The University of Saint Francis has received the annual merit award from the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) for achieving a 100 percent pass rate on the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) examination for the cycle of August 1, 2014 through July 31, 2015. This is the fourth year in a row that USF students have achieved this distinction.

Graduates who are nationally certified as a CST demonstrate, by examination, understanding of the basic competencies for safe patient care in the operating room. The CST is widely recognized in the healthcare community as the foremost credential for surgical technologists in the nation, and is required for employment within many local, state and national healthcare organizations.

“I applaud the Surgical Technology faculty on their continued excellence in educating the next generation of surgical technologists,” says Dr. Mindy Yoder, dean of the USF School of Health Sciences. “The program’s graduates are highly sought after by employers because they are well prepared to provide safe, quality care to patients undergoing surgery.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Surgical Technology is a rapidly growing field, with a job outlook through 2022 showing 30 percent growth, which is much faster than the average career field growth rate.

The CST examination is fully accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) for surgical technologists. NCCA accreditation assures that the CST examination meets stringent standards of examination development, and administration certification as a surgical technologist exhibits professional pride, the desire to be recognized for mastery of surgical competencies and most importantly an ongoing commitment to quality patient care.

For more information about the NBSTSA and the CST examination, visit tsorgen.