Surgical First Assistant Application Steps

Admission into the Surgical First Assistant program at College of Western Idaho (CWI) is competitive and requires a supplemental application process as outlined below.

Program Application Period

Spring 2025

Applications open in October.

1. Review Qualifications
Applicants of the Surgical First Assistant program must:

be a graduate of a CAAHEP or ABHES accredited Surgical Technology program

hold and maintain the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) credential during enrollment

have a minimum of two (2) years of experience as a CST within the last four (4) years

and agree to a criminal background check at their own expense upon admission into the program.
2. Apply to CWI
Apply to CWI.

Choose Surgical First Assistant as your major.

Be admitted as a student, and complete next steps on the Student Checklist for Success.

Contact Admissions
3. Verify Certifications
As part of your application, you will be asked to include a copy of each certification you hold listing the date issued and expiration. Expired or lapsed certifications will not be accepted.

Required Certifications

Applicants are required to have the following certifications:

Current Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) credential by the National Board of Surgical Technology & Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA)

Basic Life Support (BLS)

Additional CERTIFICATIONS

While not required to apply for admission, additional certifications can increase your ranking points on your application including:

Certified Registered Central Service Technician

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)

Orthopedic Technologist Certified (OTC)

Paramedic

Registered Nurse (RN)
4. Obtain Professional References
As part of your application, you will be asked to provide two (2) professional references.

References must be from a surgeon whom you have worked with, ideally a general surgeon.

Each of your chosen reference will complete an Surgical First Assistant Professional Reference Form.

Upon completion, the reference will seal the form in an envelope, sign their name across the seal for official recognition, and return the sealed envelope to you for submission with your application.

Reference letters will also be accepted in addition to the form.
5. Verify Employment
As part of your application, you will be asked to verify your employment as a Certified Surgical Technologist.

A Surgical F irst Assistant Employment Verification Form should be completed for each of your positions within the past two (2) years.

The form will be completed by your supervisor of each position.

Upon completion, the supervisor will seal the form in an envelope, sign their name across the seal for official recognition, and return the sealed envelope to you for submission with your application.
6. Provide Unofficial Transcripts
As part of your application, you will be asked to provide a copy of your unofficial transcripts.

If you have attended or are currently attending CWI, access your unofficial transcript via your Self-Service Toolkit on myCWI.

Unofficial transcripts from other colleges or universities may be obtained by contacting the institution directly.
7. Apply to the Surgical First Assistant Program
Upon completion of Steps 1 – 6, you are now ready to officially apply to the Surgical First Assistant program.

Surgical First Assistant Program Application

Your completed and signed application, along with any required materials, should be sealed in an envelope and submitted to One Stop Student Services in-person or by mail by the deadline.

Please write your full name and Surgical First Assistant Program Application on the envelope.

Do not staple any of the documents within your application.

Only complete applications will be considered.

Additional materials or additions to your application will not be accepted upon submission.

Each summer, 18 students are admitted into the program.

Applicants must reapply each semester.
8. Be Selected to Interview
Top-scoring applicants will be selected for an interview.

Applicants who attend this interview will receive an additional 30 points on their application.
9. Attend Mandatory Program Overview
All applicants to the Surgical First Assistant program are required to attend a mandatory program overview following submission of their application.

The program overview will take place in November, via Zoom.

Details of the session will be communicated via email to each applicant.