Program Overview

The Dartmouth Health Career Institute’s Surgical Technologist Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). In collaboration with Colby Sawyer College, the 11-month training program combines allied health science education with skills-based training through laboratory practice and clinical experiences in our Lebanon, NH-based classroom and Dartmouth Health member hospitals.

For a detailed look at the classes taken during the 11-month program, visit the Curriculum page to see the courses by each of the four quarters.

Upon completion of the 11-month training program, graduates sit for the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) exam to become Certified Surgical Technologists (CST). To be eligible for the NBSTSA exam, an associate’s degree (or higher) is required.

Program Tuition and Employment Opportunities

For individuals interested in working full-time in the Dartmouth Health Perioperative Services Department upon program completion, with a minimum of 3 years of work commitment, the Perioperative Services Department will pay for your program tuition ($8,000), all fees and expenses, and pay you a training wage for the 11-months you are learning to become a Surgical Technologist.

For individuals interested in earning their certification without job placement in the Dartmouth Health Perioperative Services Department upon program completion, tuition is paid by the individual. Tuition for the 11-month training program is $8,000. Expect additional fees and expenses for required background checks, certification registrations, textbooks, and learning supplies, totaling at least $1,500 throughout the program. Tuition is due quarterly before the start of the term.

The Role of a Certified Surgical Technologist

CSTs are highly skilled individuals who collaborate with surgeons, registered nurses, and other health care professionals to deliver high-quality care in an operating room environment and are responsible for adhering to principles of sterility. A surgical technologist assists in every aspect of the surgical setting, including preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative procedures.

The CST role is physically demanding, mentally stimulating, and rewarding. It requires the ability to focus, problem-solve, pay attention to detail, have excellent communication skills, and an underlying commitment to doing what is right for patient safety and well-being.

Responsibilities include:

• Create and maintain the sterile field for surgical procedures
• Review the surgeon’s preference card
• Acquire needed instrumentation and equipment for a surgical procedure
• Assist OR team with patient positioning
• Set up and maintain a sterile surgical field
• Anticipate needs and pass instrumentation during the surgery
• Mix medications as directed
• Handle and label specimens obtained during surgery
• Aid in patient transfer at the end of the case
• Break down the case and account for all surgical counts