White City, Oregon- A new partnership between Rogue Community College (RCC), Linn-Benton Community College (LBCC), and Providence Medford Medical Center is bringing a Surgical Technology program to Southern Oregon, aiming to address a growing shortage of trained surgical technologists in the Rogue Valley.
The new program allows local students to earn a two-year Associate of Applied Science in Surgical Technology entirely within the region. It combines online coursework from LBCC with in-person labs hosted at RCC’s Table Rock Campus and clinical rotations at Providence Medford Medical Center.
“Linn-Benton Community College is thrilled to expand our Surgical Technology program to Rogue Community College and Providence Medford Medical Center in Southern Oregon,” said Rick Goranflo, dean of LBCC’s Healthcare Division. “This collaboration reflects our commitment to providing high-quality, in-demand healthcare education that addresses our state’s growing need for licensed healthcare professionals.”
The program is fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and prepares graduates to sit for the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) exam, administered by the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting.
Surgical technologists play a critical role in operating rooms, supporting safe and efficient surgical procedures. With increasing demand for healthcare professionals nationwide, the program offers a timely and accessible career path for local students.
“This program is a game-changer for our region,” said Dave Koehler, dean of Health & Public Service at RCC. “It provides local access to a high-demand career field and reflects RCC’s commitment to meeting community workforce needs.”
Providence Medford Medical Center, which will provide hands-on clinical experience, views the partnership as key to addressing staffing shortages in the region.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering yet again with Rogue Community College in developing a workforce education pipeline to grow a much-needed skill set in the valley,” said Kate Kitchell, RN, Chief Nursing Officer at Providence.
“Currently, there’s no surgical tech program in the Rogue Valley, so we’ve faced challenges in recruiting local caregivers. Additionally, current caregivers who want to grow into the surgical technologist field have to leave the valley to get that education,” Kitchell said. “This partnership will close a significant workforce gap which will allow us to continue to provide high quality care for our community.”
Enrollment is now open for the fall 2025 cohort. More information is available at roguecc.edu/SurgicalTech.
Source: RCC
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