Revised Statement on Surgical Technology Training and Certification

The ACS Committee on Interprofessional Education and Practice has reviewed and revised the 2016 Statement on Surgical Technology Training and Certification. The revised statement was approved by the ACS Board of Regents at its October 2022 meeting.

Surgical technologists are individuals with specialized education who function as members of the surgical team in the role of a scrub person. With additional education and training, some surgical technologists may function in the role of surgical first assistant.

Surgical technology programs are accredited by the Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting—a collaborative effort between the Association of Surgical Technologists and the ACS, under the auspices of the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. Accredited programs provide both didactic education and supervised clinical experience based on a core curriculum for surgical technology.

Graduates of accredited surgical technology programs are eligible for certification by the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting—a collaborative effort between the Association of Surgical Technologists and the ACS composed of representatives including certified surgical technologists, a surgeon, and a member of the public.

Therefore the ACS strongly supports the following:

• Adequate education and training of all surgical technologists, the accreditation of all surgical technology educational programs, and the examination for certification of all graduates of accredited surgical technology educational programs as well as maintenance of ongoing professional certification.