Venturing into Central Penn’s Health Sciences programs: Surgical Technology
What is a surgical technologist?
Story and Photos
By Jules Quare
Knightly News Reporter
When you think of a hospital or surgery, I can guess the first few things that you probably think of: surgeons, nurses, waiting rooms and hospitals.
I’m sure you didn’t think of—or know-or know about surgical technologists.
In the operating room. many people have many different jobs. The certified surgical technologist (CST) is the surgeon’s “outside hands.” They are the people right next to the surgeon and focusing on their top priority of passing the surgeon tools that are effective and sterile, and making sure the surgical site remains clean.
CSTs–commonly referred to as surg techs–are trained not only in information about operating rooms but are also taught about the human body and changes it can encounter.
Central Penn offers a surgical technology program.
Let’s take a dive into the classroom!
Tiffany Hollinger is a nontraditional-age college student in her second term in Central Penn’s surgical technology-certificate program. Hollinger was involved in healthcare before she enrolled in Central Penn. She was a certified nursing assistant (CNA) and an operating room assistant (ORA), and after a while, Hollinger felt the need to expand her horizons. Unfortunately, health issues emerged among loved ones, but that experience drove her desire to help others.
“My father suffered from cancer, and that just made me want to be a part of the process even more,” Hollinger said.
Hollinger is excited to pursue becoming a surgical technologist. Friends referred her to Central Penn, and she is very satisfied with her professors and classmates.
Former veterinary technician Megan Miller used to run the operating room at a veterinary clinic. She wanted to begin to help save people’s lives. Miller said she’s ready for her future as a surgical technician, and she said Central Penn is helping her reach that future. Miller said she has been very happy with the hands-on learning and affordability Central Penn provides.
Rebecca Rundall said she might not have health-care experience but go ahead, just ask her about “Grey’s Anatomy.” She knows what is going on in that operating room, and Rundell wanted to be involved in the action, so she chose Central Penn for surgical technology.
“As soon as I applied to Central Penn, the college made me feel wanted,” Rundall said.
Madelyn Brown also may not have experience in health care, but that doesn’t mean anything to her. She said Central Penn is located close enough to home so that she can attend her classes easily.
People interviewed for this story said two of the major perks at Central Penn are affordability and people’s personability inside classrooms. Students said they feel the college offers great classes and that they are very satisfied with Central Penn’s student-to-faculty ratio.
Kulsoom Mawjood has been working in pharmacy retail for a good while and she’s ready to help people in other ways. That led her to Central Penn’s surgical technology program. She said she’s looking forward to wearing a mask so everyone isn’t nagging her to smile. Mawjood said she’s interested in the tuition reimbursement that Central Penn offers and that she’s ready for a future in the OR.
Hailey Shenk is further along in her term than other surg-tech majors entering her 4th term this semester. She also has no experience in healthcare, but that is not stopping anyone.
Shenk wanted to get involved in patient care but did not feel the direct care route was for her. The winner once again is Central Penn’s affordability and acceleration. You know: Everyone loves it when they can get in and out as quickly as possible.
Olivia Haworth earned her phlebotomy certification after high school and has been working for the last three years.
“I was interested in progressing my career in health care, and I always had a fascination with surgery,” Haworth said. “I like hands-on and technical jobs. This field checks all the boxes.”
Central Penn’s Career Services Department indicated in its recent employment report that the college maintains a high job-placement rate for its graduates. Students also said they like Central Penn’s accelerated programs, in which students can take classes year-round and earn a degree faster than at colleges that follow a traditional two 15-to-17-week semester twice a year. Haworth mentioned that she noticed Central Penn professors care about their students, both academically and personally, which makes her feel seen as a person and not just “a number,” a sentiment some of her friends expressed about larger schools.
Quare is a student in the Central Penn Surgical Technology program.
Comment or story idea? Contact [email protected].
Edited by media-club co-adviser and this blog’s editor Professor Miichael Lear-Olimpi.
