CST practice test
The Certified Surgical Technologist exam from the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting. 175 questions, 150 of them scored, in four hours.
Five a day free, the same five for everyone, new at midnight. See what Pro adds
Want more than five?
- All 2,109 CST questions, in sets as long as you like, easy first
- The timed exam: 175 questions in 4 hours, like the real one
- Your score by area, weakest first, so you know what to fix
Cancel any time from your account.
Foot pulses are checked repeatedly after a knee dislocation. Which structure is MOST at risk?
Press Practice. That's the whole setup.
No question count to pick, no modes, no settings. The CST practice test decides what to ask you next.
- 1
Press Practice
You get 10 questions picked for you. Keep going for 5 more as long as you like, or stop whenever. Nothing is lost.
- 2
Answer, then see why
Every answer shows the right one and the reason for it, so a wrong answer still teaches you something.
- 3
Sit the exam when your score is ready
Your score sits next to the 68% pass mark. When it stays over, sit the full exam: 175 questions in 4 hours.
What's on the CST exam
NBSTSA publishes how much of the exam comes from each area. Our timed exam deals its questions in the same shares, so it feels like the real one.
Instrument photo questions count toward Intraoperative Procedures, where the real exam asks them.
The CST isn’t written from a single book.
“The Certification Examination Reference Lists contain the texts used to develop the questions for the certification examinations.”NBSTSA, 2025 CST Candidate Handbook
| What you need | Your book | This test |
|---|---|---|
| Explains the material | ||
| Asks you questions at your level | – | |
| Finds the areas you're weak in | – | |
| Times you like the real exam | – |
CST practice test questions, answered
Anything else, ask at the Help Desk. A surgical tech reads every question.
Ask a questionIs the CST practice test free?
Yes. Five new CST questions every day, the same five for everyone, with the answers explained. No account needed. A free account keeps your days. Pro opens all 2,109 questions and the timed exam.
How many questions are on the CST exam?
The Certified Surgical Technologist exam from the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting. 175 questions, 150 of them scored, in four hours. Our timed exam matches it: 175 questions in 4 hours, and 68% passes.
Do the questions come with answers?
Every one. After each answer you see the right one and the reason for it, in practice and on today's five. On the timed exam you see them all when you hand it in, the way you would want to review a real one.
How is this different from a question bank?
A question bank hands you a list and lets you pick. This one picks for you: questions at your level, more from the areas you are weakest in, and your misses back when you are ready. You just press Practice.
How do I know when I'm ready?
Watch one number: your score, which counts each question by your first answer to it. When it stays over 68%, take the full exam. Pass that, and you have done it at full length on the real clock.
Five a day gets you started. Pro gets you through.
All 2,109 CST questions in sets as long as you like, the timed exam on the real clock, and your score by area so you know what to fix before you walk in.
Cancel any time from your account. Not worth it? Email us within 30 days of a charge for a refund, one per customer. Already have Pro? Sign in