Course Contents                                                                                                     

The ESSFA Assistant at Surgery Curriculum is a comprehensive guide to learning to perform in the role of the Assistant at Surgery. This self paced, online course concentrates not only on the technical skills required of a First Assistant, but the organizational skills and mind set needed to assume the role of a First Assistant in surgery.

The technical skills are taught through a DVD and online video series which teaches surgical knot tying and suturing, patient positioning, equipment needed for various surgical procedures and its proper usage, advanced assisting techniques, and insight into the role of the First Assistant from practicing First Assistants and the surgeons who utilize their services.

The student will attend an intense and challenging Six-Day Technique Enhancement Seminar conducted by the highly skilled and experienced First Assistant instructors who will teach the students the latest surgical techniques in multiple surgical specialties. Using state of the art surgical simulators provided by Surgical Training Aids Inc., and Delletec, the student will gain a broad knowledge base from which to build upon. Lectures from working First Assistants and surgeons will help the students gain a valuable insight into the role.

Clinical preceptorship includes 135 cases with 300 minimum hours to be held at the students home facility and overseen by the surgeon(s) of the students own choosing will allow the student to perfect the techniques taught in the course.

Organizational skills are taught through independent case studies that challenge the student to teach themselves the research skills required to better understand the role of the First Assistant and the procedures they will be assisting on. This will lead to improved patient care and optimal surgical outcomes as well as increasing the students' value as an expert member of the surgical team.

Other areas that are taught include medical legal aspects of the role of the First Assistant in surgery and some of the business skills the student will need in order to build a successful career in whatever capacity.

Whether the student intends to work for a physician, a facility, or as an independent, upon completion of this course he/she will have a better understanding of the business side of patient care. After the completion of predetermined sections of course material and course requirements, the student will be given a section examination. Upon the students passing of this section examination, the student will be issued a certificate of completion.

These sections are identified as Sections A, the suture and tying course, the Six day Technique Enhancement Course, Sections B, C, and D. Completion of Section D results in the student being issued a certificate of course completion.