Pending

The purpose of a site visit is to help assess and improve the quality of programs and student outcomes. But it can also be a time for site visitors to learn and have their own a-ha moments.

While a number of factors can cause low retention rates, it’s important for instructors to be proactive. Instructors should meet students halfway and ensure they are taking the right steps to provide the tools and support students need to succeed, as well as create a environment students will want to enroll in and return to. If your program is having difficulty with retention rates, consider these ideas.

ast month, ARC/STSA held the second Accreditation Fundamentals for Educators (AFE) Workshop of 2019. Approximately 75 program directors, faculty and administrative professionals gathered in National Harbor, Maryland, for a full day of education and networking.

ARC/STSA is proud to announce recipients of the 2019 scholarship awards. This year, 10 students and one educator were awarded a total of $6,000 in combined scholarships. Hear from the recipients about their unique journeys, what excites them about entering the profession and what’s on their horizons.

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.

At the March 2019 meeting of the ARC/STSA, 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.

Consenting to surgery is a leap of faith for patients and families. Knowing that a team of strangers will take you or a loved one away, into a room, put you to sleep and cut into you, is undoubtedly a harrowing experience. I am humbled and honored every day to have patients and families that entrust us to do this. I am confident in our ability to warrant that trust because of the team I am so lucky to work with. I often say that the surgeon is like the quarterback—lots of press, interviews and awards—but the surgical team is like the offensive line—the ones who do most of the hard lifting and drive the success of the team.

In a recent Board of Directors meeting, the ARC/STSA honored two board members, ARC/STSA President Dr. Cynthia Casparis and Dorothy Rothgery, for their service to the organization. Dr. Casparis and Ms. Rothgery both served two terms, and their tenure ends in June 2019. ARC/STSA is grateful for the time, talent and knowledge they each brought to help move the organization forward.

ARC/STSA Seeks Board of Directors Applicants Academic Administrator and Public Member Positions Open Terms Beginning September 2019 The Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (ARC/STSA) is seeking nominations for two positions on its Board of Directors. Nominations are open immediately for an academic administrator and a public member, with terms beginning September 1, 2019, through August [...]

ARC/STSA’s next AFE Workshop is right around the corner! Don’t miss your chance to refresh your skills and connect with peers who are facing the same triumphs and challenges.