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ForwardTMC Collaborative: Medical-Surgical Certification Review Course- October 29, 2026 - Day 2
The Medical-Surgical Certification Exam Review Course is a comprehensive and intensive two-day program specially designed for registered nurses seeking to enhance their knowledge and skills in medical-surgical nursing and successfully pass the medical-surgical certification exam. This didactic course covers essential topics, evidence-based practices, and critical thinking strategies required to excel in the medical-surgical nursing field.
Target Audience
Registered nurses who are planning to take the medical-surgical certification exam or those seeking to refresh their knowledge and skills in medical-surgical nursing.
Learning Objectives
Nursing Learning Outcome:
At the completion of this activity, nurses are expected to gain enhanced knowledge of common medical-surgical pathophysiology and treatments, current issues and trends, and test-taking strategies that foster confidence in sitting for the certification exam. This will be evidenced by self-reported knowledge gains on the post-activity evaluation survey.
Course summary
- 6.33 Nursing Contact Hours
Houston Methodist is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
Houston Methodist will award up to 6.33 nursing professional development contact hours for this activity.
Participants must attend the activity in its entirety and complete the corresponding evaluation for CEs.
Travel
Free visitor parking is available in United Way’s garage.
Dora Kinsel, PhD, MS, RN, NPD-BC is a Nursing Program Manager and clinical educator at the University of Texas Medical Branch, where she leads initiatives in nursing education, professional development, and evidence-based practice. With more than 21 years of diverse nursing experience—including roles in clinical care, research, and academia—Dr. Kinsel has demonstrated a strong commitment to advancing nursing practice and workforce development.
Dr. Kinsel has contributed to peer-reviewed research on topics such as integrating evidence into nursing practice and preparing nursing students for complex clinical environments, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her work emphasizes translating research into practical applications that improve patient outcomes and support nursing education.
As an award-winning educator, she has been recognized for excellence in clinical education by the Good Samaritan foundation (2018 Gold Medalist- Clinical Education), and leadership (Recipient of the DAISY Leadership Award) and is known for her dedication to mentoring nurses and ancillary personnel, while fostering their professional growth.
Ashley Gonzalez, MSN, RN-BC, ACM-RN, is a Professional Practice Leader at Houston Methodist Hospital with over nine years of experience in various specialties including: medical-surgical nursing, critical care, and care management. Board certified in Medical-Surgical Nursing and certified in case management, Ashley supports professional development, clinical practice, and educational initiatives for hospital-based float staff.
She also serves as adjunct nursing faculty at Denver College of Nursing's Houston campus, teaching clinical courses in Foundations of Nursing, Medical-Surgical Nursing, and Community Health. Ashley is passionate about evidence-based practice, mentorship, and advancing nursing excellence through education and professional development.
Sara Hodge Garrett, MSN, MEDSURG BC, CPHQ, NPD-BC, is a Nursing Professional Development Specialist with more than 15 years of experience advancing clinical education, quality improvement, and workforce development across large, complex healthcare systems. At Harris Health System, she leads system wide education initiatives for Medical Surgical and Dialysis service lines and drives evidence-based practice integration across multiple facilities.
She has served in roles spanning Charge Nurse, Quality Coordinator, Clinical Nurse Manager, Clinical Resource Nurse, and Quality Manager, consistently recognized for her ability to mentor clinicians, elevate practice standards, and strengthen patient outcomes. Sara has also contributed to academic nursing as Adjunct Clinical Faculty at Prairie View A&M University, facilitating community health clinicals and simulation-based learning.
She holds a Master of Science in Nursing Administration and multiple national certifications, including Medical Surgical Nursing, Nursing Professional Development, and Healthcare Quality. Sara is an active member of ANA, AMSN, Chi Eta Phi Sorority, and NAHQ.
Mark Littler, PhD, RN, CMSRN, NPD-BC, is an experienced nurse educator with over 11 years in acute care settings. He currently serves as the Houston Market Director of Nursing Education at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, where he leads evidence-based training programs for both licensed and unlicensed staff. Mark began his career as a medical-surgical nurse, where he developed a passion for mentoring nurse residents and promoting professional development. He transitioned into nursing education, earning his Master of Science in Nursing and Doctor of Philosophy with an emphasis in nursing education. His expertise includes adult learning principles, new employee orientation programs, curriculum design, and competency validation.
Houston Methodist is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
This NCPD activity is jointly provided by Houston Methodist Hospital, in collaboration with Harris Health System, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center and The University of Texas Medical Branch Health.
To be awarded 6.33 continuing professional development hours, the participant must attend the program in its entirety and complete the evaluation tool.
Available Credit
- 6.33 Nursing Contact Hours
Houston Methodist is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
Houston Methodist will award up to 6.33 nursing professional development contact hours for this activity.
Price
For Houston Methodist Employees:
If you are an employee of Houston Methodist and this is your first time accessing this site, you may proceed to register for your activity by following these steps:
- Select “Log In / Register” on the top right of the page.
- Select “Houston Methodist login” to log in using your Houston Methodist email address and network password.
- Edit your profile accordingly and save.
- Mobile number update: provide and confirm your mobile number.
- Then proceed to register for your activity.
If you have previously created a profile, you may proceed to register for your activity by completing the above steps 1 & 2 and registering for your activity.
For Non-Houston Methodist Employees:
If this is your first time access this site, please create your account by following these steps:
- Select “Log In/Register” on the top right of the page
- Select “Create new visitor account.”
- Edit your profile accordingly and save.
- Update your mobile number.
If you have previously created a profile, you may proceed with registering for the activity by selecting “Log In.” Select “Visitor Log In,” and login with the information you previously used.
For additional information please visit the FAQ section.