The mission of the NBSTSA is to be the gold standard provider of professional certification of surgical technologists (CST®) and surgical first assistants (CSFA®), supporting continuing education, thus promoting superior patient care in the surgical setting.
The National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting determines, through examination, if an individual has acquired both theoretical and practical knowledge of surgical technology or surgical first assisting.
NBSTSA is accredited by the NCCA, the
National Commission for Certifying Agencies
The National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) was created in 1987 to help ensure the health, welfare, and safety of the public through the accreditation of certification programs and organizations that assess professional competence.
The NCCA evaluates certifying agencies on a comprehensive set of criteria, including appraising the appropriate certification requirements, assessing the occupation being certified, and weighing both the validity and reliability of the certifying agencies examinations.
Certification programs that receive NCCA Accreditation demonstrate compliance with the NCCA’s Standards for the Accreditation of Certification Programs, which were the first standards for professional certification programs developed by the industry.
The CST and CSFA credentials are accredited by NCCA through 04/30/2025.