Blinn recognizes Surgical Technology Program graduates with pinning ceremony

Program prepares students for high-demand field in the healthcare industry

August 2, 2022

The Blinn College District recently recognized its Surgical Technology Program Class of 2022 with a pinning ceremony commemorating their ability to serve as valuable surgical team members and dedicated patient advocates.

Graduates received their pins after successfully completing a rigorous two-year program that includes lecture and laboratory classes as well as clinical observation and operating room experience.

The 2022 graduating class includes Rachel Adams (Plano), Taylor Cassidy Brown (Normangee), and Kelsey Strange (College Station).

“Surgical technology is a specialized field and these graduates have excelled both in their coursework and clinical rotations,” Program Director Linda Hill said. “This pinning ceremony is a celebration of their accomplishments and the skills they have acquired to make a positive impact on the patients they serve and the healthcare teams they support.”

Surgical technologists are an integral part of the surgical team, assisting surgeons, anesthesiologists, and registered nurses in providing care to patients in the operating room. They ensure that equipment functions properly and operative procedures are conducted under conditions that maximize patient safety. Blinn’s Surgical Technology Program is based at the RELLIS Academic Complex at Texas A&M-RELLIS in Bryan, which features state-of-the-art simulation labs and an innovative learning environment.

“This program immediately immerses you into the life of surgical technology,” graduate Rachel Adams said. “With the training I received at Blinn, I feel really prepared for my next step working at a Level 1 Trauma Center in Raleigh, N.C.”

In addition to their classes, Blinn surgical technology students gain hands-on clinical experience at Baylor Scott and White Medical Center-College Station, CHI St. Joseph Hospital, the CHI St. Joseph Medical Center, The Physicians Centre Hospital, and St. Mark’s Medical Center-La Grange. Graduates must complete more than 120 surgical cases across a variety of surgical specialties. This training provides students a direct link with area hospitals and graduates have successfully obtained employment at many of the same facilities where they refined their skills.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for surgical technologists is expected to increase 9% between 2020 and 2030, creating 9,500 new jobs during that span. Nation-wide, the median wage is $48,530 per year. Texas has the nation’s highest demand for surgical technologists.

Surgical technologists often are employed at hospitals but can work in any setting that conducts surgical procedures, including doctor’s offices, day surgery facilities, and dental offices. Blinn’s Surgical Technology Program also can provide a launching pad to other healthcare careers.

The application cycle for spring 2023 admission to Blinn’s Surgical Technology Program is open through Nov. 30, 2022. To learn more about the program, visit www.blinn.edu/surgical-technology.

Registration is available for Blinn's fall 2022 term. For more information, visit www.blinn.edu.