ARC-ST) are monitored for compliance with the standards. The ARC/STSA and AST board of directors recommends the associate degree as entry level surgical technology education. Today, surgical technologists taking and passing the national certification examination designed by the NBSTSA earn the title of "Certified Surgical Technologist". Certification can be renewed by contact hours or re-examination. Laws for surgical technologists vary by state and many states are in various stages of legislation. Some require certification, some require state registration, and some have no laws at all. Mozambique Surgical technologists were introduced around 1984 in the aftermath of the Mozambican Civil War that had crippled the health sector. They are trained to provide comprehensive medical and surgical care, filling a gap created by the shortage of surgeons, especially in rural areas. Surgical technologists manage trauma and participate in obstetric and emergency surgeries. They may also serve as administrators at district-level hospitals. It is estimated that surgical technologists perform 90 percent of all obstetric surgeries in the country. Training, certification and professional organizations United States Educationally, surgical technologists graduate from surgical technology programs accredited through the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), which relies on information gathered by a collaborative effort of the Association of Surgical Technologists (AST) and the American College of Surgeons (ACS). The CAAHEP is a recognized accreditation agency of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). In addition, surgical technology programs are located in educational institutions that are institutionally accredited by agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) or The Joint Commission. The ARC/STSA is also a member of the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors (ASPA). The following statement was developed by the ACS' Committee on Perioperative Care, and approved by the ACS Board of Regents at its June 2005 meeting. This statement was subsequently approved by the AST, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), American Association of Surgical Physician Assistants, American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, and American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses. Surgical technologists are individuals with specialized education who function as members of the surgical team in the role of scrub person. With additional education and training, some surgical technologists function in the role of surgical first assistant. Surgical technology programs are inspected by the Accreditation Review Committee on Education in Surgical Technology—a collaborative effort of the Association of Surgical Technologists and the American College of Surgeons, under the auspices of the Commission