How to hire surgical assistants
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Assist members of surgical team with gowning or gloving. • Assist with patient resuscitation during cardiac arrest or other life-threatening events. • Cover patients with surgical drapes to create and maintain a sterile operative field. • Maintain an unobstructed operative field, using surgical retractors, sponges, or suctioning and irrigating equipment. • Monitor and maintain aseptic technique throughout procedures. • Obtain or inspect sterile or non-sterile surgical equipment, instruments, or supplies. • Pass instruments or supplies to surgeon during procedure. • Verify the identity of patient or operative site. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: Postsecondary nondegree award] • Strong active listening, speaking, critical thinking, monitoring, reading comprehension and learning strategies skills • Working knowledge of medicine and dentistry and education and training • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $32.11 an hour ($66,800 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for surgical assistants
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to assist members of surgical team with gowning or gloving. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to assist with patient resuscitation during cardiac arrest or other life-threatening events. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to cover patients with surgical drapes to create and maintain a sterile operative field. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to maintain an unobstructed operative field, using surgical retractors, sponges, or suctioning and irrigating equipment. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Explain something technical from your last job as you would to a new coworker.
- Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What surgical assistants do
- Assist members of surgical team with gowning or gloving.
- Assist with patient resuscitation during cardiac arrest or other life-threatening events.
- Cover patients with surgical drapes to create and maintain a sterile operative field.
- Maintain an unobstructed operative field, using surgical retractors, sponges, or suctioning and irrigating equipment.
- Monitor and maintain aseptic technique throughout procedures.
- Obtain or inspect sterile or non-sterile surgical equipment, instruments, or supplies.
- Pass instruments or supplies to surgeon during procedure.
- Verify the identity of patient or operative site.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for surgical assistants
- Typical education to start: Postsecondary nondegree award (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 1 to 2 years (O*NET)
- Job outlook: +6.1% over ten years, faster than average · about 1,400 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay surgical assistants
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Tennessee | $81,640 |
| Illinois | $80,210 |
| Virginia | $78,910 |
| Wisconsin | $78,030 |
| Ohio | $77,450 |
| Michigan | $56,430 |
| Georgia | $49,520 |
| Missouri | $49,400 |
See surgical assistants pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Surgical Technologists
- Physician Assistants
- Paramedics
- Emergency Medical Technicians
- Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians
- Respiratory Therapists
- Medical Assistants
- Ophthalmic Medical Technicians
- Nursing Assistants
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.