This notification serves to update the statement issued by the ARC/STSA on March 9, 2020, to support our programs as educators are challenged with instituting proactive measures to address the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus).
As institutions make decisions to alter the delivery of surgical technology and surgical assisting curriculum, whether this includes a temporary closure of an institution or a move to alternative delivery of didactic coursework, the ARC/STSA requests that a notification be sent to info@arcstsa.net. The notification should include the change that the institution has decided to make with the anticipated timetable (realizing that this situation is fluid), and should copy administration (dean and/or president) on the correspondence.
As noted in the March 9, 2020, statement, such decisions should be made with guidance from school administration and institutional accreditors, and with regard to student enrollment policies and local and state public health agencies’ directives.
We have put forth several suggested resources (below) to consult when making these decisions. Specifically, in regard to temporary closures or moving courses to a distance education delivery, the ARC/STSA has found the U.S. Department of Education’s Guidance for interruptions of study related to Coronavirus (COVID-19) to offer possible solutions. The ARC/STSA will follow the Department’s guidance and allow programs to offer didactic coursework via di