Surgical Assisting for First Timers

Surgical Assisting presents a great opportunity for those that are passionate about the field of surgery. There are Surgical Assistants enjoying a flexible lifestyle throughout Australia in major capital cities and regionally. Whether you are looking to gain extra surgical experience, meet surgeons in your field of interest, or simply looking for an additional source of income, surgical assisting can be right for you. In Australia, surgical assistants are frequently used in the private sector to assist the primary surgeon at the time of the operation. A surgical assistant plays a very important role as a member of the team. Depending on the operation being performed, there is frequently an associated ‘Assistant’ fee attached to the surgical item number, that represents 20% of the surgeon’s fee for that case. You must hold full medical registration to claim this fee (i.e. interns cannot assist and earn money).

When you consider the financial remuneration of a surgical assistant, it can be significant. There are minimal overheads, no admin staff, and the ability to earn consistent money every day of the week. You won’t need to find your own patients, do any medical marketing, or create your own business cards anymore. OpAlert brings all of this to one easy to use platform for Surgeons, Surgical Assistants and Anaesthetists.

Important tips for assisting include:

1. Ensuring that your medical registration, medical indemnity insurance, and hospital accreditation are up to date
2. Arriving at the hospital 10-15minutes prior to the case start time
3. Introduce yourself to the staff in the operative room
4. Assist with theatre setup and organisation between cases
5. Bring a pen to assist with the paper work between cases
6. Collect the relevant patient details and item numbers for billing purposes
7. Enjoy yourself!

Surgical assisting is such a rewarding experience, that many people choose to make it their full time profession! Go out and Enjoy!