--- title: Surgical Technologist Externship Confirmation | Preppy description: Train to become a certified Surgical Technologist with Preppy, 100% online. Externship required. --- [![StraighterLine](https://info.preppy.org/hs-fs/hubfs/LOGO_StraighterLine_black-Jul-19-2023-02-37-12-8796-AM.png?width=350&height=100&name=LOGO_StraighterLine_black-Jul-19-2023-02-37-12-8796-AM.png "StraighterLine")](https://preppy.org/) [Get Started](https://info.preppy.org/surgical-tech/externship/#link) [![Preppy | A StraighterLine Company](https://info.preppy.org/hs-fs/hubfs/preppy-color-logo.png?width=128&height=50&name=preppy-color-logo.png "Preppy | A StraighterLine Company")](https://preppy.org/) --- ### Start Your Medical-Coding Career in as Little as 3-6 Months # Your Next Step to Becoming a Surgical Tech ### BEFORE YOU GET STARTED The Surgical Technologist program requires a clinical externship to become eligible for the TS-C certification exam. If you've already secured an externship site, you can continue directly to enrollment. ![Excited surgical technologist working at his externship. ](https://info.preppy.org/hubfs/Preppy_SurgicalTech-Externship-ExcitedMan-Hero_Desktop-V2.png) --- ## Have you already secured an externship site? An externship site is a hospital or surgery center that has agreed to host your required clinical experience. ##### [YES I have written or verbal confirmation from a site that will host my clinical hours.  Yes, I have an externship secured](https://info.preppy.org/checkout/surgical-technologist-onetime/?hsLang=en) ##### [NO / NOT SURE I **do not** have written or verbal confirmation from a site that will host my clinical hours.  No, I need help securing an externship](https://info.preppy.org/surgical-tech/externship/#no-externship) --- ### Trusted by 6,000+ Students ### $52K+ Median Salary ### 14K+ Job Openings a Year ### Trusted by 6,000+ Students ### $62K+ Median Salary ### 8K+ Job Openings a Year ![Smiling woman sitting at a laptop. ](https://info.preppy.org/hubfs/Preppy_Woman-Studying-Laptop_550x600.png) ## Start Building Your Surgical Career While You Pursue an Externship Not having an externship today doesn't mean you have to put your career plans on hold. With the Intro to Perioperative Technology pathway, you can begin training immediately while our Career Placement Support Team identifies potential clinical placement opportunities for your externship. You'll learn the same foundational healthcare knowledge needed to become a surgical technologist — including professional skills, anatomy & physiology, and medical terminology — so you're making progress from day one. [Continue to Enrollment](https://info.preppy.org/surgical-tech/externship/#pricing-section) ## Intro to Perioperative Technology Your stepping stone to becoming a surgical technician. ### What You'll Learn **Success for Healthcare Professionals** Build professional habits that help you succeed in healthcare, including communication, time management, professionalism, and career readiness. **Anatomy & Physiology** Understand how the human body functions and develop the foundational knowledge required for surgical practice. **Medical Terminology** Learn the language used throughout hospitals and operating rooms so you can communicate confidently in clinical settings. ### While You Learn, We'll Help You Pursue an Externship About three days after your start date, our Career Placement Support Team will connect with you to start working on securing your externship. **They'll help you with:** - Identifying hospitals and surgery centers in your area - Strategies for reaching out to potential host sites - Required documentation and next steps - Ongoing coaching and support throughout the placement process Because healthcare facilities make the final decision about accepting students, securing an externship is a collaborative effort between you and our team. We'll support you throughout the process, but externship placement cannot be guaranteed. ### If an Externship Is Secured **You'll be enrolled into the Surgical Technologist program where you'll:** ✓ Complete your surgical technology training ✓ Finish your required 300-hour clinical externship ✓ Become eligible to sit for the NCCT TS-C certification exam ### If an Externship Cannot Be Secured Rather than delaying graduation indefinitely, you'll have the option to transition into our Sterile Processing Technician concentration course. **This allows you to:** ✓ Graduate without waiting for an externship ✓ Prepare for the HSPA CRCST certification exam (Note: 400 hours of hands-on clinical experience is required to obtain full certification) ✓ Pursue entry-level sterile processing positions ✓ Begin building experience supporting the operating room from the sterile processing department Many sterile processing technicians work closely with surgical teams every day, making this an excellent way to gain operating room experience and build relationships that may create **future opportunities in surgical technology through an employer**. *Future advancement into Surgical Technology after employment occurs through your employer and is outside the scope of the Preppy program.* ![Program course cards showing the Intro to Perioperative Technology course modules.](https://info.preppy.org/hubfs/Preppy_SurgicalTech-Externship-PeriOpsCourseCards.png) [Continue to Enrollment](https://info.preppy.org/surgical-tech/externship/#pricing-section) ## Intro to Perioperative Technology Your stepping stone to becoming a surgical technician. ### **What You'll Learn** **Success for Healthcare Professionals** Build professional habits that help you succeed in healthcare, including communication, time management, professionalism, and career readiness. **Anatomy & Physiology** Understand how the human body functions and develop the foundational knowledge required for surgical practice. **Medical Terminology** Learn the language used throughout hospitals and operating rooms so you can communicate confidently in clinical settings. ![Preppy\_SurgicalTech-Externship-PeriOpsCourseCards](https://info.preppy.org/hubfs/Preppy_SurgicalTech-Externship-PeriOpsCourseCards.png) ![Preppy\_SurgicalTech-Externship-Process-Laptop\_550x600](https://info.preppy.org/hubfs/Preppy_SurgicalTech-Externship-Process-Laptop_550x600.png) ### **While You Learn, We'll Help You Pursue an Externship** As you get close to finishing your first course, our Career Placement Support Team will connect with you to start working on securing your externship. **They'll help you with:** - Identifying hospitals and surgery centers in your area - Strategies for reaching out to potential host sites - Required documentation and next steps - Ongoing coaching and support throughout the placement process Because healthcare facilities make the final decision about accepting students, securing an externship is a collaborative effort between you and our team. We'll support you throughout the process, but externship placement cannot be guaranteed. ### If an Externship Is Secured **You'll be enrolled into the Surgical Technologist program where you'll:** ✓ Complete your surgical technology training ✓ Finish your required 300-hour clinical externship ✓ Become eligible to sit for the NCCT TS-C certification exam ### If an Externship Cannot Be Secured Rather than delaying graduation indefinitely, you'll have the option to transition into our Sterile Processing Technician concentration course. **This allows you to:** ✓ Graduate without waiting for an externship ✓ Prepare for the HSPA CRCST certification exam (Note: 400 hours of hands-on clinical experience is required to obtain full certification) ✓ Pursue entry-level sterile processing positions ✓ Begin building experience supporting the operating room from the sterile processing department Many sterile processing technicians work closely with surgical teams every day, making this an excellent way to gain operating room experience and build relationships that may create **future opportunities in surgical technology through an employer**. *Future advancement into Surgical Technology after employment occurs through your employer and is outside the scope of the Preppy program.* [Continue to Enrollment](https://info.preppy.org/surgical-tech/externship/#pricing-section) ## Ready to get started? Before continuing, please review the following: Enrollment in the Intro to Perioperative Technology pathway does not guarantee an externship or placement into the Surgical Technologist capstone. If an approved externship is not secured, you will have the opportunity to complete the Sterile Processing Technician program, which prepares you for the Certified Registered Central Service Technician certification offered by the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association. Any future transition into Surgical Technology after beginning a career in sterile processing would occur through your employer and is outside the scope of the Preppy program. *By enrolling in Intro to Perioperative Technology, I confirm I have read and understand the information above.* ### Intro to Perioperative Technology [Enroll Now](https://info.preppy.org/checkout/perioperative-tech-onetime/?hsLang=en) ![Preppy-Payment-Options](https://info.preppy.org/hubfs/Preppy-Payment-Options.png) Secured and protected checkout. --- ![preppy-check (1)](https://info.preppy.org/hs-fs/hubfs/preppy-check%20(1).png?width=18&height=18&name=preppy-check%20(1).png) Externship placement support ![preppy-check (1)](https://info.preppy.org/hs-fs/hubfs/preppy-check%20(1).png?width=18&height=18&name=preppy-check%20(1).png) ​​​All materials included, no hidden fees ![preppy-check (1)](https://info.preppy.org/hs-fs/hubfs/preppy-check%20(1).png?width=18&height=18&name=preppy-check%20(1).png) ​No interest ![preppy-check (1)](https://info.preppy.org/hs-fs/hubfs/preppy-check%20(1).png?width=18&height=18&name=preppy-check%20(1).png) ​24/7 support ![preppy-check (1)](https://info.preppy.org/hs-fs/hubfs/preppy-check%20(1).png?width=18&height=18&name=preppy-check%20(1).png) ​University certificate ![preppy-check (1)](https://info.preppy.org/hs-fs/hubfs/preppy-check%20(1).png?width=18&height=18&name=preppy-check%20(1).png) ​Money-back guarantee [![Preppy | A StraighterLine Company](https://info.preppy.org/hs-fs/hubfs/preppy-color-logo-white.png?width=128&height=50&name=preppy-color-logo-white.png "Preppy | A StraighterLine Company")](https://preppy.org/) Copyright 2026 © Preppy | A StraighterLine Company [![Preppy | A StraighterLine Company](https://info.preppy.org/hs-fs/hubfs/preppy-color-logo-white.png?width=128&height=50&name=preppy-color-logo-white.png "Preppy | A StraighterLine Company")](https://preppy.org/) Copyright 2026 © Preppy [![LOGO\_StraighterLine\_white](https://info.preppy.org/hs-fs/hubfs/2023%20StraighterLine%20Logos/LOGO_StraighterLine_white.png?width=280&height=80&name=LOGO_StraighterLine_white.png "LOGO_StraighterLine_white")](https://preppy.org/) Copyright 2026 © StraighterLine