**Please continue to return here for the latest news regarding our program.**

The Surgical Technology Program takes an incoming class each fall semester.  The application period for fall 2025 will open in January.  See the Surgical Technology Application link on this webpage for more information.  

Highlights of LSC-Tomball's Surgical Technology Program

• Trains students to work as a vital member of an operating room health care team.
• Courses are held on-campus and clinicals conducted at off-campus local hospital sites to enable students to have training in functional operating rooms.  

Information Sessions

The Surgical Technology Program hosts information sessions where students can learn more about the program application process and tour our amazing labs. Information sessions are scheduled for the following dates/times:

Thursday, January 30, 2025 at 10 a.m.

Thursday, March 6, 2025 at 2 p.m.

Information sessions for the program are held at the Health Science Building located at 700 Graham Drive in Tomball in classroom 303.  No registration is necessary to attend.

If you need assistance with the online program application or questions related to CastleBranch, please email Kelly.McNally@lonestar.edu.

All applicants to the Surgical Technology Program are required to have an advising form completed as part of the application process.  Please email Ashley.N.Esmair@lonestar.edu for assistance with the advising form.   Please include your name and Lone Star ID in your email. 

Only students who have been accepted into the program by the Director of Surgical Technology are allowed to register for the Surgical Technology classes.  

About the Program

The Surgical Technology Program at Lone Star College-Tomball is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, or CAAHEP.  You may visit them on the web at www.caahep.org.   Accreditation is achieved upon the recommendations by the Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting, or ARC-STSA.  You may visit them on the web at www.arcstsa.org.

To comply with CAAHEP Standard V.A.4, Publications and Disclosures, the following board certification exam pass rates information is provided:  

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the AAS Degree in Surgical Technology, the students will be able to:

1. Develop the entry-level employment skills for the various roles of the Surgical Technologist in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and effective (behavioral) learning domains.
2. Practice within the legal, ethical, and professional scope of the Surgical Technologist by performing all preoperative skills and duties safely.
3. Assist in surgical procedures by utilizing appropriate knowledge of anatomy, pathophysiology, pharmacology, medical terminology, and the application of surgical aseptic technique.
4. Meet the educational and clinical case requirements necessary to qualify to sit for the CST© Certified Surgical Technologists national exam administered by the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA).

Program Goals and Minimum Expectations

Lone Star College–Tomball’s Surgical Technology Program Goals “To prepare competent entry-level surgical technologists in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains.”

1. Correlate the knowledge of anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, and microbiology to their role as a Surgical Technologist.
2. Demonstrate and integrate knowledge of relevant medical terminology.
3. Demonstrate a safe level of practice in their role as a Surgical Technologist.
4. Adopt principles of the ethical, legal, moral, and medical values related to the patient and the surgical team.
5. Demonstrate safe practice techniques in regard to perioperative routines, patient transportation, positioning, medication handling, and emergency procedures.
6. Develop written and oral practices designed to prepare for surgical interventions in all specialties.
7. Identify the various classifications of surgical armamentarium, including instrumentation, sutures, and equipment used during the perioperative experiences.
8. Demonstrate and integrate principles of surgical asepsis as part of the perioperative experience.
9. Apply knowledge and skills as a professional Surgical Technologist to address the bio-psychosocial needs of the surgical patient.
10. Successfully complete a written examination administered by the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting, ultimately earning the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST®) credential.

Physical and Psychosocial Performance Requirements

As a surgical technology student and practitioner, you will be required to be able to perform/demonstrate the following physical and psychosocial skills:

• Exhibit positive interpersonal skills in patient, staff, and faculty interactions.
• Demonstrate calm and effective responses in emergency situations.
• Make appropriate judgment decisions.
• Hear and understand muffled communication without visualization of the communicator's mouth/lips.
• Demonstrate emotional stability.
• Manipulate instruments and supplies with speed, dexterity, and good eye-hand coordination.
• Communicate and understand fluent English both verbally and in writing.
• Be free of communicable diseases and chemical abuse.
• Demonstrate immunity to rubella, tuberculosis, and hepatitis B, or be vaccinated against these diseases, or willing to sign a waiver of release of liability in regards to these diseases.
• Must be able to meet the following physical demands:  bending, walking, standing, lifting, carrying, pushing, and handling equipment, supplies or patients exceeding 25 pounds.
• Must be able to lift 25 to 35 pounds without restrictions.
• Must be able to stand for extended periods of time.
• Must be able to tolerate environmental temperatures in the 60 degree Fahrenheit range.
• Must not have any open lesions on hands or arms, such as psoriasis or dermatitis.
• Will not be permitted to scrub in the clinical practicum if open cuts, sores, or any break in the skin of the hands and arms exist.

Background Check and Drug Screening Policies

Criminal Background Checks for Specified Programs:

LSC offers some workforce associate degree or certificate programs in which a state license is required to obtain employment in healthcare, emergency services or business services fields.  For students in these programs who may have a criminal background, please be advised that the background check results could keep you from being licensed by the State of Texas or other licensing agencies required to obtain employment. If a student has a question about his or her background and licensure, please speak with the appropriate department chair, program director, or person listed on the program website.

Effective May 2018, required by the Texas Occupations Code 58.001, if you are applying for admission to a college program or enrolling in a college program that may prepare you for an occupational license issued by a licensing authority and/or if you later decide to change to a program that prepares you for an occupational license, please be advised of the following:

1. An individual who has been convicted of an offense may be ineligible for issuance of an occupational license upon completion of the educational program.
2. Licensing authorities that issue an occupational license to an individual who completes the educational program issue guidelines stating the reasons a particular crime is considered to relate to a particular occupational license and any other criterion that affects the decisions of the licensing authority. A state licensing authority that issues guidelines files those guidelines with the secretary of state for publication in the Texas Register.
3. Local or county licensing authorities that issue an occupational license to an individual who completes the educational program issue guidelines related to criminal history and post the guidelines at the courthouse of the county in which the licensing authority is located or publish them in a newspaper having countrywide circulation in that county. Applicants should contact their respective local or county licensing authority for more details.
4. An individual may request a criminal history evaluation letter regarding the personal eligibility for a license issued by a licensing authority as required by Texas Occupation Code 53.102.

All applicants and enrollees are encouraged to review all applicable eligibility requirements related to the respective occupational license. Questions related to eligibility requirements should be directed to the applicable licensing authority.

Before registering in LSC health occupations, emergency services or child development programs, students are required to complete a criminal background check performed by an external consumer agency chosen by LSC. The student must sign an authorization form and pay the cost of the background check. Results of the background check, which will be confidential, will be sent to the program director and the student.

Drug and Alcohol Testing for Specified Programs:

Students in health occupations, emergency services and truck driving (CDL) programs may be required to undergo drug testing after acceptance into a program, prior to the start of a clinical rotation, externship and/or if there is a reason to suspect a drug or alcohol impairment. See individual program student handbooks for further details.

Students should be aware that LSC and agencies with which LSC contracts for health occupation clinical experiences and externships will require successful completion of drug/alcohol testing prior to commencement of the clinical/externship experience.

The costs of all testing shall be incurred by the student. The student may contact specific health occupation programs, emergency services and truck driving (CDL) about details regarding specific clinical/externship drug and alcohol testing requirements and policy and procedures per program.

**Attention Certified Surgical Technologists**

If you are currently certified as a CST© and would like to obtain an AAS, we have a track designed specifically for you. Gather your CST© number and your transcripts from your surgical tech program and schedule an appointment with the Program Director.  Candidates must also be able to secure employer verification that you have been employed for the equivalent of at least six (6) months full time as a CST©. Please contact the Program Director for more information.

“Studying Surgical Technology at Lone Star College in Tomball has made a positive impact in my life, emotionally, financially and academically. Becoming a Surgical Technologist has helped me realize that helping people is my passion, it has given me the financial stability to do things that I could not have done before and academically it has helped me grow to a higher level of education. The Program Director, Clinical Director and Preceptors are all very helpful and understanding of every student’s needs. This program has definitely changed my life in a very positive way.”

Sae Alin Hunt, CST
Class of 2014
LBJ Medical Center

Thank you for your interest in the Surgical Technology Program.

Remember: Eligibility for the program includes passing a criminal background check. State licensing and affiliated facilities require passed criminal background checks.