Nashville State, VUMC Partnership Continues to Fast-Track Surgical Support Careers

A partnership between Nashville State Community College and Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) offers current VUMC employees a fast-track path to a career as Central Sterile Processing Technicians in surgical support.

CSP Technicians are critical team members responsible for cleaning, disinfecting, sterilizing, assembling, and distributing surgical instruments and other medical devices. 

Through a 12-week training program, participants can earn certification as Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA) Certified Registered Central Service Technicians and begin full-time employment with VUMC upon completion.

Now in its third cohort, the program has already helped 18 students (nine in each of the first two cohorts) complete training, pass their exams, and transition into essential roles on surgical teams. The current cohort includes eight trainees.

Participants receive full support throughout the program.

VUMC covers tuition and pays employees during the training. The clinical instruction is provided at the Vanderbilt Case Cart Operations Center.

Nashville State’s Center for Workforce Development and Continuing Education, in collaboration with its School of Health Sciences, delivers classroom and lab instruction, along with course materials, textbook loans, and laptop support.

“This program is helping to meet a critical workforce need while giving students a direct pathway to a stable, rewarding career,” said Leteya Tsonetokoy, program director at VUMC’s Center for Programs in Allied Health (CPiAH).

The 12-week curriculum includes foundational training, hands-on instruction in instrument handling and sterilization techniques, competency assessments, and full-time clinical immersion.

“We have worked closely to sustain an outcome-based program that directly addresses VUMC’s workforce needs,” said John Cunningham, director of healthcare partnerships at the Center for Workforce Development and Continuing Education.

Following graduation and successful completion of the national certification exam, trainees transition into full-time roles at VUMC.

Enrollment is limited to VUMC employees and external candidates, underscoring the program’s commitment to cultivating internal talent and building a resilient healthcare workforce.

** Photos courtesy of VUMC