March 17-18, 2005

 

ITEM 126-301-R0305����������������� Authorization to Establish an AAS Degree in Surgical Technology; Flathead Valley Community College (FVCC)

 

THAT:�������������������������������������� The Board of Regents of Higher Education authorizes Flathead Valley Community College to establish an AAS Degree in Surgical Technology.

 

EXPLANATION:����������������������� Flathead Valley Community College seeks approval from the Montana Board of Regents to convert the currently approved Level I Surgical Technology Certificate program to an approved Level II AAS program.� Students take a combination of lecture, lab and clinical courses that prepare them to work as surgical technologists primarily in hospital settings.� Surgical technologists in Montana earn an average annual income of $32,790. Demand for these workers is rising as the population ages and new technologies allow for more and varied surgeries.� The FVCC program has been accredited by the Accreditation Review Committee on Education in Surgical Technology allowing FVCC students to take the national certification examination.� The Association of Surgical Technologists states that the associate degree is the preferred academic credential for entry-level surgical technology practitioners.� The increasing responsibilities demand a more broadly-based preparatory curriculum with greater foundation in both medical sciences and liberal arts.