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Virginia Surgical Technologist Requirements

This page explains Virginia Surgical Technologist requirements, including Virginia’s “registered surgical technologist” law, education and certification pathways, renewal rules, and Virginia‑specific salary and job‑outlook data.[1][2][3][4][7]

Overview

Virginia is a registration‑required state for surgical technologists.[1][3] Virginia Code § 54.1‑2956.12 creates the “registered surgical technologist” title and ties use of that title to certification by the Virginia Board of Medicine.[1]

The statute restricts use of the title “registered surgical technologist” to individuals who are registered with the Board.[1] It also directs the Board to certify applicants who meet defined education and experience pathways, including accredited programs and recognized national credentials.[1][3]

Educational programs and employer materials emphasize that Virginia now regulates surgical technologists under the Board of Medicine, aligning state title protection with national certification standards.[3][4] This makes Virginia part of a growing group of states that set minimum qualifications for this role in law rather than leaving standards solely to employers.[4]

State Classification

AST’s legislative overview and licensure summaries classify Virginia as a state that requires registration with education and certification standards for surgical technologists.[3][4] Individuals may not use the title “registered surgical technologist” unless they are certified by the Board of Medicine under the statute.[1][3]

Virginia is therefore not an employer‑only or voluntary‑credential state for this role.[3][4] Instead, it uses statute and regulation to protect titles and to ensure that surgical technologists meet uniform minimum competency standards statewide.[1][2]

Statutory Requirements

Virginia Code § 54.1‑2956.12, “Registered surgical technologist; use of title; registration,” sets the core legal framework.[1] Subsection A states that no person shall use or assume the title “registered surgical technologist” unless registered with the Board of Medicine.[1]

Subsection B requires the Board to certify as a registered surgical technologist any applicant who presents satisfactory evidence that they meet one of several pathways.[1] These include holding a current credential as a certified surgical technologist from NBSTSA, completion of a U.S. armed‑forces surgical technology program, a U.S. Department of Labor‑registered apprenticeship, a hospital‑based program approved by the Board, or other accredited training with a credential from an approved national entity.[1][3]

Regulatory amendments in 18VAC85‑160 extend a grandfathering pathway for technologists who practiced or attended a training program prior to October 1, 2022, if they registered with the Board by the statutory deadlines.[2] Together, the statute and implementing regulations create a structured registration system with clear entry pathways and ongoing standards.[1][2][3]

Employer Standards in Virginia

Even with state registration, Virginia employers maintain their own hiring and competency standards for surgical technologists.[3][7] Job postings from major health systems in Virginia commonly require Board registration under § 54.1‑2956.12 and a current national CST® credential for full‑time staff roles.[7]

Educational program FAQs in Virginia note that graduates must pass a national certification examination and meet Board registration requirements to work as surgical technologists in the state.[3] Employers then layer additional expectations such as orientation, skills validation, and department‑specific competencies for full‑time, per‑diem, and traveler technologists.[3][7]

Certification Requirements

Virginia’s registration framework relies on national certification as a primary pathway.[1][2] A common route to registration is completion of an accredited surgical technologist program and holding a current Certified Surgical Technologist (CST®) credential from the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA).[1][4]

Regulations governing certification of surgical technologists reference NBSTSA credentials and require technologists certified on that basis to attest that their national credential is current at the time of renewal.[2] Other statutory pathways recognize training in the U.S. armed forces, registered apprenticeships, and approved hospital‑based or accredited programs paired with credentials from entities the Board approves.[1][2]

NBSTSA and other national certifying bodies set detailed eligibility and recertification requirements, including continuing‑education credits or periodic exams.[4] Virginia technologists who maintain these national credentials satisfy both national competency benchmarks and key components of state registration standards.[2][4]

Because certification is embedded in Virginia’s statutory and regulatory pathways, aspiring surgical technologists in the state should plan on graduating from an accredited program and earning a recognized national credential as part of the registration process.[1][2][4]

Registration / Licensure

Certification as a registered surgical technologist is overseen by the Virginia Board of Medicine under Regulations Governing the Licensure of Surgical Assistants and Certification of Surgical Technologists (18VAC85‑160).[2] Applicants submit evidence of qualifying education and credentials, pay applicable fees, and obtain Board certification before using the registered title.[1][2]

The Virginia Department of Health Professions provides application instructions and forms for surgical technologists on its public website, alongside other Board of Medicine‑regulated professions.[2] Once certified, technologists must comply with renewal schedules and practice standards set by the Board.[2][3]

Individuals practicing in operating rooms under other licenses (such as RNs or surgical assistants) remain governed by their respective license statutes and regulations in addition to any surgical technologist registration they hold.[1][2]

Renewal Requirements

Virginia regulation 18VAC85‑160‑65, “Renewal of certification for a surgical technologist,” sets explicit renewal rules.[2] A technologist certified based on NBSTSA CST® credentials must attest that their national credential is current at the time of each biennial renewal.[2]

A technologist certified based on completion of a military training program or based on practice in the six months prior to July 1, 2021, must attest to completion of 30 hours of continuing education recognized by the Association of Surgical Technologists (AST) at each biennial renewal.[2] These provisions ensure ongoing competency for both nationally certified and grandfathered technologists.[2][4]

In addition to Board renewal, national certification bodies require continuing education or recertification exams according to their own schedules.[4] Virginia surgical technologists must track both national and state renewal obligations to remain in good standing for full‑time practice.[2][4]

Background Checks

Virginia’s surgical technologist statute does not establish a separate, profession‑specific background‑check program.[1][2] However, the Department of Health Professions and Board of Medicine have authority to consider criminal history and professional conduct when reviewing applications and renewals for health‑profession credentials.[2]

Hospitals and health systems in Virginia typically require criminal‑history screening, drug testing, immunization verification, and reference checks for surgical technologists as part of their hiring and credentialing processes for full‑time, per‑diem, and traveler roles.[7] These employer‑driven checks complement state oversight and accreditation requirements but are not recorded in a separate Virginia surgical technologist background‑check registry.[2][7]

Scope of Practice

Virginia law focuses on title protection and registration rather than a detailed statutory task list for surgical technologists.[1][2] National practice descriptions, used by AST and other organizations, describe surgical technologists as assisting surgeons and circulating nurses during procedures within a structured perioperative team.[4]

Typical duties based on national models include preparing operating rooms, arranging instruments and sterile supplies, maintaining the sterile field, passing instruments and sutures, handling specimens, managing equipment, and helping with sponge and instrument counts under appropriate supervision.[4] Virginia surgical technologists do not diagnose conditions, prescribe medications, or independently determine treatment plans; those responsibilities remain with physicians and other licensed independent practitioners regulated under separate statutes.[1][4]

Hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers in Virginia use written policies, surgeon delegation, and nursing supervision to define the exact tasks surgical technologists may perform in their facilities, consistent with state law and accreditation standards.[2][4]

Governing Agency

The Virginia Board of Medicine, within the Virginia Department of Health Professions, is the governing agency for certification of surgical technologists.[1][2] It enforces Title 54.1, Chapter 29 provisions and 18VAC85‑160 regulations related to registered surgical technologists.[1][2]

The Virginia General Assembly enacts and amends statutes such as § 54.1‑2956.12, while the Board promulgates regulations to implement those laws.[1][2] National bodies such as NBSTSA and AST provide certification and continuing‑education frameworks that Virginia references in its regulatory structure.[2][4]

Statute Citations

Virginia Surgical Technologist Salary & Job Outlook

National BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for Surgical Technologists (SOC 29‑2055) report a May 2023 national annual mean wage of $62,250 and a mean hourly wage of $29.93 for full‑time wage and salary workers.[4] O*NET and BLS‑based data for Virginia show median annual wages for full‑time surgical technologists in the low‑ to mid‑$50,000 range, with higher percentiles reflecting experienced staff in large health systems and metropolitan areas.[7]

Compared with national figures, Virginia’s average wages sit somewhat below the national mean but align with broader Mid‑Atlantic compensation patterns and cost of living.[4][7] Salaries tend to be higher in urban regions such as Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads and more moderate in smaller cities and rural hospitals.[7]

BLS‑derived employment estimates indicate several thousand surgical technologists working in Virginia, concentrated in metropolitan areas anchored by large hospital systems and academic medical centers.[4][7] Program information and regulatory overviews emphasize sustained demand for registered, nationally certified technologists to staff operating rooms, ambulatory surgery centers, and specialty services.[3][4]

The Occupational Outlook Handbook projects about 5 percent national employment growth for surgical technologists between 2024 and 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.[4] Virginia’s combination of population growth, major health‑care systems, and state‑level regulation supports a favorable long‑term outlook for well‑trained, certified surgical technologists who maintain Board registration and national credentials.[3][4][7]

Summary

Virginia regulates surgical technologists through a Board‑run registration system that protects titles, ties entry to accredited education and national certification pathways, and requires ongoing renewal and continuing education.[1][2][3] Aspiring Virginia surgical technologists should complete an accredited program, earn a national credential such as CST®, obtain certification as a registered surgical technologist from the Virginia Board of Medicine, and maintain both state and national requirements to remain competitive in Virginia’s perioperative job market.[2][3][4][7]

References

  • [1] Virginia General Assembly / Virginia Law. “Va. Code § 54.1‑2956.12 – Registered surgical technologist; use of title; registration.” Statutory provision defining the registered surgical technologist title, limiting its use, and specifying multiple qualification pathways. https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title54.1/chapter29/section54.1-2956.12/[web:1199]
  • [2] Virginia Administrative Code. “18VAC85‑160‑65 – Renewal of certification for a surgical technologist” and related provisions in 18VAC85‑160 – Regulations governing licensure of surgical assistants and certification of surgical technologists, including renewal and CE requirements. https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincode/title18/agency85/chapter160/section65/[web:1204][web:1207]
  • [3] Virginia Department of Health Professions / Board of Medicine and Virginia program FAQs – official and academic materials summarizing Virginia’s requirement for Board‑certified registered surgical technologists and describing education, certification, and application expectations. https://www.dhp.virginia.gov/medicine/[web:1202]
  • [4] Association of Surgical Technologists and NBSTSA. “Legislative Overview” and national certification information – classify Virginia as a regulated state for surgical technologists and describe CST® pathways and recertification standards. https://www.ast.org/Public_Policy/Legislative_Overview/[web:4]
  • [5] Virginia legislative records (e.g., HB 598, HB 2220) – session laws amending § 54.1‑2956.12 and related sections, clarifying criteria for registration and grandfathering deadlines for surgical technologists. https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?221+ful+HB598ER[web:1200][web:1206]
  • [6] National and Virginia educational program materials – FAQs and disclosures explaining that Virginia requires surgical technologists to complete formal education, pass a national certification exam, and register with the Board of Medicine before practicing under the protected title. https://www.vawest.edu[web:606]
  • [7] O*NET OnLine and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Surgical Technologists (SOC 29‑2055) – National and Virginia wage and employment data.” Provide national mean wage ($62,250), Virginia wage estimates, employment counts, and projected national job growth for surgical technologists. https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes292055.htm and O*NET local wage tables for Virginia.[web:408][web:1208]
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