The Surgical Technology Program starts each Fall semester.
To be eligible, applicants must:
1. Have unconditional admission to the College and be an active student in good standing (minimum, cumulative 2.0 GPA).
2. Submit original transcripts from all colleges/schools attended (including high school) to the registrar or admissions office by the application deadline.
3. Submit a completed Surgical technology application by stated deadline.
4. Have completed, or be in the process of completing, the following core academic courses with a grade of C or higher by the application deadline: ENG 101, MTH 100, and BIO 201.
5. Meet essential eligibility criteria.
While not all core academic courses listed below are required prior to acceptance, it is strongly suggested they are completed prior to program admission to improve student success. Completion of the courses and the above criteria does not guarantee admission into the program. There is a class size limit of 24 students. Prospective students are selected for program admission using a points system in which applicants are rank-ordered using the metrics below:
- 3 points for an A, 2 points for a B, and 1 point for a C in MTH 100, ENG 101, BIO 201, BIO 202, and BIO 220.
- 1 point for a C or higher in PSY 200 or 210, SPH 106 or 107, and a Humanities requirement
- 10 points for GPA of 3.1-4.0; 5 points for a GPA of 2.1-3.0; 0 points for GPA 2.0 or less (not eligible for program admission)
- 1 point may be awarded for current certification in a health occupation that requires direct contact with patients, such as Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Certified Medical Assistant, Licensed Basic or Advanced EMT, Certified Dental Assistant, Certified Veterinary Technician, or Certified Phlebotomist. Proof (Copy of the certificate of completion) must be included with the application in order to receive the extra point.
Upon provisional acceptance into the core surgical technology portion of the program, students are required to provide the following: Drug screen, background check, physical exam documenting the ability to meet essential functions/eligibility criteria, record of immunizations, proof of medical insurance, and American Heart Association BLS CPR certification for the healthcare provider. Accepted students will receive a link to the online compliance platform, CastleBranch, to upload these items. Clinical agencies reserve the right to deny clinical clearance, which may deem a student ineligible for program participation.
Surgical Technology testing/lab fees may be assessed for select courses.
All surgical technology courses must be passed with a minimum of “C” in order to progress in the program. An AAS in Surgical technology will be awarded to students who successfully complete all core academic and core surgical technology courses with a grade of “C” or higher. Students are responsible for meeting all progression and graduation requirements.
Note: Students desiring to obtain BLS CPR certification at Coastal may choose to enroll in the optional EMS 100 course. American Heart Association BLS CPR may be obtained through an alternate training agency, if preferred.
This is a career program designed for students to go directly into the labor market upon completion. Although some of the courses in this program will transfer to four-year institutions, this program is not designed to be a transfer program of study; therefore, it is not subject to the terms and conditions of Alabama Transfers state transfer and articulation reporting system.
Nondiscrimination Policy
It is the official policy of the Alabama State Department of Postsecondary Education and Coastal Alabama Community College, that no person in Alabama shall, on the grounds of race, color, qualified disability, gender, religion, creed, national origin, or age, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program, activity, or employment.