Careers · Explore one path
Surgical Assistants
Assist in operations, under the supervision of surgeons. May, in accordance with state laws, help surgeons to make incisions and close surgical sites, manipulate or remove tissues, implant surgical devices or drains, suction the surgical site, place catheters, clamp or cauterize vessels or tissue, and apply dressings to surgical site.
Other titles employers use
Certified First Assistant (CFA) · Certified Registered Nurse First Assistant (CRNFA) · Certified Surgical Assistant (CSA) · Certified Surgical First Assistant (CSFA) · Certified Surgical Technician · Gastrointestinal Technician (GI Technician) · Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA) · Surgical First Assistant
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Verify the identity of patient or operative site.
- Monitor and maintain aseptic technique throughout procedures.
- Cover patients with surgical drapes to create and maintain a sterile operative field.
- Coordinate or participate in the positioning of patients, using body stabilizing equipment or protective padding to provide appropriate exposure for the procedure or to protect against nerve damage or circulation impairment.
- Maintain an unobstructed operative field, using surgical retractors, sponges, or suctioning and irrigating equipment.
- Prepare and apply sterile wound dressings.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to practical, organizing and helping work.
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Coordination
Subjects to know
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Biology
- Education and Training
Useful strengths
- Oral Comprehension
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Finger Dexterity
- Near Vision
- Oral Expression
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 4.9 | Arm’s length or closer, most of the day |
| On your feet | 4.3 | Standing or moving for most of it |
| Talking face to face | 4.4 | A regular part of the day |
| Working with your hands | 4.5 | Handling tools, instruments or materials |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a postsecondary certificate. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A certificate or some college 26%
- A two-year degree 25%
- A master's degree 24%
- High school or less 13%
- A four-year degree 8%
- A doctorate or professional degree 4%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Medical software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Presentation software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 2,210
- Job openings each year
- 150
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 11.6%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 2,210 | 150 | 11.6% |
| Texas | 2,130 | 150 | 15.8% |
| Tennessee | 1,420 | 100 | 14.5% |
| Georgia | 950 | 70 | 14.5% |
| Michigan | 850 | 50 | 2.4% |
| Virginia | 720 | 50 | 5.9% |
| Ohio | 710 | 40 | 2.9% |
| Arizona | 700 | 50 | 25.0% |
| Colorado | 600 | 40 | 13.2% |
| Oklahoma | 590 | 40 | 1.7% |
| Kentucky | 540 | 30 | 5.9% |
| Missouri | 520 | 30 | 6.1% |
| New Jersey | 500 | 30 | 8.7% |
| Pennsylvania | 480 | 30 | 4.3% |
| Minnesota | 440 | 30 | 4.8% |
| Illinois | 390 | 20 | — |
| Louisiana | 380 | 20 | 2.7% |
| Alabama | 360 | 20 | 9.1% |
| New Mexico | 360 | 30 | 28.6% |
| Utah | 350 | 30 | 25.0% |
| Indiana | 340 | 20 | 3.0% |
| South Carolina | 340 | 20 | 13.3% |
| North Carolina | 330 | 20 | 17.9% |
| Maryland | 290 | 20 | 3.6% |
| New Hampshire | 250 | 20 | 4.2% |
| Wisconsin | 230 | 20 | 4.5% |
| West Virginia | 210 | 10 | — |
| Mississippi | 190 | 10 | 5.6% |
| Connecticut | 180 | 10 | 20.0% |
| Kansas | 160 | 10 | 6.7% |
| Nebraska | 110 | 10 | 10.0% |
| Puerto Rico | 110 | 10 | 22.2% |
| Rhode Island | 90 | 10 | — |
| Iowa | 80 | 10 | — |
| Massachusetts | 80 | 0 | 14.3% |
| South Dakota | 70 | 10 | 16.7% |
| North Dakota | 50 | 0 | 25.0% |
| Maine | 20 | 0 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
Boise State University
- Degrees each year
- 272
- Admit rate
- 84%
- Annual cost after aid
- $21,000
Midwestern State University
- Degrees each year
- 218
- Admit rate
- 87%
- Annual cost after aid
- $11,000
Oregon Institute of Technology
- Degrees each year
- 168
- Admit rate
- 92%
- Annual cost after aid
- $14,000
University of Missouri-Columbia
- Degrees each year
- 93
- Admit rate
- 77%
- Annual cost after aid
- $14,000
Ohio State University-Main Campus
- Degrees each year
- 87
- Admit rate
- 51%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
Sacred Heart University
- Degrees each year
- 86
- Admit rate
- 68%
- Annual cost after aid
- $42,000
Georgia Southern University
- Degrees each year
- 84
- Admit rate
- 90%
- Annual cost after aid
- $15,000
MCPHS University
- Degrees each year
- 76
- Admit rate
- 85%
- Annual cost after aid
- $38,000
Compare every college offering allied health diagnostic, intervention, and treatment professions