Related Organizations

Click on the links below to visit these web sites. If there are other web sites that should be listed here, let us know.

Organizations Related to the Profession

Foundation for Surgical Technology

The Foundation is the nonprofit arm of AST that provides scholarships to students, educators and practitioners.

Accreditation Review Committee on Education in Surgical Technology

(ARC-ST) For information about accreditation.

National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting

(NBSTSA, formerly LCC-ST) For information on certification and the certification exam.

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)

Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO, formerly the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations)

Association of Surgical Assistants (ASA)

AST Approved CE Providers

The Association of Surgical Technologists implemented the AST Continuing Education Provider Approval Policies for state assemblies and commercial business beginning January 1, 2005. The first step in becoming an AST approved provider of continuing education is the completion of a self-study report that is reviewed by AST for compliance with the Provider Approval Policies.

The list below is of those state assemblies and commercial businesses that completed the self-study report and are approved by AST as a provider of continuing education for the CST and CFA.

If a state is not listed below, this only means that the state assembly has not completed the self-study report or it is in the process of being reviewed by AST. The list below is not meant to infer that a particular state does not have a formed state assembly. The specific purpose of the list below is to indicate which state assemblies, state surgical assistant organizations, commercial businesses, and professional physician organizations are AST Approved Providers of Continuing Education.

State Assemblies

State Surgical Assistant Organizations

Florida Association of Surgical Assistants
Illinois Surgical Assistant Association

Commercial Businesses

Ansell Healthcare, Inc
CME Resource  (NetCE, home study courses)
Elite School of Surgical First Assisting (ESSFA)
HealthStream, Inc
SterilMed, Inc
AO North America Nursing Continuing Education

Professional Physician Organizations

American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery (AACS)
American Academy of Neurological and Orthopaedic Surgeons (AANOS)
American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)
American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists (AAGL)
American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS)
American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS)
American Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS)
American Board of Facial, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ABFPRS)
American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP)
American College of Gastroenterology (ACG)

American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG)
American College of Spine Surgery (ACSS)
American College of Surgeons (ACS)
American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological (Triological) Society
American Pediatric Surgical Association (APSA)
American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS)
American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASBS)
American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS)
American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS)

American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH)
American Society of Abdominal Surgeons (ASAS)

American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBS)

American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS)
American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons (ASCRS)
American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS)
American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS)
American Society of Transplantation (AST)
American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS)

American Urological Association (AUA)
Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA)
Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS)
International College of Surgeons, United States Section
International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS)
International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT)
New Orleans Academy of Ophthalmology (NOAO)
North American Spine Society (NASS)
Ohio Valley Society of Plastic Surgeons (OVSPS)
Oklahoma State Medical Association (OSMA)
Orthopedic Trauma Association (OTA)
Society for Vascular Surgery (VascularWeb)

Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) 
Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons (SLS)
Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO)
Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS)
Society of University Surgeons (SUS)
Southeastern Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (SSPRS)
Southeastern Surgical Congress (SSC)
Southern Medical Association (SMA)
Southern Thoracic Surgical Association (STSA)
Southwestern Surgical Congress (SSC)
The Transplantation Society (TTS)

The Following Organizations Are Not AST Approved CE Providers

Profession-Related State Organizations
Idaho State Assembly
Utah State Assembly
Colorado Surgical Assistants Association
Georgia Society of Surgical Assistants (Contact: Ann Shaker, 678-566-2783)
Texas Society of Surgical Assistants (Contact: Ken Campbell, 806-441-5274)
Virginia Association of Surgical Assistants (Mail to: The Surgical Assistant Program, Office of Health Professions, Lewis Hall, Norfolk, VA 23507)

Legislative Organizations

The Library of Congress - Congressional Addresses (LOC)
Federation of State Medical Boards
CDC - National Center for Infectious Diseases (CDC)
National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA, assesses and reports on managed care plans)

Other Clinical and Allied Health-Related Organizations

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI)
American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)
American College of Physicians (ACP)
American Heart Association (AHA)
American Lung Association (ALA)
American Medical Association (AMA)
American Public Health Association (APHA)

CDC - National Center for Infectious Diseases - Online Publications
Drug InfoNet
Emedicine
FDA's MedWatch Program
Medscape
Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy
National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NCCC)
National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)
National Guideline Clearinghouse (NGC)
National Health Service Corps (NHSC, including scholarships)
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Library of Medicine (NLM)
US Dept of Health and Human Services (HHS)
US Dept of Health and Human Services - National Women's Health Information
World Health Organization (WHO)

Medical Publications

American Journal of Public Health - Journal Abstracts
The CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)
Journal of Family Medicine
Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Online
Journal of Medicine Online
Journal of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine Online
The Lancet
Modern Healthcare

New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) 
NewsRX
Patient Care Journal

Other Sites of Interest

Liberty Mutual  (auto, renters, and homeowners insurance for AST members)
Marsh and Associates  (malpractice insurance for AST members)