SurgicalTechPrep Blog
Study smarter. Pass the CST exam.
Study guides, procedure breakdowns, and exam strategy to help you pass the NBSTSA CST exam on your first attempt.
CST Practice Question Walkthrough: Draping Sequence and Technique Questions
A worked example of how to answer draping technique and sequence questions on the CST exam.
May 14, 2026
CST Practice Question Walkthrough: Patient Positioning Scenario Questions
A worked example of how to approach patient positioning questions that test nerve and pressure injury prevention on the CST exam.
May 13, 2026
CST Practice Question Walkthrough: Surgical Counts and Discrepancy Scenarios
A worked example of how to reason through a surgical count discrepancy question on the CST exam.
May 12, 2026
CST Practice Question Walkthrough: Pharmacology Dosage Calculation Problems
A worked example of a dosage and dilution calculation question from the pharmacology and math portion of the CST exam.
May 11, 2026
CST Practice Question Walkthrough: Anatomy and Physiology Application Questions
A worked example of how to approach applied anatomy questions on the CST exam rather than pure recall questions.
May 10, 2026
CST Practice Question Walkthrough: Instrument Identification Under Pressure
A worked example showing how to approach instrument identification questions on the CST exam when the image or description is unfamiliar.
May 9, 2026
CST Practice Question Walkthrough: Sterile Field Contamination Scenarios
A worked example of how to reason through a sterile field contamination scenario question on the NBSTSA CST exam.
May 8, 2026
How Many Hours Should You Study for the CST Exam? A Realistic Answer
A data-informed look at how many total study hours CST candidates typically need, and why the number varies by starting point.
May 7, 2026
CST Exam Study Schedule Template: A Weekly Framework You Can Customize
A flexible weekly study schedule template surgical technology students can adapt to any CST exam preparation timeline.
May 6, 2026
Building a CST Exam Study Binder: What to Include and How to Organize It
A practical guide to assembling a physical or digital study binder for CST exam preparation, organized by domain.
May 5, 2026
Spaced Repetition for the CST Exam: A Smarter Way to Memorize Content
How to apply spaced repetition scheduling to CST exam flashcards and content review for better long-term retention.
May 4, 2026
How to Organize a CST Exam Study Group That Actually Works
A guide to building an effective study group for surgical technology students preparing for the CST exam together.
May 3, 2026