News | Health Education and Human SciencesJune 28, 2023

Surgical Tech Grads Join Professional Ranks

Written By: Judith Hansen

Some people attend professional conferences with a combination of boredom and indifference, but not Hannah Cervantes and other new graduates of the surgical technology program at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith.

Here’s how Cervantes documented the start of her first professional meeting on Instagram:

“Hello from Chicago! We are so excited to be representing UAFS and Arkansas at the Association of Surgical Technology National Conference! Stay tuned for a look at the amazing weekend we are going to have!”

Cervantes traveled with three other May grads - Kelsey Harris, Natalie Innessm and CHeyenne Anderson - with the professors from the surgical technology program. This was the first time the profs took students. “We decided to put in the work to go with them to the conference,” Cervantes said. “We were in awe the whole time.”

Ashley Smith, Executive Director and senior instructor in the surgical technology program, said full-time faculty member Tammy Schaefer headed up the plan to take the new graduates to the conference. Smith supported the idea for several reasons.

“It gives (the grads) a chance to see all of the other surgical technologists (like them, new) who have the same questions, anxiety, excitement, and fulfillment of the career and network with them,” Smith said.

“Plus, being in that energy and learning environment refreshes and encourages a renewed passion for the field and motivates newly graduated students to continue down the path of surgical technology using the utmost techniques, precision, and care that they had when starting the program.”

Cervantes echoed Smith.

“They brought in surgeons from across the country to show us different specialties. We saw new robotics, new techniques in plastic surgery, advancements that will be affecting us in our profession and might be coming to our state or that may be happening in other states we might transfer to.”

Smith said the program graduates about 14-16 students per academic year.

The program boasts a 100 percent job placement by graduation for interested students.

“I keep track of employment placement of graduates. … I send out employer surveys to see how my students are being accepted and performing as graduates,” she said. “We encourage students to start applying for positions in February, so by May, those who wanted a job as a surgical technologist will have one before they commence.”

Cervantes graduated knowing she had a job starting in June at Baptist Hospital.

She is already urging 2024 grads to make the effort to attend next year’s conference.

“We are members of this association; it’s open to us; we have to go next year.”

 

• Tags:
• CHEHS
• Surgical Technology