Baker College surgical tech students find success after 2016 graduation including Waterford resident

The 2016 surgical technology graduates from Baker College’s Flint campus have experienced some significant achievements since graduation.

All have passed the rigorous national Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) examination on the first try and all are employed in the field.

“Students’ performance on certification exams and their employment are strong measures of the quality of a program’s curriculum, faculty and staff,” said Wen Hemingway, MBA, CTP, Baker College of Flint president. “We congratulate the dedicated students who have worked diligently to prepare themselves to succeed as surgical technicians, and commend our Baker College faculty and instructors who have provided the excellent training.”

Certification as a surgical technologist allows the use of the CST credential and demonstrates that the individual meets the national standard for knowledge that underlies the practice of surgical technology. It is increasingly required by employers, and is a means to achieve upward mobility, a route to higher pay and a source of professional recognition.

Achieving a 100 percent student pass rate on the national certification exam benefits the Flint campus program, too. It is qualified for the Merit Award from the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA). The NBSTSA administers the exam.

“The Baker College curriculum is extremely challenging,” said Danielle Duncan, CST, BHSA, Baker College of Flint program director of surgical technology and sterile processing. “For instance, students are required to identify more than 1,000 surgical instruments and know how to assist in hundreds of surgical procedures in every surgical specialty.”

Surgical technologists work under the supervision of a surgeon. They ensure the operating room is safe, equipment functions properly, and the operative procedure is conducted under conditions that maximize patient safety.

The CST exam is the only certification exam recognized by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies for surgical technologists. It is available only to graduates of an NBSTSA-accredited program.

The need for surgical technicians is expected to continue to grow as more operations are performed due to medical technology advances that have made surgery safer. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of surgical technologists will increase 15 percent from 2014 to 2024.

For more information about the Baker College surgical technology program, contact Kevin Pnacek in the admissions office at 810.766.4000 or kevin.pnacek@baker.edu or visit www.baker.edu.

The largest private college in Michigan, Baker College is a not-for-profit higher education institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Founded in 1911, Baker College grants doctoral, master’s, bachelor’s and associate degrees, as well as certificates in diverse academic fields including business, health sciences, engineering, information technology, education and human services. Baker College has on-ground campuses in Michigan and Pennsylvania, and offers online programs that can be completed 100 percent online without ever visiting a campus. In 2016, the Online Learning Consortium recognized Baker College Online with the OLC Quality Scorecard Exemplary Endorsement, the highest ranking for online higher education programs. For information, visit www.baker.edu or follow Baker College on Twitter, @bakercollege, or on Facebook, www.facebook.com/bakercollege.

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