Great Falls College Montana State University (Great Falls MSU) is proud to partner with City College at Montana State University Billings to offer the Associate of Applied Science Degree in Surgical Technology in Billings.
Students will take classes on the City College and Montana State University Billings (MSU Billings) campuses, and webex online through Great Falls College MSU. Students now have access to a surgical tech classroom/lab on the City College campus. The clinical components of the curriculum are primarily offered at St. Vincent Healthcare and Billings Clinic but some travel may be required for additional required clinicals. All coursework can be completed in Billings. However, outreach students are required to go to Great Falls for commencement and to take the national Certification exam.
Students admitted to City College enter as General Studies majors and should indicate Surgical Technology as their desired program. After meeting with an advisor, specific prerequisite courses are selected. Students applying to the Great Falls College MSU Surgical Technology program must successfully complete (or be in the process of completing) the prerequisite courses. The competitive application through Great Falls is usually in mid-October. Students need to keep checking the Great Falls College MSU website to confirm deadline. Acceptance to the program is determined after fall semester grades are finalized and applications have been evaluated.
ALL prerequisite courses require a grade of “C-” or higher. Once in the Surgical Technology Program, if a student obtains less than a grade of “Satisfactory” (80%) in any portion, the entire Surgical Technology Program will have to be repeated. This is a very intense program.
The Surgical Technology-specific courses begin each spring semester. Lecture classes will be taught through WebEx from the Great Falls campus and students must attend classes at one designated classroom on the City College campus. Lab classes will also be taught by a Great Falls instructor at the City College campus in the surgical lab space. Clinical and Internship spots will be assigned to students by a lab instructor and may require travel out of a student's designated area to fulfill the minimal requirement of 120 surgical cases.
Students in the program are educated to be Surgical Technologists (ST), part of the surgical team, to ensure the operative procedure is conducted under optimal conditions. The ST is responsible for three phases (preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative) of patient care with minimal direction. All surgical team members must adhere to the principles of asepsis and the practice of sterile technique. The ST normally functions in a sterile capacity by passing instruments, equipment and supplies to the surgeon during the surgical procedure but may also perform many non-sterile duties throughout the workday.
As an allied health professional, a Surgical Technologist (ST) works closely with surgeons, anesthesiologists, registered nurses, and other surgical personnel delivering patient care and assuming appropriate responsibilities before, during and after surgery. As part of the surgical team, the ST must be able to work quickly and accurately with a commitment to detail. A number of activities must be integrated according to priority when under pressure in stressful and emergency situations. Therefore, a stable temperament and a strong sense of responsibility are qualities essential to the Surgical Technologist. Considerable patience and concern for order are required. Manual dexterity, good vision and hearing and physical stamina are vital. Sensitivity to the needs of the patient as well as other members of the surgical team must be demonstrated. Individuals who practice this profession have a strong desire to help others and make a valuable contribution to society. Honesty and moral integrity are essential in upholding standards and providing safe patient care. Technical skills will be important, as advances in medical technology will be central to the profession, and students will need to learn to incorporate computers, lasers, fiber optics, electronics and robotics for patient care.
Great Falls College Montana State University does not require background checks. However, to promote patient safety and decrease institutional liability, most clinical agencies require students to have cleared a background check and/or drug screening before they will permit the students in the clinical setting. To meet these requirements, the College provides this service and requires that the check/screening be done prior to placement in any clinical agency. Background checks/drug screenings are done at the student’s expense. Students with background checks/drug screenings that reveal a finding will be evaluated individually to determine whether they will be eligible for clinical placement for the respective degree program.
Prospective students may contact Great Falls College MSU Outreach Office at 406-771-4355 for more information regarding the Surgical Technology program or Program Director, Daisy Gibson, at 406-771-4355 or daisy.gibson@gfcmsu.edu.
Program Accreditation
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) at 9355 113th Street North #7709, Seminole, FL 33775 or mail@caahep.org
Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (ARCSTSA) at 19751 East Mainstreet Suite 339, Parker, CO 80138 or info@arcstsa.org
