Surgical First Assistant Education and Career Pathway – Job Description And Resume Examples

This post provides exhaustive details on the surgical first assistant education and career pathway, including the requirements you need to meet to become a surgical first assistant and how to be successful in your career.

Why Choose Surgical First Assistant Career?

There are different reasons why you should become a surgical first assistant, including:

Rewarding

The most important reason why you may choose the surgical first assistant career is that it can be a very rewarding job with great opportunities for advancement.

2. Flexible hours

This is another advantage of being a surgical first assistant. As long as you are available when needed, you do not need to worry about having flexible working hours.

3. No experience required

You don’t need any previous experience before applying for this position. All you need is a high school diploma or GED certificate.

4. Easy to find jobs

You can easily find a job if you want one. There are many hospitals and medical centers where they hire people like you.

5. Good pay

Another reason is that it offers good pay. In addition to the above reasons, there are many other advantages of becoming a surgical first assistant, which include:

You get to work closely with surgeons and learn new skills every day.
You have a chance to make your own decisions and take responsibility.

Surgical First Assistant Education Requirements

To become a successful surgical first assistant, you must meet certain requirements. These include:

High School Diploma/GED Certificate

If you have a high school diploma or equivalent educational qualification, such as GED, then you can apply for this position. You may still be able to qualify without a high school diploma if you have the required work experience.

2. Basic Medical Knowledge

It is also necessary to have basic medical knowledge. For example, you must know how to use a stethoscope, how to measure blood pressure, etc.

Surgical First Assistant Continuing Education

Continuing education is critical for success in this field. It helps you stay up-to-date with current trends and techniques.

To ensure that you remain qualified and capable of meeting the demands of the industry, you must earn continuing education credits annually.

Surgical First Assistant Certification/License

In order to keep yourself updated with the latest technology, you must obtain certification from the American Board of Surgery (ABS).

If you are already certified by ABS, then you can continue to practice without renewing your license.

Surgical First Assistant Career Opportunities

You will find different career opportunities for a surgical first assistant, some of them include:

Hospital Staff Assistant

As mentioned above, you can start out as a hospital staff assistant. This is the entry level position for someone who wants to enter into this field.

2. Registered Nurse

After completing your training, you can advance to become a registered nurse. This is an excellent choice for those who want to specialize in surgery.

3. Operating Room Technician

After getting your RN license, you can go on to become an operating room technician. This is a good option for those who want to be close to the action but not directly involved in patient care.

4. Surgical First Assistant

After obtaining your RN license, you may decide to pursue a career as a surgical first assistant.

This is a great opportunity for those who love helping others.

5. Certified Nursing Assistant

Certified nursing assistants perform routine tasks such as bathing patients, feeding patients, changing bed linens, and so forth.

You can choose to work at home, assisted living facilities, or other healthcare facilities.

Others include:

Physician Assistant
Anesthesiologist
Surgeon
Respiratory Therapist
X-ray Technician
Lab Technician
Physical Therapist.

How to Advance your Surgical First Assistant Career

If you want to advance your career as a surgical first assistant, then here are some pointers to follow:

Get Licensed

The first step towards advancing your career is to get licensed. There are several ways to get licensed. One way is to attend college and earn a degree in nursing.

Another way is to take a course through a community college. Following the completion of your degree, you may apply for licensing.

2. Take Additional Courses

Once you have gotten your license, it is time to move forward. In order to do so, you should consider taking additional courses.

These courses will help you learn new skills, improve your knowledge base, and increase your marketability.

3. Network

Networking is another important part of any career. You need to make sure that you network with people who can give you advice about how to further your career.

4. Join Professional Associations

Joining professional associations is also very important when trying to advance your career.

This will allow you to meet professionals who share similar interests. It will also enable you to stay up to date with current trends in the healthcare industry.

5. Attend Meetings

Another effective method of networking is attending meetings. Attending events will allow you to interact with professionals who are working in the same field as you are.

How to Find a Good Surgical First Assistant School

Finding a good school is essential if you want to advance your surgical first assistant career. Here are some ideas to use in locating a good school for your surgical first assistant career:

Research Schools

Before applying to any school, make sure to research them thoroughly. Visit their websites and find out everything there is to know about them.

You can also check online forums where surgical first assistant students post reviews about their experiences with their schools.

2. Check Accreditation Status

Accrediting agencies like The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredit schools.

They ensure that programs are accredited by meeting certain standards.

To determine whether a program is accredited, visit their website. If they don’t list an accrediting agency, then they probably aren’t accredited.

3. Check Reviews

Checking reviews from previous students is one of the best ways to determine which schools are reputable. This information can be found on the school’s own website.

4. Ask Questions

When visiting a potential school, ask questions. You should not just take what the school says.

Instead, ask specific questions about the curriculum, faculty, clinical rotations, etc.

5. Interview Faculty

When interviewing faculty members at a potential school, you should ask them about their experience in teaching and their qualifications.

Also, ask them about their background. For example, did they receive training in surgery? Did they work as a nurse before becoming a professor?

6. Talk to Current Students

Talking to current students is another great way to find out more about a school. When talking to current students, ask them about their experiences.

What were their favorite classes? Which professors helped them most? Which ones didn’t?

7. Look at Graduation Rates

Look at graduation rates. A high rate indicates that a school has a strong reputation for producing quality graduates.

How to be Successful in your Surgical First Assistant Career

Being successful in your surgical first assistant career requires dedication and hard work. There are many different aspects to being a successful surgeon.

Some of these include:

Being dedicated to your job

You have to put in a lot of effort into your job. This includes getting up early, staying late, and putting in long hours.

However, this doesn’t mean that you should neglect other parts of your life. Make a point of balancing your time between home and work.

2. Be prepared

Make sure you always have all of the necessary supplies when performing surgeries. This might look an obvious thing to do, but it’s important to remember.

In addition, make sure you are well-rested and ready to go every day.

3. Stay organized

It’s very easy to get distracted during surgery. Make sure you stay focused and organized so that you don’t miss anything.

Having all of your tools and equipment organized will help you stay organized.

4. Learn new things

If you want to become successful in your surgical first assist job, then you need to keep learning new things.

Surgeons must constantly learn new techniques and procedures. By doing this, you’ll be able to better serve patients and improve your skills.

5. Have fun

Surgery isn’t supposed to be stressful. You’re there to help people and make them feel better.

So, if you’re having fun while working, then you’re going to enjoy your job much more.

What Does a Surgical First Assistant Do?

A surgical first assistant performs various tasks during a surgery. These tasks may include assisting with prepping the patient, holding retractors, or helping the surgeon perform an operation.

The role of the surgical first assistant varies depending on the type of procedure being performed.

Here are some examples of tasks performed by a surgical first assistant:

Preparing the Patient

The surgical first assistant helps prepare the patient for surgery. They clean the area where the surgery will take place.

Then, they apply antiseptic cream to the area. Finally, they use gauze to cover the area.

2. Holding Retractors

Retraction is the process of pulling tissue back from around the site of the surgery. During retraction, the surgical first assistant holds retractors.

Retractors are used to hold tissues in place. For example, during abdominal surgery, the surgical first assistant would hold the abdominal wall in place.

3. Helping the Surgeon

During certain types of operations, such as laparoscopic surgery, the surgical first assistant assists the surgeon.

Laparoscopy is a minimally invasive technique that allows surgeons to see inside the body without making large incisions.

Qualities of a Good Surgical First Assistant

There are several qualities that define a good surgical first assistant. Some of these include:

Knowledge

You must know how to handle medical instruments and equipment. You also need to understand anatomy and physiology.

2. Attitude

Having a positive attitude in carrying out your job can make a big difference. If you’re happy at work, then you’ll be happier overall.

This means that you should show enthusiasm and interest in what you’re doing.

3. Skills

You need to be skilled at using medical instruments and equipment. Also, you need to be adept at handling operating rooms and other areas of the hospital.

4. Communication

Good communication skills are essential. You need to be able to communicate effectively with doctors, nurses, and other staff members.

5. Patience

Patience is another quality that defines a good surgical first assistant because it’s important to have patience when performing surgeries.

It takes time to master all of the necessary skills. Therefore, you need to be patient and not get frustrated.

Surgical First Assistant Salary

According to Glassdoor, the national average compensation for a surgical first assistant in the United States is $65,102 per year.

Surgical First Assistant Job Outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts increase in the employment of health technologists by more than 7% through 2029, including surgical first assistants.

Medical technological advancements, as well as an increasing patient population in need of surgical intervention, will drive up demand for qualified surgical first assistants across the country.

Conclusion

A surgical first assistant is a key member of any surgical team. By learning about the job responsibilities and educational requirements, you can determine if this career path is right for you.