Surgical Technology Subject Guide

AST's primary purpose is to ensure that surgical technologists have the knowledge and skills to administer patient care of the highest quality.

The Association of Surgical Assistants represents a broad coalition of surgical assistant practitioners, who share several common goals, including optimizing surgical patient care, promoting the recognition of all surgical assistants, advancing legislative strategies and providing relevant continuing education experiences.

The National Board of Surgical Technology and surgical Assisting (NBSTSA), formerly the LCC-ST was established in 1974 as the certifying agency for surgical technologists. NBSTSA is solely responsible for all decisions regarding certification; from determining eligibility to maintaining, denying, granting and renewing the designation. The NBSTSA is governed by a nine member Board of directors composed of: Six Certified Surgical Technologists (CST's), and Certified Surgical First Assistant (CST/CSFA), one public member, one Surgeon; as appointed by the American College of Surgeons (ACS), and one surgical technology educator.