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State Requirements · Detailed Review

Pennsylvania Surgical Technologist Requirements

Understand Pennsylvania's Surgical Technologist employment qualifications under Act 80, available pathways, national certifications, employer expectations, and how the UpTrain / NCCT TS-C pathway may fit.

Pennsylvania•Reviewed: October 2026

Pennsylvania

Detailed Requirements Review

1. Pennsylvania Employment Qualifications

1 · Pennsylvania Employment Qualifications

Pennsylvania establishes employment qualifications for Surgical Technologists.

Pennsylvania's Central Service Technician and Surgical Technologist Regulation Act (Act 80 of 2020) sets minimum qualification standards for Surgical Technologists working in covered healthcare facilities. These include hospitals, ambulatory surgical facilities, and freestanding surgical outpatient facilities.

The law focuses on which people a covered facility may employ or contract to perform Surgical Technology. It does not establish a single education or certification route for everyone.

The important distinction: A national certification may be recognized under Pennsylvania law while an individual employer still requires a particular degree, accredited Surgical Technology program, experience level, or additional credential.

For a prospective UpTrain student, three questions matter:

Does the individual meet one of Pennsylvania's Act 80 qualification routes?
Does the individual meet NCCT's examination and certification eligibility rules?
Does the target employer accept the applicant's specific education, credential, and clinical preparation?

These are separate determinations. Completing training alone does not automatically answer all three.

2. Act 80 Qualifying Pathways

2 · Act 80 Qualifying Pathways

Act 80 recognizes more than one way to qualify.

Route A — Accredited education plus accredited certification (Section 501(1)(i))

The individual completes a Surgical Technologist program sponsored by an entity with nationally recognized institutional or programmatic accreditation, and holds and maintains Surgical Technologist certification from an accredited certification program.

This language recognizes institutional or programmatic accreditation. It does not say every applicant must hold an associate degree or that CAAHEP/ABHES is the only educational accreditation recognized by the statute. However, specific employers may impose those requirements.

Route B — Qualifying military training (Section 501(1)(ii))

The individual successfully completes an appropriate Surgical Technology training program through the U.S. Army, Navy, or Air Force.

Route C — Certification or qualifying prior employment (Section 501(1)(iii))

This route recognizes evidence that the individual maintains a Surgical Technologist certification from an accredited certification program or meets one of the law's specified prior-employment circumstances.

The prior-employment provisions refer to employment by the hiring facility on or before the law's effective date, or qualifying Surgical Technology employment as the person's primary function at another covered facility during the preceding two years. They are not a new-student shortcut.

Important: Each route has different conditions. A student should not treat a certification, college accreditation, internship, or former work experience as automatic proof of eligibility under every route.

3. Employer Qualification Standards

3 · Employer Qualification Standards

Employers must consider both legal eligibility and their own hiring standards.

Pennsylvania's minimum legal requirements do not prevent a hospital or surgical facility from setting higher standards for a particular position.

An employer may require or prefer:

NCCT Tech in Surgery – Certified (TS-C) or NBSTSA Certified Surgical Technologist (CST)
Graduation from a specified accredited Surgical Technology program
A certificate, diploma, or associate degree
CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited education
Documented surgical skills and supervised clinical experience
Prior operating-room employment or specialty experience
Basic Life Support (BLS), CPR, background clearances, or other onboarding requirements

Why this matters: An employer recognizing NCCT TS-C does not necessarily accept every educational program that prepares a student for NCCT. Employer-specific education, credential, and clinical requirements should be reviewed separately.

4. NCCT TS-C vs NBSTSA CST

4 · NCCT TS-C vs NBSTSA CST

Two nationally accredited credentials with different eligibility pathways.

NCCT Tech in Surgery – Certified (TS-C)

NCCT awards TS-C through a certification program accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). NCCT offers multiple eligibility pathways, including routes for eligible current students or graduates of NCCT-authorized Surgical Technology programs, qualifying military training, and verified experience.

Applicants using the applicable education route must provide program-completion records and required clinical skill documentation. NCCT makes the final examination and certification eligibility decisions.

NBSTSA Certified Surgical Technologist (CST)

NBSTSA awards CST through a separate NCCA-accredited certification program. Its standard new-graduate educational route requires completion of a CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited Surgical Technology program. NBSTSA evaluates candidate eligibility independently.

What the difference means in Pennsylvania:

Act 80 and employer requirements must be reviewed alongside the rules of the chosen certification organization. NCCT TS-C recognition does not make a student eligible for NBSTSA CST, and neither credential guarantees acceptance by every employer.

5. Pennsylvania Employer Evidence

5 · Pennsylvania Employer Evidence

NCCT TS-C has documented recognition at Pennsylvania healthcare employers.

These examples show credential recognition in specific published positions. They do not establish that the employers accept every NCCT-preparation program or that any named job will remain open.

Allegheny Health Network — West Penn Hospital (Pittsburgh)

A Surgical Technologist I posting expressly identifies CST or TS-C. It separately refers to accredited program completion, qualifying military or prior-employment circumstances, and American Heart Association CPR requirements.

View Allegheny Health Network posting

Jefferson Health — Honickman Center (Philadelphia)

A Surgical Tech posting identifies NCCT TS-C and NBSTSA CST. It also includes AHA Basic Life Support and other role-specific expectations.

View Jefferson Health posting

UPMC — Pennsylvania locations

Published Surgical Technologist positions identify CST or TSC and discuss Act 80 eligibility, experience, CPR/BLS, and job-specific requirements. These examples are evidence of credential recognition, not universal approval of the UpTrain/LSUS educational program.

View UPMC Surgical Technologist example

Tower Health — Phoenixville Hospital

A Certified Surgical Technologist posting recognizes certification through NBSTSA or NCCT. It also specifies BLS, experience, and education conditions, including an associate degree or an accepted combination of relevant education and experience.

View Tower Health posting

Additional historical employer evidence: Earlier Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Surgical Technologist postings named NCCT among recognized certifications. The previously cited posting is no longer active, so it should not be treated as evidence of an open position or a currently available offer.

Employer evidence takeaway: Certification acceptance, educational-program acceptance, and hiring decisions are separate. Confirm all current conditions with employers where you intend to work.

6. Our NCCT TS-C Pathway

6 · Our NCCT TS-C Pathway

Online Surgical Technologist training with a required clinical component.

The UpTrain Surgical Technologist program is offered in partnership with Louisiana State University Shreveport (LSUS). It is a non-degree certificate program with online, self-paced coursework and mentor support.

Program details

Approximately 4–6 months of online coursework
350 contact hours
Surgical Technology, sterile technique, surgical instrumentation, infection control, and operating-room procedures
Mentor support and assistance coordinating a surgical externship
Career-placement support
Preparation for the NCCT TS-C Graduate Pathway

Included and mandatory clinical component for NCCT TS-C

Required documentation	Amount
Total documented surgical cases	125
Minimum first-scrub cases	90
Surgical specialties in required case mix	At least 3

The NCCT form also specifies general-surgery and specialty case-mix requirements. Cases must be documented and verified by appropriate clinical-site personnel.

Students coordinate with the mentor and placement team after completing applicable coursework and program requirements. Clinical availability depends on participating sites, acceptance, onboarding, schedules, policies, and suitable surgeries. UpTrain cannot guarantee a specific facility, exact travel distance, start date, daily schedule, or completion date.

NCCT Graduate Pathway: NCCT requires completion of an NCCT-authorized postsecondary program within the applicable eligibility period, appropriate educational records, and the critical-skills documentation. The LSUS program materials identify the Graduate Pathway for students completing this program. NCCT makes all final eligibility and certification decisions.

Separate determinations: NCCT authorization and certification eligibility do not alone establish satisfaction of Pennsylvania employment requirements or every employer's educational standards.

7. Employer Education Requirements

7 · Employer Education Requirements

LSU Shreveport's institutional accreditation matters, but does not replace every employer requirement.

LSUS is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The UpTrain/LSUS Surgical Technologist program is a non-degree certificate program and is not represented as CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited.

Under Act 80 Section 501(1)(i), one route refers to a Surgical Technologist program sponsored by an entity holding nationally recognized institutional or programmatic accreditation, along with accredited Surgical Technologist certification. That distinction makes institutional accreditation relevant when assessing the statutory route.

Still, students should not assume that LSUS institutional accreditation or NCCT TS-C preparation alone settles their individual eligibility. Employers can require a specific degree or programmatic accreditation, and questions about the precise UpTrain/LSUS educational offering should be confirmed before enrollment.

Question to ask a target employer

If I complete the LSU Shreveport Surgical Technologist certificate offered through UpTrain, complete the required supervised surgical cases, and earn NCCT TS-C certification, would that education and certification combination satisfy the hiring requirements for your Surgical Technologist position in Pennsylvania?

A positive response from one employer does not establish universal acceptance throughout Pennsylvania.

8. Timing and Exceptions

8 · Timing and Exceptions

Act 80 also addresses certification timing, continuing education, training, and exceptions.

Six-month certification period

Under Section 501(3), a covered facility may employ a person for up to six months immediately after successful completion of the qualifying education route in Section 501(1)(i) while the individual obtains certification. Employment cannot continue beyond that period under this provision without the required certification documentation. It is not a general six-month extension for every applicant or route.

Continuing education

A person certified under Section 501(1)(i) must meet the continuing education requirements of the credentialing organization and provide proof when requested.
A person who is not certified under that subsection or has allowed certification to lapse must complete 30 hours of relevant continuing education every two years, with proof acceptable to the facility.

Supervised students and interns

Section 505 recognizes students or interns performing Surgical Technology functions under the direct supervision of a healthcare practitioner as part of training or an internship. This does not guarantee that a particular hospital will accept an extern, provide an opening, or permit every activity.

Staffing-shortage exception

Section 503 permits a covered facility to use an individual who does not meet the usual Section 501 requirements if the facility has made a thorough, unsuccessful effort to secure enough qualified Surgical Technologists and keeps written records of its recruitment efforts. This is a facility-controlled exception, not a guaranteed student pathway.

Federal facilities

Section 507 excludes facilities owned or operated by the federal government and their employees from this Act 80 framework. Federal employers establish their own position qualifications.

Other considerations

Employers may limit an individual's Surgical Technology duties if legal requirements are not met. Licensed practitioners may perform Surgical Technology functions within their own lawful scope of practice.

9. Choosing a Pathway

9 · Choosing a Pathway

Which Pennsylvania Surgical Technologist pathway should you consider?

The appropriate pathway depends on your intended career goals, preferred educational format, and the requirements of healthcare employers where you plan to work.

Consider the UpTrain / NCCT TS-C pathway if you:

Prefer online, self-paced academic training.
Want a non-degree Surgical Technologist certificate program.
Are prepared to complete the required surgical externship and clinical case documentation.
Want to pursue NCCT TS-C certification.
Have identified Pennsylvania employers that recognize NCCT TS-C.
Can confirm that the pathway satisfies an applicable Pennsylvania Act 80 requirement.
Can confirm that your intended employers accept your educational and clinical training background.

Consider a CST-focused educational pathway if you:

Are targeting employers that specifically require NBSTSA CST.
Want CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited Surgical Technology education.
Prefer an associate-degree pathway.
Want traditional campus-based education with integrated laboratory and clinical training.
Are targeting employers with stricter educational accreditation requirements.

The right pathway is one that aligns your training, certification, and clinical preparation with Pennsylvania's employment framework and the qualifications of your intended employers.

10. Key Takeaways

10 · Key Takeaways

Key Takeaways

1. Pennsylvania establishes employment qualification requirements.

Act 80 of 2020 sets qualifications for Surgical Technologists employed by covered healthcare facilities, subject to recognized statutory pathways and exceptions.

2. Pennsylvania recognizes institutional or programmatic accreditation.

One qualifying pathway recognizes Surgical Technology programs sponsored by institutions holding nationally recognized institutional or programmatic accreditation, together with certification through an accredited certification program.

3. NCCT TS-C has documented employer recognition in Pennsylvania.

Allegheny Health Network, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and Tower Health have identified NCCT certification among accepted qualifications for certain Surgical Technologist positions.

4. Employer education requirements remain separate.

Acceptance of NCCT certification does not automatically establish acceptance of every Surgical Technology educational program. Employers may require specific accreditation, degrees, clinical experience, or prior employment.

5. Our program includes a mandatory surgical externship.

The LSU Shreveport Surgical Technologist program combines 350 hours of online coursework with a required clinical component involving 125 documented surgical cases, including at least 90 first-scrub cases.

6. Pennsylvania has additional certification and continuing education provisions.

Act 80 addresses certification timing, continuing education, alternative qualification pathways, and certain statutory exceptions.

7. Confirm your intended employment pathway before enrolling.

Students should verify that their certification, education, and clinical training satisfy an applicable Act 80 route and the requirements of their intended Pennsylvania employers.

11. Primary Sources

11 · Primary Sources

Primary Sources

Pennsylvania law

Certification and accreditation

Pennsylvania employer examples

Research reviewed: October 2026. Employer postings and certification rules can change. Recheck links and program eligibility before publication.

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12 · Explore Your Pathway

Explore your Surgical Technologist pathway

Review the UpTrain program, online curriculum, included surgical externship, tuition, and flexible payment options. If Pennsylvania is where you plan to work, confirm the educational and certification requirements of several target employers before enrolling.

Return to Program & Enroll →Back to Pennsylvania Guide

$1,188 tuition · Starting at $99/month

This detailed guide provides general educational information and is not legal advice. It does not guarantee certification, NCCT examination eligibility, a particular clinical placement, a fixed completion timeline, satisfaction of any individual employer's requirements, or employment. Confirm current information with Pennsylvania official sources, NCCT, the educational program, and prospective employers.