Surgical technology program achieves 100 percent certification exam pass rate The Holmes Community College Surgical Technology programs on both the Grenada and Ridgeland campuses had a 100 percent pass rate on the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) exam. The Holmes Community College Surgical Technology programs on both the Grenada and Ridgeland campuses had a 100 percent pass rate on the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) exam. Holmes Surgical Technology Program Director Jessica Elliott, CST, RN, FAST, teaches the students in Grenada and Shea Coleman, CST, B.S., teaches in Ridgeland.
"When the COVID-19 pandemic became reality, we watched as excitement for the future was replaced by worry for family, friends and careers," Elliott said. "Although this is not the way any of us had envisioned this year, the graduates met the challenges and kept in mind that the true goal was to become certified surgical technologists and help by assisting in saving and improving lives. We couldn't be more proud of our students and welcome them to the profession."
The 2020 surgical tech graduates on the Grenada Campus included: Kayla Williamson of Grenada (valedictorian), Erin Bell of Ethel (salutatorian), Yvonna Herron of Gore Springs, Madison Tester of Maben and Mary Williams of Winona.
For the Ridgeland Campus, surgical tech graduates included Rebecca Lauren McDonald of Canton (valedictorian), Molly Wrenn of Grenada (salutatorian), Christin Boyette of Goodman, Cheyenne Elias of Brandon, Kayla Neal of Terry, Kaleigh Turner of Canton and Belinda Warnsley of Crystal Springs.
"I am immensely proud of our students," Coleman said. "They triumphantly handled what was thrown their way by quickly adapting. I couldn't ask for a better group of students this year. I am extremely proud of their success in completing their goals in becoming a CST."
Through classroom and clinical experiences, the surgical technology program prepares students to serve as a member of the surgical team. They will work with surgeons, anesthesiologists and certified registered nurse anesthetists, registered nurses and other surgical personnel in delivering patient care and assuming appropriate responsibilities before, during, and after surgery.
"We are so proud of our Surgical Technology students for this huge accomplishment," said Vice President of Career-Technical Education Dr. Amy Whittington. "We are thankful to have Program Director Jessica Elliott and Instructor Shea Coleman, who are always willing to go the extra mile to help students succeed. While this year has brought us some educational challenges, these instructors and students have proven that no obstacle is too big to overcome if excellence is always your goal."
The goal of the Holmes Surgical Technology program is to provide students with the opportunity to develop skills and knowledge necessary to gain employment as a surgical technologist and become a contributing member of the healthcare team. Now that these recent graduates passed the exam, they are officially Certified Surgical Technologists.
"I am very proud of Holmes Community College's Surgical Technology program," said Director of Health Science Programs Ginger Meriwether. "The students took every opportunity to truly work hard this academic year, and it shows. This is a major accomplishment given the circumstances of spring and summer 2020. With that being said, I would be remiss to not speak of the instructors in this program. These ladies work like a well-oiled machine. They go the extra mile to ensure their students get exactly what they need.
"Thomas Groome once said, 'One mark of a great educator is the ability to lead students out to new places where even the educator has never been.' Spring 2020 has definitely been unprecedented. Both Jessica and Shea led their students in many areas where they had never been – this foresight by the instructors helped to lead, guide, direct and encourage their students to meet such a huge milestone. Congratulations to all!"
For more information about the Surgical Tech program, contact Elliott at jelliott@holmescc.edu or (662) 227-2310.
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