As educators of surgical technology and surgical assistant students, every now and then it can be helpful (and fun) to step back and remember what it was like to be a student. What felt like a mountain of a mistake then is likely a funny story to share now. Take a walk down memory lane and tell us, do you remember…
Do you have trouble keeping your Program Advisory Committee (PAC) active and engaged? A successful PAC should strengthen your program and serve as a conduit to the community. Without the right structure and direction, however, a PAC can fall flat. Here are tips from experts in the field on leading a successful PAC.
The ARC/STSA will hold its next Accreditation Fundamentals for Educators (AFE) Workshop on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020, prior to the Association of Surgical Technologists’ (AST) Educators Conference.
ARC/STSA would like to congratulate the following surgical technology programs for receiving initial accreditation. Please join us in acknowledging the dedication and hard work it took for these programs to reach an important milestone. North Idaho College – Coeur d’Alene, ID Louisiana State University at Eunice – Eunice, LA Saint Paul College – Saint Paul, MN Concorde Career College – San [...]
Please click on the button below to review important notices regarding changes in reporting 2020 Outcomes Assessment Examination (OAE) pass rates for Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting programs. These notices were sent on Oct. 1 to program directors and deans.
Preceptors play a critical role in the OR, helping ensure students are set up for success while learning on the job. Before a student sets foot in the OR, however, educators must also do their part and serve as a conduit between student and preceptor. The relationship among these individuals requires thoughtfulness, clear communication and an understanding of expectations.
Many of our students struggle to use their imagination to visualize, understand and memorize information. While traditional teaching methods (books, PowerPoint presentations) have a place, they do not always help students retain information. My father was an “inventor” of sorts and taught me how to find extraordinary use for ordinary items. Over the years I have successfully used his outside-the-box mentality to bring new concepts to students. Here I’ll share a few ideas that have been fun for our students and helped them retain information.
As a surgical technologist, I am constantly aware of the diversity of our patients. As an educator, I realize the diversity of the students I teach. As a citizen of the world, I understand how we must educate ourselves of the difference and similarities in people around the world.
As presented in the April 2019 ARC/STSA eNewsletter, the Board of Directors approved the following language related to Standard I. A. - Sponsorship of the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) Standards and Guidelines for the Accreditation of Educational Programs in Surgical Technology.
The certified surgical assistant is a position that is quite unique to the surgical specialty, especially as most institutions utilize physician assistants (PA) or registered nurse first assistants (RNFA). Yet the history and importance of surgical assistants at Mayo Clinic, as well as other institutions, cannot be understated.
