SA Vs. PA

[donrumsey]

I realize the difference in the two. My question is... if one is more interested in surgery side of things, would going to a SA school be a better route?

[Just Steve]

Is "SA" Surgical Assist? I have always heard the term of "First Assist" as the person with the second set of hands.

 

One over the other... I suppose it depends if you want a role outside of the surgical suite.

[donrumsey]

Surgical Assistant. EVMS has a 2 yr Master's program. Just wondering... Haven't seen too many of those type of programs.

[OpSite]

I'm just guessing (because I don't really know the scope of practice for an SA), but even if you really find yourself attracted to assisting in the OR, you might want to think about the chance that someday there might be another avenue down which you'd like to travel. Pursuing a PA degree allows this latitude where I'm assuming the SA doesn't. If you can ever see yourself doing something other than surgery, you would be better served to become a PA. As a PA you can do surgery. As an SA (again an assumption), you're not likely going to be practicing medicine...at least not in any other realm.

[cecilia]

also, some states don't allow SA's as far as I know, California is one.

[brookspa]

check out the program at UAB. ( Univ of Al Bham)

[andersenpa]

As others said- you will ONLY assist as an SA. No perioperative care.

Some surg PAs do first assist only at the end of their careers since it's good money and no on call for some jobs. But you will have no exposure to clinical medicine (if that matters to you!)

[JFarnsworth]

I know that in the Kaiser system here in Nor Cal, the nurses kicked up a stink about SAs in the hopes of making Kaiser hire RN first assists. Kaiser opted to hire PAs instead. That being said, the Kaiser that still had SAs utilized PAs as SAs and the PAs didn't seem to know the difference. It was kind of sad that the PAs were never asked to do much pre or post op care for the patients...as you can imagine, this job got very boring very quickly. And yet some of my fellow PAs there thought this was PA Nirvana. My opinion is that many surgeons have different ideas of what they want you to do. If you want to stay in the OR and never leave, be an SA. If you are interested in the medical side of surgery and/or doing something different, go become a PA.

[Friction]

OP might be interested in something like the program linked below. Did any of the current PA's here look into something like this or have experience working with perfusionists? If so, what are your opinions on the job?

 

http://www.midwestern.edu/Programs_and_Admission/AZ_Cardiovascular_Science.html

[hopeful29]

Hi donrumsey. I applied to the EVMS program. Send me a private message if u want my email address...

[anagoldberg]

There are a few PA programs that have a focus on surgery. I know for sure that Cornell is one of them. Another option!

[michellabellaaa]

SA salaries are ALOT LESS then PA salaries, check salary.com I know of a surigical PA working in general making 199K and salary.com says SA makes about 44..