It has become imperative and essential that the GASA Board of Directors speak out concerning the attempts of many parties to start abbreviated training programs for surgical technologists and hospitals hiring non-CST credentialed personnel.  

The rigors of our field cannot and should not be rushed. The fact that we have so many different parties wanting to diminish what we do and rush the process is disturbing. It is understood that there are shortages in our professional field; however, we must not lose sight of the worth of a well-trained and professional surgical technologist to the surgical team to ensure good outcomes for our patients.

Many of our board members have worked very hard and diligently to train and mold some of the best and brightest surgical technologists in this field with a combined experience of over 70 years. We know what needs to go into the training of these professionals. These facts make us highly qualified to make this statement in no uncertain terms: You cannot properly train a qualified, professional surgical technologist in an 8-week to 6-month program.

The Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) credential is the gold standard in our profession and should be the ONLY credential recognized across the country in the practice of surgical technology.  This credential can only be achieved by both graduating from a program accredited through CAAHEP or ABHES, and sitting for the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) exam from NBSTSA (National Board of Surgical Technology & Surgical Assisting). 

The substandard programs that are preying on unsuspecting students are not accredited by either of these agencies, are most often not regionally accredited schools, and very often are charging tens of thousands of dollars to receive an inadequate education. The great majority of these programs DO NOT INCLUDE CLINICAL EXPERIENCE for the students.  

Therein lies the issue with credentials other than the CST - students or graduates are allowed to take and hold a "credential" without ever having set foot into an operating room.  Hospitals then see these alternate credentials and assume that all credentials are the same.  What the hospital gets for their first TWO YEARS of employment, and more importantly what the surgical patient gets, is an unqualified, untrained employee. The hospitals pay these unqualified people to get their training on the job!  Would their surgical patients be pleased to know that?

The acceptance of any other credential by hospitals is putting the surgical patient at risk. We have to ask ourselves – is it worth it? If you or a loved one were a patient, wouldn’t you want the very best in highly trained personnel surrounding you in your most vulnerable of situations? Of course, you would! Therefore, we must NOT allow poorly trained or under-qualified personnel in the operating room to pass sharp objects over breathing people! 

Human Resources personnel and OR supervisors must be educated to the proper credential, and effective vetting of surgical technologists must be done before hiring.  Please view our comparison chart to discover the differences between credentials and training programs.  Also, please view the statement of the Association of Surgical Technologists regarding the CST's Many Lifesaving Roles. Please help us in preserving the integrity of our profession, and do not diminish our worth by allowing anyone other than those with the CST credential to serve surgical patients.