CST Exam Pass Rate, Format & Study Guide

NBSTSA describes the computer-based CST exam as 175 multiple-choice questions in four hours, of which 150 are scored; the portal mock uses 150 questions and 206 minutes, the same scored size at the same pace. NBSTSA states that you pass with a score of 98 on the scored questions, which is about 65 percent of the 150 scored questions. The CST examination content outline effective January 1, 2023 lists eight content areas with these shares of the scored questions: Preoperative Preparation 12.7 percent, Intraoperative Procedures 45.3, Postoperative Procedures 6.7, Administrative and Personnel 4.7, Equipment Sterilization and Maintenance 10.7, Anatomy and Physiology 12, Microbiology 4 and Surgical Pharmacology 4.

The CST credential is the surgical technology credential awarded by NBSTSA, and many employers and some states look for it; the exam is one step in earning it.

Surgical technology students and graduates preparing for the NBSTSA Certified Surgical Technologist exam.

The certifying body does not publicly publish an official pass rate for this exam. Be wary of third-party sites citing a specific number here — treat any pass-rate claim you see elsewhere for this exam as unverified.

NBSTSA says your authorization to test lasts six months, you may not test more than three times in a calendar year, and you pay the total testing fee each time; confirm the current rule in the NBSTSA candidate handbook.

NBSTSA states that you pass with a score of 98 on the 150 scored questions, about 65 percent. The 25 unscored questions are not identified, and the portal mock shows a percent score only as a rough self-check. Format: 175 multiple-choice questions, 150 scored, in four hours; the portal mock has 150 questions in 206 minutes, the same scored size at the same pace. No official pass rate is available for this exam, so none is quoted here.

NBSTSA describes the computer-based CST exam as 175 multiple-choice questions in four hours, of which 150 are scored; the portal mock uses 150 questions and 206 minutes, the same scored size at the same pace. NBSTSA states that you pass with a score of 98 on the scored questions, which is about 65 percent of the 150 scored questions. The CST examination content outline effective January 1, 2023 lists eight content areas with these shares of the scored questions: Preoperative Preparation 12.7 percent, Intraoperative Procedures 45.3, Postoperative Procedures 6.7, Administrative and Personnel 4.7, Equipment Sterilization and Maintenance 10.7, Anatomy and Physiology 12, Microbiology 4 and Surgical Pharmacology 4. 175 multiple-choice questions (150 scored) · four hours · computer-based · you pass with a score of 98 on the 150 scored questions. NBSTSA states that you pass with a score of 98 on the 150 scored questions, about 65 percent. The 25 unscored questions are not identified, and the portal mock shows a percent score only as a rough self-check.

• Preoperative Preparation12.7%
• Intraoperative Procedures45.3%
• Postoperative Procedures6.7%
• Administrative and Personnel4.7%
• Equipment Sterilization and Maintenance10.7%
• Anatomy and Physiology12%
• Microbiology4%
• Surgical Pharmacology4%

The content outline spreads questions across 8 areas: Preoperative Preparation (12.7%); Intraoperative Procedures (45.3%); Postoperative Procedures (6.7%); Administrative and Personnel (4.7%); Equipment Sterilization and Maintenance (10.7%); Anatomy and Physiology (12.0%); Microbiology (4.0%); Surgical Pharmacology (4.0%).

NBSTSA alone decides eligibility. Most candidates are graduates of a CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited surgical technology program, and military-trained candidates submit a diploma, DD214 or Joint Services Transcript; a processing fee is charged for the eligibility review.

The total testing fee is an NBSTSA processing fee plus an examination fee, and it is due each time you test. Rush processing is available for first-time applicants for an extra fee; confirm the amounts on nbstsa.org.

CST certification must be renewed on a schedule set by NBSTSA, which publishes renewal and continuing education rules and charges a late fee for renewals filed after the expiration date; check NBSTSA for what applies after you pass.

Start with the heaviest areas of the content outline: Intraoperative Procedures (45.3%); Preoperative Preparation (12.7%); Anatomy and Physiology (12.0%). Then work through the remaining areas, and finish with timed full-length practice runs of 150 questions in one sitting.

This guide follows the CST examination content outline effective January 1, 2023; NBSTSA revises its outline after each practice analysis, so check nbstsa.org before you book.