HSPA Fellowship Program

HSPA's Fellowship Program was developed to give recognition to the competence of its members and to provide them with a measure of achievement that will be meaningful even to those outside the organization.

Fellowship status is one of the highest honors professional organizations can bestow upon their members. As such, HSPA Fellowship is an honorable distinction that must be earned through hard work, a commitment to professional advancement, and a desire to raise the bar as both an HSPA member and as a contributor to the Sterile Processing field.

Fellowship Overview

Fellow Central Service (FCS) Designation

The HSPA Fellowship program allows members to achieve Fellowship status by demonstrating knowledge, commitment and professional advancement in the Sterile Processing (SP) profession. Fellowship is awarded upon completion of a research paper on a topic pertinent to the SP profession. Those who earn Fellowship status will receive the highly-regarded "Fellow Central Service" (FCS) designation after their name.

Performing SP-related duties safely, consistently and in accordance with industry standards, guidelines, best practices, internal policies and procedures, and manufacturers' instructions for use requires competent, well-trained and skilled SP technicians. Not only must these professionals commit to continuing education and professional development, they must also remain focused on delivering consistent, high-quality customer service, and doing what's right in the name of patient safety—for each and every instrument, surgical case and patient.

Upon award of Fellowship, all papers and submitted materials become the property of HSPA and will not be returned. Papers may not be changed or altered in any way without the express written permission of HSPA.

How to Attain Fellowship

There are three main requirements to attain fellowship with HSPA:

  1. Must be an Active Member in good standing for at least five years and hold the Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) designation;
  2. Must have responsibility for the direction of a Sterile Processing department (SPD) of a healthcare facility or have an interest by virtue of practice; and
  3. Must submit a detailed, well-researched, referenced and well-written paper on a topic pertinent to the SP profession, such as processes or practices that led to targeted, quantifiable improvements within the department or facility; a Curriculum Vitae; and two professional letters of recommendation.

The Curriculum Vitae should include:

  • Education, including degrees and certifications
  • Employment experience as it relates to the SP field
  • Membership affiliations (years of membership, committees services, membership activities, etc.)
  • Professional development, including industry presentations, articles written, awards received and other activities that promote the SP profession.

How to Maintain HSPA Fellowship Status

Fellowship renewal will be required at five-year intervals.

You must meet the following criteria to maintain your FCS status with HSPA:

  1. Hold CRCST status with HSPA for the full five-year Fellowship renewal period
  2. Payment of membership dues must be current
  3. Sixty (60) continuing education (CE) credits must be accumulated over a five-year period and at least 30 CE credits must be from programs and seminars sponsored by HSPA The remaining 30 CE credits may be obtained from other program sources (i.e., local chapter, area or state-sponsored programs or other quality educational programs). These CE credits are not in addition to credits used to maintain CRCST status, and can be used for maintenance of both CRCST and FCS.

Failure to meet the preceding criteria for updating of Fellowship will cause a member to lose their Fellowship status. If Fellowship is not fulfilled, the entire program must be reinstated. For more information, email HSPA.

Steps of Submission

Step 1: Submit the following to HSPA headquarters:

  • Fellowship application
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Two letters of Recommendation 
  • Research paper topic and detailed outline

Step 2: The Fellowship Committee will review the application and research paper outline. The candidate will be contacted regarding the next steps in the Fellowship process.

Step 3: Submit final research paper and cover letter to the Fellowship Committee.*

Step 4: Final research paper will be reviewed by the Fellowship Committee.

Step 5: The applicant will sit for an interview with the Fellowship Committee during the HSPA Annual Conference to demonstrate knowledge of the information presented in the research paper.

Step 6: The Fellowship Committee will meet to determine whether or not to grant Fellowship.

Step 7: If Fellowship is granted, the recipient will be recognized at the HSPA Annual Conference.*

*Applications and research papers must be submitted to HSPA by Dec. 31 of each year to be considered for acceptance at the next year's HSPA Annual Conference. Research papers that are submitted by Dec. 31 but require additional editing/rewrites, as directed by the Fellowship Committee, will need to be finalized/approved by the Fellowship Committee by March 1 to be considered for acceptance at the next HSPA Annual Conference.

Application for Fellowship

To submit an application, you may either download the pdfPDF Application Form and return by mail or fax to:

HSPA
Attn: Fellowship
55 West Wacker Drive, Suite 501
Chicago, IL 60601		 Fax: 312.440.9474

You may complete the online form below, and an HSPA representative will follow up with you soon.

SECTION ONE: Applicant Information

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SECTION TWO: Proposed Research Paper Topic

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Please attach a detailed outline of your topic. For guidance on content and organization please refer to the Research Paper Guidelines.

(Please do not submit a completed research paper; only topic outlines will be accepted. Topics and outlines must be approved by the Fellowship Committee before the paper can be written and submitted.)

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SECTION THREE: Submission Criteria

Please submit the following to be considered by the Fellowship Committee:
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Current HSPA Fellows

  • Delores O'Connell, CRCST, CIS, CER, CHL, FCS
  • Mary Olivera, CRCST, CHL, FCS
  • Karen Owens, CRCST, CHL, CIS, FCS:
    pdf"Reducing Immediate-Use Sterilization: SPD's Role"
  • Lori Patterson, CRCST, CHL, CIS, FCS
  • Brenda (Jan) Prudent, CRCST, CIS, CER, CHL, FCS
  • Cheron Rojo, CRCST, CIS, CER, CHL, FCS
  • Dr. Kim Roth, CRCST, FCS
  • Jean Sargent, ACE, CHL, CRCST, FCS
  • Richard Schule, CRCST, CHL, CHMMC, CIS, FCS
  • Erle Shepard, CRCST, CHL, CHMMC, CIS, FCS
  • Ray Taurasi, ACE, CRCST, CHL, FCS
  • Anthony Thurmond, CRCST, CIS, CHL, FCS

**This listing of HSPA Fellows is current as of the conclusion of the 2022 Annual Conference and Expo.

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