Education

Core Curriculum

If you are an educator thinking about starting a program in surgical assisting, download the ASA Core Curriculum for Surgical Assisting, 4th Edition. If you have questions about surgical assisting education, contact ASA.

Prospective Students

ASA recommends that surgical technologists who are interested in becoming surgical assistants (also called surgical first assistants) complete a certificate program or an associate degree in surgical technology, which is required by some states for licensure, and become certified before beginning a CAAHEP-accredited program in surgical assisting.

Surgical assisting programs are typically certificate programs that vary in length from 12-24 months. As a student, you will learn advanced surgical theory in classes such as surgical pharmacology, advanced pathology, bioscience, anesthesia methods and agents, and others. Plus, you will complete a clinical rotation documenting 135 procedures covering a range of specialties.

Accredited Surgical Assisting Programs

While there are currently 13 surgical assisting programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), other programs are in process. The most updated lists of accredited programs in surgical technology and surgical assisting are available on the CAAHEP website.

• College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, Illinois
• Collin College, McKinney, Texas
• Delta College, University Center, Michigan
• Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia
• Fayetteville Technical Community College
• Gulf Coast State College, Panama City, Florida
• Madisonville Community College, Madisonville, Kentucky
• Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota
• Meridian Institute, Nashville, Tennessee
• Stark State, North Canton, Ohio
• Southeast Community College, Lincoln, Nebraska
• Wayne County Community College-Northwest Campus, Detroit, Michigan

Some of the programs above are available in an online format.

Certification as a Surgical First Assistant (CSFA)

Graduating from a CAAHEP-accredited surgical first assisting program ensures your eligibility to sit for the Surgical First Assistant Certification Exam. Registration, certification or licensure may be required for you to practice as a surgical assistant in some states.

Once you are certified, you’ll need to complete ongoing education to maintain your credential. ASA also recommends that you continue your formal education until you complete a bachelor’s program in an allied health field. While a bachelor’s degree is not currently required by employers or legislators in order to practice, it may be in the future. 

Core Curriculum for Surgical Assisting