Step into the operating room as a surgical tech.
Earn your AAS in Surgical Technology with hands-on training in our surgical operatory lab, then finish with a 500-hour externship in a working surgical setting.
Train like you’re already in the OR
Our Earth City lab is set up like a real operating room. You’ll practice the same steps a surgical team runs every day, guided by instructors with real-world surgical experience.
What surgical techs do
Surgical technologists are key members of the surgical team, from setup to the final count.
500 hours in a real OR before you graduate
You’ll finish with a supervised externship at local hospitals or surgical centers, supporting surgeons during live operations, managing tools and sterile fields, and working with the full surgical team. Externship hours are daytime only.
Surgical tech can be a springboard to becoming a surgical assistant, nurse or other medical professional.
Your path to a surgical tech degree
- Credential
- AAS in Surgical Technology
- Length
- 85 weeks · 75.5 credits
- Format
- On campus, surgical operatory lab
- Externship
- 500 hours, daytime only
- Next start
- Nov 16, 2026 (apply by Nov 6)Mar 8, 2027 (apply by Feb 26)Jun 28, 2027 (apply by Jun 18)Contact admissions for the next start date
- Campus
- 4260 Shoreline Dr, Earth City
Your spot on the surgical team starts here
Classes are forming now. Next start: Nov 16, 2026 (apply by Nov 6)Mar 8, 2027 (apply by Feb 26)Jun 28, 2027 (apply by Jun 18)Contact admissions for the next start date.
Surgical Tech program questions
How long is the Surgical Technology program?
The Surgical Technology AAS degree program takes 85 weeks (about 20 months) to complete, including a 500-hour externship. It’s 75.5 semester credits and 1,680 contact hours.
Is the program accredited?
Midwest Institute is institutionally accredited by ABHES and is pursuing programmatic accreditation to qualify graduates for the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) exam. Missouri does not require CST certification, but employers value it, and the program is built to prepare you to meet CST standards.
Is the program online?
No. Surgical Technology is an on-campus program, with hands-on training in our surgical operatory lab in Earth City.
Can I do my externship in the evenings?
No. Externship hours are daytime only, so you train in an authentic operating room environment.
What financial aid is available?
Eligible students may qualify for FAFSA, Pell Grants and WIOA funding. Ask admissions what you qualify for.
What are the admission requirements?
You need a high school diploma or GED, and you must pass an entrance exam and submit an essay before enrolling.
