ABHES - Answer: Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools. Organization that offers accreditation to higher education institutions. ACS - Answer: American College of Surgeons. A professional organization that establishes educational standards for surgeons and surgical residency programs. Allied Health Profession - Answer: A profession that follows the principles of medicine and nursing but that focuses on an expertise set apart from those practices. AORN - Answer: Association of perioperative Registered Nurses. The professional organization for surgical nurses; originally known as the Association of Operating Room Nurses. AMA - Answer: American Medical Association. Association founded in 1847 made up of medical doctors whose mission is to promote healthy lifestyles across all patient populations. ARC/STSA - Answer: Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting. The ARC/STSA establishes, maintains, and CST Chapter 1 Surgical Technologist - All Questions promotes quality standards for education programs in surgical technology and surgical first assisting. ANSI - Answer: American National Standards Institute. Organization that creates business and health standards to serve as a baseline for assessment. Assistant Circulator - Answer: The surgical technologist in the nonsterile role of the surgical team responsible for monitoring conditions in the operating room as related to patient care, safety, documentation, distribution of sterile supplies and counts. A registered perioperative nurse in this role would be considered a circulator and will have additional responsibilities. AST - Answer: Association of Surgical Technologists. The professional association for surgical technologists that strives to uphold and support the standards of patient care and the profession. CAAHEP - Answer: Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. Accredits health science programs, including those for surgical technology. Certification - Answer: Acknowledgment by a private agency that a person has achieved a minimum level of knowledge and skill. Certification usually is established by graduation from an accredited institution and passing a written examination. Certification does not confer legal status.