Career overview
Surgical Assistants
O*NET-SOC 29-9093.00
Median pay / yr$60,290
OutlookRapid Growth
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.
What it takes
The skills, knowledge, and credentials employers look for in Surgical Assistants.
Skills employers look for
- Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
- Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Knowledge areas
- Medicine and DentistryKnowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
- Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
- BiologyKnowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
- Education and TrainingKnowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Certifications that help you get hired
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