Occupation · SOC 29-9093
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.
Median wage
$60,290
$39,540–$102,390
Projected growth
+5.1%
Average growth
Annual openings
130
per year
Employed (US)
22,860
Job Zone 3
Typical preparation
Medium preparation
Stackable credential programs
142 mapped
Core skills
Active ListeningSpeakingCritical ThinkingMonitoringReading ComprehensionCoordinationService OrientationOperations Monitoring
Knowledge areas
Medicine and DentistryCustomer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguageBiologyEducation and Training
Technology & tools
Medical softwareSpreadsheet softwareOffice suite softwarePresentation softwareWord processing software
Representative tasks
Verify the identity of patient or operative site.Monitor and maintain aseptic technique throughout procedures.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.Cover patients with surgical drapes to create and maintain a sterile operative field.Maintain an unobstructed operative field, using surgical retractors, sponges, or suctioning and irrigating equipment.Apply sutures, staples, clips, or other materials to close skin, facia, or subcutaneous wound layers.Prepare and apply sterile wound dressings.Determine availability of necessary equipment or supplies for operative procedures.Discuss with surgeon the nature of the surgical procedure, including operative consent, methods of operative exposure, diagnostic or laboratory data, or patient-advanced directives or other needs.Clamp, ligate, or cauterize blood vessels to control bleeding during surgical entry, using hemostatic clamps, suture ligatures, or electrocautery equipment.Assess skin integrity or other body conditions upon completion of the procedure to determine if damage has occurred from body positioning.Assist with patient resuscitation during cardiac arrest or other life-threatening events.Obtain or inspect sterile or non-sterile surgical equipment, instruments, or supplies.Operate sterilizing devices.Pass instruments or supplies to surgeon during procedure.Monitor patient intra-operative status, including patient position, vital signs, or volume and color of blood.Assist in the insertion, positioning, or suturing of closed-wound drainage systems.Assist members of surgical team with gowning or gloving.Gather, arrange, or assemble instruments or supplies.Coordinate with anesthesia personnel to maintain patient temperature.Adjust and maintain operating room temperature, humidity, or lighting, according to surgeon's specifications.Assist in applying casts, splints, braces, or similar devices.Transport patients to operating room.Remove patient hair or disinfect incision sites to prepare patient for surgery.Incise tissue layers in lower extremities to harvest veins.Postoperatively inject a subcutaneous local anesthetic agent to reduce pain.Insert or remove urinary bladder catheters.Assist in volume replacement or autotransfusion techniques.
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Patient identity and operative site verification — confirm using standard protocols under direct supervision before each surgical procedure.Aseptic technique fundamentals — recognize and follow established sterility standards under supervision in a controlled operating room environment.Surgical draping materials — apply sterile drapes to patients under direct guidance to establish a basic sterile operative field.Patient positioning equipment — assist senior staff in placing body stabilizers and protective padding on patients prior to routine surgical procedures.Surgical sponges and basic suction devices — handle and pass to the surgical team under supervision to help maintain a clear operative field.Sterile wound dressings — prepare and apply under direct supervision following standard post-operative protocols in the operating room.Operative consent documentation — review and verify patient consent forms under guidance before assisting on assigned surgical cases.Medical terminology and surgical instrument names — identify and use correctly when communicating with the surgical team during orientation rotations.Retractor placement techniques — observe and assist with basic tissue retraction under the direction of the lead surgical assistant or surgeon.Operative safety checklists — complete and report findings using standardized forms under supervision prior to and following surgical procedures.
developing
Patient identity protocols — independently verify patient identity and operative site against surgical records at the start of each procedure with minimal oversight.Aseptic field integrity — monitor and maintain sterile technique throughout routine surgical procedures, recognizing and correcting minor breaks without prompting.Sterile operative field — apply and adjust surgical drapes during a variety of routine procedures to sustain consistent sterility throughout the operation.Patient positioning and padding — coordinate the placement of patients using body stabilizing equipment for common surgical exposures, applying protective padding to prevent nerve or circulatory complications.Retractors, sponges, and irrigation equipment — manage and deploy during routine procedures to maintain an unobstructed operative field with reduced supervisor intervention.Wound closure materials — apply sutures, staples, and clips to close skin, fascia, and subcutaneous layers on routine cases following surgeon direction.Sterile wound dressings — prepare, select, and apply appropriate dressings independently for standard post-operative wounds in a general surgery setting.Pre-operative case review — discuss with the surgeon the procedure type, operative exposure methods, and patient directives before each assigned case.Intraoperative problem recognition — identify and report deviations from expected operative conditions such as unexpected bleeding or positioning complications to the surgeon promptly.Electronic medical records and office software — document surgical assistant activities, patient data, and post-operative notes accurately using hospital information systems.
proficient
Patient safety verification — autonomously execute and troubleshoot pre-operative identity and site-marking protocols across a full range of surgical specialties in high-volume operating room environments.Advanced aseptic technique — sustain and restore sterile conditions across complex, prolonged procedures, coaching junior staff on sterility standards without surgeon prompting.Complex operative field draping — design and execute sterile draping configurations for non-routine or minimally invasive procedures, adapting to unexpected changes in surgical approach.High-risk patient positioning — lead the positioning of patients with complex anatomical or vascular considerations, selecting specialized stabilizing equipment to prevent injury across diverse procedure types.Multi-instrument field management — simultaneously coordinate retractors, suction, irrigation, and sponge counts during complex surgical cases to maintain continuous operative exposure and patient safety.Multi-layer wound closure — perform closure of skin, fascia, and subcutaneous layers using sutures, staples, and clips across varied anatomical sites and wound complexities with autonomous clinical judgment.Specialized wound dressing application — select and apply advanced dressings, including negative-pressure and antimicrobial options, based on wound assessment for complex post-operative patients.Surgeon case consultation — engage surgeons in substantive pre-operative discussion of consent, diagnostic data, exposure methods, and patient advance directives to align operative planning.Intraoperative critical thinking — anticipate and resolve non-routine intraoperative complications, such as equipment failure or unexpected anatomy, with independent decision-making in the operating room.Cross-functional team coordination — synchronize activities among anesthesia, nursing, and surgical teams during complex procedures to optimize patient outcomes and workflow efficiency.
advanced
Surgical assistant practice standards — establish and champion department-wide protocols for patient verification, aseptic technique, and wound closure in alignment with accreditation and regulatory requirements.Mentorship and clinical training — design and deliver structured on-the-job training programs for emerging and developing surgical assistants within the facility's procedural areas.Quality and safety program leadership — lead root-cause analyses of aseptic breaches, positioning injuries, or wound complications, implementing systemic improvements across the surgical service line.Operative field and positioning policy — author and update institutional policies for patient positioning, padding standards, and sterile field management based on current evidence and adverse-event data.Strategic case planning consultation — partner with surgical directors and department chiefs to review complex case logistics, patient directives, and resource allocation for high-acuity surgical schedules.Technology and equipment governance — evaluate, recommend, and oversee the adoption of new surgical instruments, closure materials, and wound care technologies at the organizational level.Performance competency assessment — develop and administer objective skill-validation tools for surgical assistants, informing credentialing and privileging decisions for the healthcare system.Interdisciplinary policy development — collaborate with nursing leadership, infection control, and risk management to co-author integrated surgical safety and sterility policies across the enterprise.Data-driven outcomes reporting — synthesize operative outcome metrics, wound complication rates, and patient safety data using documentation systems to present actionable recommendations to hospital leadership.Professional and regulatory advocacy — represent surgical assistants in professional bodies, accreditation reviews, and workforce planning forums, shaping scope-of-practice standards at a system or regional level.
Also known as
211 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Surgical Technologist Craftsman, Orthopedics (Air Force 4N171C)Surgeon, Pediatric (Air Force 45S1D)Pheresis SpecialistOR Surgical Tech (Operating Room Surgical Technician)Fleet Marine Force Reconnaissance Independent Duty Corpsman (Navy 001317)Aerospace Medical Service Journeyman, Aeromedical Education Technician (Air Force 4N051G)Surgical Technologist Helper (Air Force 4N111)Surgical Technologist Craftsman, Urology (Air Force 4N171B)Surgical Technologist Apprentice (Air Force 4N131)Surgeon, Oncology (Air Force 45S3H)Surgical Technologist Helper, Urology (Air Force 4N111B)Surgeon, Peripheral Vascular (Air Force 45S4E)General Surgeon (Army 61J)Aerospace Medical Service Apprentice, Independent Duty Medical Technician (Air Force 4N031C)Peripheral Vascular Surgeon (Army 61W)Nurse Corps Officer (Army 66)Aerospace Medical Service Helper, Neurodiagnostic Medical Technician (Air Force 4N011B)Surgical Technologist Journeyman, Orthopedics (Air Force 4N151C)Aerospace Medical Service Helper, National Registry Paramedic (Air Force 4N011H)Perioperative Nurse (Navy 0932)Medical Deep Sea Diving Technician (Navy 003020)Dental Assistant Helper (Air Force 4Y011)Aerospace Medical Service Manager (Air Force 4N000)Surgeon, Neurological (Air Force 45S1F)Pararescue Apprentice (Air Force 1Z131)Certified First Assistant (CFA)Transplant CoordinatorOperating Room TechnicianOrthopedic Surgeon, Hand Surgery (Air Force 45B3A)Surgeon, Thoracic (Air Force 45S1A)Surgical Technologist (Air Force 4N1X1)Orthopedic Surgeon, Hand Surgery (Air Force 45B4A)Sugical Technologist (Navy L23A)Dental Assistant Journeyman (Air Force 4Y051)Aerospace Medical Service Craftsman, National Registry Paramedic (Air Force 4N071H)Deep Sea Diving Independent Duty Corpsman (Navy L28A)Operating Room AssistantHealth Services Management Helper (Air Force 4A011)Aerospace Medical Service Journeyman, Neurodiagnostic Medical Technician (Air Force 4N051B)Surgical Dental Assistant