AST Continuing Education Policies for the CST and CSFA - 4 year Certification Cycle

7 4. research and author educational documents and forms, for example, student evaluation and clinical rotation forms, 5. contributions to the NBSTSA job and task analysis of the surgical technology or surgical first assisting professions, 6. research and contribute to revisions of the Core Curriculum for Surgical Technology and Core Curriculum for Surgical Assisting , 7. review AST CE program and enduring material applications, of which, five CE credits are awarded for the completion of each application, and 8. NBSTSA item writing and review for the development of a high-stakes examination by researching, drafting, and reviewing potential items, or researching and reviewing currently developed items. AST State Assemblies a) State Assemblies, who sponsor a program, are required to complete the program approval process for participants to receive AST approved CE credits. b) Participants should verify that a State Assembly program is AST approved prior to attending the program. c) Documentation requirement: A certificate of attendance signed by an authorized individual who represents the State Assembly. The total number of CE credits to be awarded for the program must be printed on the certificate. CIO Live Events a) AST accepts the CE credits offered at stand-alone, live events, planned, and sponsored by CIOs. 1. The event must be AST approved for the CE credits to be accepted. The CIO is responsible for communicating to attendees if the event is approved. 2. The CE credits for enduring material developed and offered by CIOs are not accepted by AST. b) Documentation requirement: A certificate of attendance and the following information must be provided on the certificate. 1. Name of the CIO. 2. Date of the event. 3. Title of the event. 4. The number of CE credits. 5. A blank line for the CST or CSFA signature. 6. Authorized signature of the CIO representative. College Credit a) College courses submitted for CE credits must be completed with a grade of “C” or better. b) College courses must be relevant to healthcare, surgery, surgical technology, or surgical first assisting. c) Surgical first assistant college courses must be completed at a CAAHEP accredited surgical first assistant program. d) The courses must be completed at an institution that is accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.