Los Angeles County runs one of the largest surgical economies in America, and the San Gabriel Valley is deep in it — Huntington Health's 500+ bed Pasadena campus, City of Hope's cancer surgery programs in Duarte, and dozens of surgery centers across the valley all depend on sterile processing departments.

Sterile processing technicians are the professionals behind every safe procedure: decontaminating, inspecting, sterilizing, and managing the surgical instruments that operating rooms cannot function without.

For Pasadena-area students, it's a healthcare career path that doesn't require patient care duties — and can lead to hospital employment in well under a year.

Imagine America has partnered with Integrity College of Health in Pasadena, CA — a nurse-founded, ABHES-accredited college whose Sterile Processing Technician program prepares students for the Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) exam through HSPA.

About Imagine America Foundation (IAF)

The Imagine America Foundation (IAF) is a nonprofit organization supporting students pursuing career-oriented education at recognized trade schools and career colleges across the U.S. Since 1982, the Foundation has helped students navigate the financial aspects of technical and vocational training.

IAF provides scholarship programs including the Imagine America High School Scholarship for graduating seniors, the Adult Skills Education Program (ASEP) for adult learners, and the Military Award Program (MAP) for veterans. The Foundation also offers financial literacy guidance, career exploration tools, and resources for choosing the right program.

Over $10 million in tuition assistance is provided annually to students attending career and technical colleges nationwide.

Start Your Sterile Processing Career with Integrity College of Health

Integrity's Sterile Processing Technician program runs 32 weeks and 830 clock hours, including a 400-hour clinical externship inside a working sterile processing department — the hands-on hours that both the CRCST credential and employers value.

• 32-week program — 830 clock hours with a 400-hour externship
• CRCST exam preparation through HSPA
• ABHES-accredited college with a six-year reaccreditation grant
• No prior healthcare experience required

What You'll Learn

Students master decontamination, surgical instrument identification and assembly, sterilization methods and monitoring, infection control, and inventory management — then complete a 400-hour externship applying those skills in a real central sterile department.

Certification and Credentials

Graduates earn a certificate and are prepared for the Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) exam through the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association — the credential Los Angeles-area surgical facilities look for when hiring.

Where Sterile Processing Techs Work

Hospital central sterile departments, outpatient surgery centers, dental practices, and specialty clinics across the San Gabriel Valley and greater Los Angeles all employ sterile processing technicians, with advancement into lead and supervisory roles.

Career Outlook in Los Angeles County

LA County's enormous surgical volume — from academic medical centers to ambulatory surgery networks — supports one of the nation's largest sterile processing job markets, where CRCST certification meaningfully improves both hiring odds and pay.

Training Services

• Decontamination Procedures
• Surgical Instrument Identification & Assembly
• Sterilization Methods & Monitoring
• Infection Control Standards
• Inventory & Supply Chain Management
• Sterile Storage & Distribution
• Clinical Externship (400 hours)
• CRCST Exam Preparation (HSPA)

Frequently Asked Questions

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