Sterile Processing Technician Diploma Program

Garden Grove, CA

Prepare for a Health Care Field Faster than you imagined

Sterile processing technicians are an essential part of the medical team. Hospitals, clinics, dental offices, and surgical centers rely on them to help prevent the spread of infection by preparing tools that are properly sanitized. Learn the knowledge and skills that can lead to a career that helps ensure patient safety across the health care system.

Sterile Processing Technician Career Overview

Sterile processing technicians help keep medical and surgical procedures safe. They examine, sterilize and package surgical instruments for use in medical and dental clinics, operating rooms and more. Their work helps reduce the risk of infection or cross-contamination during life-saving procedures.

Garden Grove Sterile Processing Technician Diploma Program Overview

You can learn the knowledge and skills a sterile processing technician needs in as few as 5-months with Concorde in Garden Grove. Our program combines online learning with a hands-on externship to prepare you for new career opportunities.

Now Enrolling in Garden Grove

Concorde's Garden Grove campus is seeking dedicated students who want to:

  • Learn to help hospitals and clinics deliver quality care
  • Prepare for career opportunities in hospitals, clinics, acute care, long-term care, hospice, and more
  • Complete the diploma in as few as 5-months of study

Get started by scheduling an in-person or virtual Career Planning Session to explore if the sterile processing technician diploma program is right for you!

  1. **Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projected national growth in job openings for medical equipment preparers in hospitals as a role sterile processing technicians 2023-2033 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/about/data-for-occupations-not-covered-in-detail.htm#:~:text=Healthcare%20support%20occupations-,Medical%20equipment%20preparers,-Prepare%2C%20sterilize%2C%20install Projections are national. Local job market demand may vary.

5

Months

6%

National Employment Demand (2023-2033)

8.0

Credit Hours

80

Externship Hours

Get Started

Curriculum

Sterile Processing Technician Diploma Curriculum

Sterile processing technicians help keep medical and surgical procedures safe. They examine, sterilize, and package surgical instruments for use in medical and dental clinics, operating rooms, and more. Their work helps reduce the risk from infection and cross-contamination during life-saving procedures.

Concorde's sterile processing technician diploma program teaches essential health science concepts along with practical and technical skills for examining, sterilizing, and tracking medical equipment inventory.

In this program, you have the opportunity to learn to:

  • Identify medical instruments and describe their uses
  • Inspect instruments for functionality and cleanliness
  • Keep medical instrument inventory records
  • Perform device sterilization using solvents and equipment such as autoclaves
  • Prepare instrument trays for procedures
  • Transport instruments to and from procedure rooms
  • Help ensure procedure rooms maintain a sterile field
  • Effectively communicate with other members of the health care team
  • Understand the healthcare system

8.0

Credit Hours

Blended Learning

Online and on-campus coursework..

80

Externship Hours

Real-World Experience

Apply what you've learned in health care settings as part of your externship experience.

Academic & Career Pathways

You're organized, methodical and now have a basic understanding about the health care system; you may be ready for more!

After completing your Sterile Processing Technician diploma program, go on to pursue your associate degree in Surgical Technology. As a Concorde graduate we will apply the tuition paid for the Sterile Processing Tech diploma toward you Surgical Technology degree tuition at Concorde.

Certification Exams and Next Steps

The knowledge and skills this program teaches can prepare you for the the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA) examination and become provisionally certified as a Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST).

  1. Enrollment into this program is not a guarantee of employment and or admittance into other Concorde programs of study. Admissions requirements must be met for all programs. See catalog for details.

Career Outlook

Demand for Sterile Processing Technicians

As more people seek health care services and the ongoing risk from pandemics continues; hospitals continue to place infection control as a priority. To address this need, hospitals and clinics should need more medical equipment preparers a role served by sterile processing technicians in their central services departments.

 

6%

Projected National Job Growth for Medical Equipment Preparers in Hospitals from 2023-2033 

Sterile Processing Tech / Medical Equipment Preparers 

Different Job Titles of a Sterile Processing Technician

Depending on the healthcare system, sterile processing technicians may hold different job titles such as:

  • Central Services Technicians
  • Certified Registered Central Service Technicians (CRCST)
  • Central Sterile Supply Technicians (CSST)
  • Sterile Preparation Technicians
  • Medical Equipment Preparers.

Responsibilities of a Sterile Processing Technician

Sterile processing technicians provide an important service in ensuring patient safety across the healthcare system.

  • Cleaning and sterilizing equipment
  • Packaging and preparing equipment for use
  • Inspecting medical equipment for functionality and sterilization
  • Maintaining inventory and organizing medical equipment
  • Ensuring medical procedure rooms are sterile
  • Transporting prepared equipment
  • Recording test results for sterilization

Where Sterile Processing Professionals Work

Health care systems and providers rely on sterile processing professionals to help prevent the spread of infection by preparing tools that are properly sanitized. Sterile processing technicians are an essential part of the medical team in: 

  • Hospitals
  • Clinics
  • Rehab & Acute Care 
  • Dental Offices
  • Surgical Centers

Note: Concorde does not guarantee outcomes including employment, responsibilities, or subsequent salary.

Address and Hours

Garden Grove Campus

12951 Euclid Street
Suite 101
Garden Grove, California 92840

PH: (657) 667-2904
FX: (714) 530-4737

Campus Hours of Operation

  • Monday - Thursday 8 am - 8 pm
  • Friday 8 am - 5 pm
  • Saturday By Appointment
  • Sunday Closed
Schedule A Tour

Financial Aid

The Sterile Processing Diploma program at Concorde Garden Grove is not eligible for Federal Financial Aid or Military/ Veteran funding options. Every student is unique, and are encouraged to meet and discuss their financial circumstances.

You may also be interested in the following programs

Medical Assistant

Medical Office Administration

Vocational Nursing

  1. Program length may be subject to change dependent on transfer credits and course load. Please refer to current course catalog for more information. Concorde does not guarantee admittance, graduation, subsequent employment or salary amount.

  2. Professional certification is not a requirement for graduation, may not be a requirement for employment nor does it guarantee employment.

  3. Financial aid is available to those who qualify but may not be available for all programs. Concorde does not guarantee financial aid or scholarship awards or amounts.

  4. Clinical hour requirements and delivery may vary by campus location and may be subject to change. Concorde does not guarantee clinical site assignments based upon student preference or geographic convenience; nor do clinical experiences guarantee graduation, post-clinical employment or salary outcomes.

  5. Registration and certification requirements for taking and passing these examinations are not controlled by Concorde, but by outside agencies, and are subject to change by the agency without notice. Therefore, Concorde cannot guarantee that graduates will be eligible to take these exams, at all or at any specific time, regardless of their eligibility status upon enrollment.

  6. Externships are a non-paid in-person learning experience, whose length and location may be subject to change. Concorde does not guarantee externship placement, graduation, post-externship employment or salary outcomes.