Help surgeons during operations by preparing patients, passing instruments, and managing the surgical site.
You may also see this posted as: Certified Surgical First Assistant (CSFA), Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA), Surgical First Assistant, Surgical Technician (Surgical Tech), Certified First Assistant (CFA), Certified Registered Nurse First Assistant (CRNFA).
Hospital and clinic operating rooms
Full time, some on-call
Realistic
working with tools, equipment, materials, or the physical world
Conventional
organizing information, following systems, and getting details right
Social
helping, teaching, caring for, or supporting other people
O*NET job zone 3 of 5
Medium preparation—often vocational training, an associate degree, or substantial experience—is usually needed.
Examples employers report—not a checklist you must already know.
May 2025 BLS wage & employment data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.
Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.
“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.
BLS estimates 8.6% of workers in this occupation are self-employed.
Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.
Certificate program
Training path: Postsecondary surgical assistant program.
Related work experience: None.
On-the-job training: None.
No state license in most places; certification such as CSA or CSFA is commonly expected.
Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.
Assists surgeons during operations, a step up from the surgical tech role in responsibility.
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Standard Occupational Classification 29-9093. Pay and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; tasks, interests, work styles, software examples, and job zone from O*NET 30.3. See something off? Tell us.