On September 16, the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) awarded initial accreditation to North-West College’s (NWC) Santa Ana Surgical Technologist Program. Set for a period of five years, the accreditation is a testament to the program’s strict compliance with CAAHEP’s rigorous standards.
“This is another example of outside validation that demonstrates the quality of our educational programs,” explained North-West College President Mitchell Fuerst. “Our students can be confident they are receiving a high caliber of training when they attend North-West College.”
Students in the Surgical Technologist Program benefit from a blend of rigorous classroom instruction and hands-on training—a combination that enables them to cement their newfound knowledge and skills. With the addition of CAAHEP accreditation, Santa Ana Surgical Technologist students are now eligible to take the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) exam offered by the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting. Upon passing the exam, graduates are considered Certified Surgical Technologists.
The largest programmatic accreditor in the health sciences field, CAAHEP reviews and accredits more than 2,000 educational programs across 28 health science occupations. CAAHEP partnered with the Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (ARC/STSA) to conduct a peer review of the College’s Santa Ana Surgical Technologist Program. As part of the accreditation process, the ARC/STSA council will provide ongoing oversight, regularly monitoring the program’s compliance with CAAHEP standards.
“We look forward to continuing to graduate individuals equipped to make a difference in the health care field as well-trained Surgical Technologists,” Fuerst said.
To learn more about the Surgical Technologist program, please call 888-408-4211 or contact our admissions team at admissions@success.edu.
