Robeson Community College recently held a pinning ceremony for its surgical technology students, celebrating their completion of the program, as well as their achievement of a 100 percent pass rate and 100 percent hiring rate. 

Bridget Locklear, Xanna Freeman, Candice Morgan, and Cheemaa Obaid all completed the requirements of the program and passed the national certification exam administered by the National Board of Certification in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) and have found employment with hospitals in North and South Carolina. 

Locklear has accepted an offer from McLeod Health in Florence, SC, and will be employed as a surgical technologist. 

For Candice Morgan, enrolling in the surgical technology program was an opportunity to give her children a better life. 

“I had my daughter in 2019 and my son in 2021,” Morgan said in a press release. “I did this for them, I was determined to stick with the program to the end.” 

“I have learned a lot about myself, the healthcare industry… it’s a lot more than just passing instruments to the surgeon,” Morgan stated in a press release. “With this program, I was able to work full-time so that I could support my family, and that meant a lot to me.”

Morgan will be working full-time as a surgical technologist at McLeod Health. 

Also headed to McLeod Health is Cheema Obaid. Obaid entered the program with a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in education, but she’s always found healthcare appealing. Obaid hopes to continue her education, eventually becoming a certified surgical first assist. 

 “It’s a step further,” Obaid said in a press release. “There are so many different surgical specialties out there.”

Also hoping to eventually become a certified surgical first assist is Xanna Freeman. Unlike her classmates, Freeman will be heading to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center in Fayetteville.  

During clinicals, Freeman says that she truly enjoyed the experience provided. 

“I loved getting the hands-on training, and being there with the surgeons and preceptors helping you along the way,” Freeman stated in a press release. “It might be tough, but it is very rewarding in the end.”

“My instructors, they helped push me to become the best that I can be, and I could not ask for better instructors than Ms. Coleman and Ms. Collins,” Freeman said in a press release. “I feel like I am still continuing to grow … I have gained everything I had hoped for and more through this program.”