Contact Information: May Alimboyoguen, 847.376.7053, malimboyoguen@oakton.edu
The Surgical Technology program presents students with the knowledge and skills necessary to work in a surgical environment and function as a participant of the operating room team. Students will learn surgical aseptic technique, surgical procedural steps, anatomy, physiology and pathology. Graduates of the program will be able to perform the role of an entry-level Surgical Technologist in the operating room setting.
Program is designed to be completed in two years, including summer semesters. Instructions include on-campus and online lectures, on-campus laboratory practicum and a two-semester clinical externship. In a course of a program, students are required to complete a minimum of 120 surgical cases in assigned clinical facilities.
Clinical externship is offered in a variety of health care settings in the community. Students must provide their own transportation between the college campus and the clinical agencies.
Upon successful completion of the Surgical Technology program, students will be eligible to take a National Certification Examination.
All Surgical Technology (SUR) courses must be completed at Oakton. Surgical Technology coursework from other institutions is not accepted. Students must receive a minimum grade of C in all SUR courses.
This is a limited enrollment curriculum. For more information, contact the Division of Health Careers at 847.635.1684 or healthcareers@oakton.edu.
Admission Requirements:
- High school graduation or High School Equivalency Certificate 1.
Foreign high school graduates or students with foreign college credits need to send English translated copies of their transcripts to Educational Perspectives, www.edperspective.org/oakton. Students with foreign college credit should request a catalog match. - High school GPA of 2.0 or higher.
- Completion of the following courses with minimum grades of C:
• BIO 121 General College Biology I within the past five years
• EGL 101 Composition I
• HIT 104 Medical Terminology
• MAT 102 Mathematics for Health Careers
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As of January 1, 2023, the High School Equivalency Certificate became the State of Illinois High School Diploma. High School Equivalency credentials received prior to that date remain valid.
Health Career curricula are governed by specific objectives, rules and regulations formulated by the College, accrediting bodies and participating clinical facilities. Students should familiarize themselves with these standards. Students should also be aware that failure to maintain satisfactory progress in technical courses may significantly delay completion of the curriculum or may result in the student being dropped from the curriculum. Each student’s right to participation in the clinical portion of the curriculum is also contingent upon compliance with the rules of the clinical facility. The clinical facility has sole discretion to determine when its rules have been violated.
Clinical placements require a health assessment, certain immunizations, yearly vaccines, substance abuse testing, criminal background check, specific skill certification (i.e., CPR/BLS) and health insurance. The requirements represent an additional cost to the student.
All Oakton College Health Career students in a program with a clinical component must have “clear” criminal background checks and drug screens in order to participate in any and all clinical components of any health career program courses.
To comply with state statutes and clinical affiliation agreements, and to provide a safe environment for students, employees, and patients cared for by students, those accepted into Oakton’s health career programs will be required to complete a criminal background check and drug screening through a company contracted by the College. Health Career students will be charged a fee for this service.
Timelines for completing criminal background checks and drug screens may vary among the various programs. Deadline dates for each program will be provided by the individual department chairs at the time of a student’s acceptance into a health career program.
Students without a clear criminal background check and/or clear drug screen will not be allowed to enroll in clinical practicum courses or attend clinical programs. This would further necessitate that the student withdraws from the health career program at that time.
Students who refuse a criminal background check and/or drug screen will not be considered “clear” and will not be authorized to participate in the clinical component of the health career program, necessitating withdrawal from the program at that time. Individual results of student background checks and drug screens are considered confidential.
Determination of whether or not a student can participate in the clinical component of a particular health career program will be communicated to the respective department chairs by the Background Check/Drug Screen vendor. Students may view their personal results on the vendor’s website.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | ||
| Area A – Communications | ||
| EGL 101 | Composition I | 3 |
| Area B – Mathematics | ||
| MAT 102 | Mathematics for Health Careers | 2 |
| Area C – Science | ||
| BIO 231 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| BIO 232 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| Area D – Social and Behavioral Sciences | ||
| SOC 103 | Social Problems | 3 |
| Area E – Humanities / Fine Arts | ||
| No course required | 0 | |
| Area F – Global Studies | ||
| Satisfied by SOC 103 | 0-3 | |
| Area G – U.S. Diversity Studies | ||
| Satisfied by SOC 103 | 0-3 | |
| Total Hours | 16 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major Requirements | ||
| BIO 121 | General College Biology I | 4 |
| BIO 251 | Microbiology | 4 |
| HIT 104 | Medical Terminology | 3 |
| SUR 101 | Introduction to Surgical Technology | 10 |
| SUR 102 | Surgical Procedures I | 10 |
| SUR 201 | Surgical Procedures II | 5 |
| SUR 202 | Surgical Technology Review I | 3 |
| SUR 203 | Surgical Technology Review II | 3 |
| SUR 204 | Surgical Technology Clinical Externship I | 6.5 |
| SUR 205 | Surgical Technology Clinical Externship II | 6.5 |
| Total Hours | 55 | |
Surgical Technology Pathway
The following Pathway is recommended for students pursuing an Associate in Applied Science degree in Surgical Technology.For more information on recommended courses or program specific advising, contact the Health Career Specialist at 847.635.1844, or the Division of Health Careers at 847.635.1684. General Education courses should be selected from the list of IAI General Education Courses.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Program Prerequisites | ||
| BIO 121 | General College Biology I | 4 |
| EGL 101 | Composition I | 3 |
| HIT 104 | Medical Terminology | 3 |
| MAT 102 | Mathematics for Health Careers | 2 |
| Total Hours | 12 | |
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester One (Summer) | Hours | |
| BIO 251 | Microbiology | 4 |
| Hours | 4 | |
| Semester Two (Fall) | ||
| BIO 231 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| SUR 101 | Introduction to Surgical Technology | 10 |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Semester Three (Spring) | ||
| BIO 232 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| SUR 102 | Surgical Procedures I | 10 |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Semester One (Summer) | ||
| SUR 201 | Surgical Procedures II | 5 |
| Hours | 5 | |
| Semester Two (Fall) | ||
| SOC 103 | Social Problems 1 | 3 |
| SUR 202 | Surgical Technology Review I | 3 |
| SUR 204 | Surgical Technology Clinical Externship I | 6.5 |
| Hours | 12.5 | |
| Semester Three (Spring) | ||
| SUR 203 | Surgical Technology Review II | 3 |
| SUR 205 | Surgical Technology Clinical Externship II | 6.5 |
| Hours | 9.5 | |
| Total Hours | 59 | |
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Course fulfills the Global Studies and U.S. Diversity Studies requirements. At least one Global Studies and one U.S. Diversity Studies course are required for degree completion.
Program Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of the Surgical Technology A.A.S., the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate appropriate interaction with patients of all ages and backgrounds.
- Apply knowledge of sterilization, handling and use of surgical instrumentation.
- Communicate effectively while performing preoperative, perioperative and postoperative duties.
- Practice safe counting of sponges, sharps, and instruments.
- Demonstrate a basic knowledge of surgical procedures.
- Establish and maintain a sterile operative field to provide safe patient care.
- Label and announce medications and fluids.
- Become eligible to take a nationally recognized certification exam.
- Obtain membership of a professional organization (AST).
- Demonstrate surgical conscience: report any break in aseptic technique and correct all violations whether observed or unobserved.
- Properly wear and remove operating room attire and personal protective equipment.
- Maintain patient confidentiality.
- Respect personal beliefs without discrimination in patient care.
Surgical Technology Courses
Course introduces the field of surgical technology including legal and ethical concepts history of surgery, and surgery today. Pre-operative sterile technique and practice including microbiological considerations of the operating room, the disinfection and sterilization processes will be discussed.
Course covers principles of aseptic technique, anatomy and physiology as they apply to surgical procedures. Pharmacology and microbiology topics for surgical technologists are also covered in this course.
Course continues covering principles of aseptic technique, anatomy and physiology as they apply to surgical procedures.
Course focuses on building professional skills for Surgical Technologists. Content includes preparation for the Certified Surgical Technologist Exam.
This course is a continuation of SUR 202 Surgical Technology Review I. It continues preparing students for a National Certification Exam. Content includes review of the exam content, test taking skills and completion of practice exams. Preparation to and completion of the HESI Exit Exam is also included in the course.
This first course of a two-course sequence provides students with progressive exposure to diverse surgical procedures, from beginning to advanced complexity, in multiple specialties, within the surgical setting. Utilizing critical thinking and problem-solving skills learned in previous Surgical Technology courses, students will focus on the ability to anticipate the needs of the surgical team as well as the patient.
This second course of a two-course sequence continues providing students with progressive exposure to diverse surgical procedures, from beginning to advanced complexity, in multiple specialties, within the surgical setting. Utilizing critical thinking and problem-solving skills learned in previous Surgical Technology courses, students will focus on the ability to anticipate the needs of the surgical team as well as the patient. By the conclusion of this course, students must complete a minimum of 120 surgical cases required for a certification.