skills necessary to prepare supplies, equipment, and instruments; maintain aseptic conditions; prepare patients for surgery; and assist surgeons during operations.  The program provides supervised clinical experience that enables students to develop surgical skills required for entry into practice.  Students complete the corresponding certificate program with an option to complete this associate degree program.  Graduates of the certificate program are eligible to take the National Board for Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) National Examination for the Certified Surgical Technologist. The associate degree option allows graduates to prepare for additional responsibilities in surgical services. The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the recommendation of the Accreditation Review Committee on Education in Surgical Technology. The complete program is available at the Harrisburg Campus. Some of the required courses are available at all of HACC’s campus locations, as well as through Virtual Learning.

The following requirements must be completed (at the student’s expense) after being selected for, but prior to starting the clinical portion of the program and after the first year in the program.  Requirements include physical examination and immunizations, background checks, drug and alcohol screens and CPR certification. The student should consider these factors before enrolling. If the student has any questions regarding this, he or she should contact the program director.

General Education   
ENGL 101 English Composition I  3 
ENGL 102 English Composition II (or)  3 
  ENGL 104 Technical Writing  (3) 
COMM 101 Effective Speaking or  3 
  COMM 203 Interpersonal Communication  (3) 
Core A Elective  3 
Core B, PSYC 101 General Psychology  3 
Free Elective  3 
Physical Education & Wellness  1 

Major Requirements   
SURG 101 Concepts in Surgical Tech  2 
SURG 105 Pharmacology  1 
SURG 110 Introduction to Surgical Tech.  4 
SURG 111 Surgical Procedures I   4 
SURG 112 Surgical Procedures II  4 
SURG 210 Surgical Clinical Externship I  4 
SURG 220 Surgical Clinical Externship II  6 
SURG 230 Surgical Clinical Externship III  9 

Other Required Courses   
BIOL 105 Medical Terminology  3 
BIOL 121 Anatomy &Physiology I  4 
BIOL 122 Anatomy & Physiology II  4 
BIOL 221 Microbiology  4 
BIOL 230 Physiological Pathology  3 
CIS 105 Introduction to Software  3 

This curriculum is designed to prepare students to:

Identify the roles and responsibilities of all surgical team members

Demonstrate the ability to anticipate the needs of surgical patients by properly preparing the operating room suite, equipment, and instrumentation required for surgical interventions

Display empathy for surgical patients and their significant others

Demonstrate a professional demeanor when communicating with patients and fellow team members

Demonstrate a surgical conscience

Participate as an effective member of the surgical team throughout the preoperative, intraoperative, and immediate postoperative periods

Write and speak effectively

Appreciate accomplishments in the arts and sciences

Apply for a Full-Ride Scholarship

Are you a future student and ready to apply to HACC? 
By applying to HACC, you have the opportunity to apply for a full-ride scholarship! HACC will fund two years of your education – enough to complete your associate degree.

Thanks to the support of the HACC Foundation, the College is able to offer FREE money to support future students, like you, in reaching your educational goals. Six full-ride scholarships are available – one from each of the five campuses and one through HACC’s Virtual Learning Program. 

Please note that current students are not eligible for the full-ride scholarships. However, there are more than 250 scholarships available for current students.

What should you know about the full-ride scholarship?

The scholarship covers tuition, books and fees for a full academic year. 

The scholarship will automatically renew each term for up to six consecutive terms if you maintain your eligibility.

Once you apply to the College and receive a HACC ID and email address, you may apply for the full-ride scholarship. You do not have to register for classes before applying for the scholarship.

Are you eligible?

To be eligible, you must:

Apply to HACC

Take 12-15 credits each term for no more than six consecutive terms (two years)

Live in Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, Schuylkill or York county

Have a minimum cumulative high school GPA of 3.0

Provide a 480 SAT reading score, 21 ACT or comparable scores on the College’s placement test

Maintain a GPA of 3.0 while enrolled at HACC

Participate in at least two HACC student organizations