Blinn College District recognizes surgical technology graduates with pinning ceremony

Program trains graduates for high-demand field in the healthcare industry

July 29, 2024

The Blinn College District recently celebrated six Surgical Technology Program graduates with a pinning ceremony recognizing 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 2024 graduating class includes Lillian “Lilly” Holder (Fate), Montanna Ondrovich (Deer Park), Caitlin “Cait” Roberts (La Grange), Sergio Rojas (Bryan), Elizabeth “Libby” Truitt (New Braunfels), and Kelsey Tubbs (Nederland).

“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 assist 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, which features state-of-the-art simulation labs and an innovative learning environment.

“Blinn’s Surgical Technology Program is a great steppingstone if you want to advance your career in the medical field,” said class president Montanna Ondrovich, who has accepted a position with St. David’s HealthCare in Austin. “It’s very immersive in the operating room, which means you learn something new every day. All the clinical rotations I was exposed to during these past two years really set me up to hit the ground running and succeed in my new position.”

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, and The Physicians Centre Hospital. 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, the median wage is $60,370 per year and 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 2025 admission to Blinn’s Surgical Technology Program is open through Nov. 30, 2024. To learn more about the program, visit www.blinn.edu/surgical-technology.

Registration also is available for Blinn’s fall 2024 term. For more information, visit www.blinn.edu.