I really could use some answers/help to my questions about becoming a Surgical assistant.. Thanks

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John Sp in Washougal, Washington 43 months ago	Ok... So first off i'd like to thank all and everyone who helps me figure out what I need to accomplish to become a surgical assistant. First off, how does one become a SA(what education is needed?)? 2nd - What would I need to major in to become a SA? 3rd - Do I need previous experience in a hospital before I can even apply to an SA program? 4th - What do you need prior to joining a SA program? (degree? experience?) 5th - What do you do in an SA program? 6th - What classes would I need to take to qualify for the SA program? Thanks again guys John - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
john tc mi in Traverse City, Michigan 42 months ago	John Sp in Washougal, Washington said: Ok... So first off i'd like to thank all and everyone who helps me figure out what I need to accomplish to become a surgical assistant. First off, how does one become a SA(what education is needed?)? 2nd - What would I need to major in to become a SA? 3rd - Do I need previous experience in a hospital before I can even apply to an SA program? 4th - What do you need prior to joining a SA program? (degree? experience?) 5th - What do you do in an SA program? 6th - What classes would I need to take to qualify for the SA program? Thanks again guys John JOHN GOTO NSAA.NET OR GOTO NIFA OR GOTO MERIDIA - Was this comment helpful? Yes (1) / No Reply - Report abuse
Benn in Tucson, Arizona 42 months ago	Here is the one I went through: www.acesatraining.com www.absa.net - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia 42 months ago	Benn in Tucson, Arizona said: Here is the one I went through: www.acesatraining.com www.absa.net Hi, Benn Did you take the all classes of ACESA training ? How was "the 6-day Surgical Skill Lab" ? Did you need 9 months for the on-line classes ? How much did you pay for all of it ? Are you working right now as Surgical assistant ? Thank you ! - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Shemuel-Benn Psalms in Tucson, Arizona 42 months ago	Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia said: Hi, Benn Did you take the all classes of ACESA training ? How was "the 6-day Surgical Skill Lab" ? Did you need 9 months for the on-line classes ? How much did you pay for all of it ? Are you working right now as Surgical assistant ? Thank you ! Yes, I took all of the required classes. The lab was really awesome, Dan Bump does a great job and you learn a lot. You have no choice but to take 9 months for the didactic portion since they only electronically release one set of exam per month. You have a total of 17 months to complete the exams, the workshop and the 135 required cases in different specialties. I continued to assist even though my required minimum cases were completed. I assisted in just under 200 cases total in 6 months, not bad, considering I work 40 hours a week. I completed all of it in just under 10 months (not icluding the lag it took to get my hospital to sign the contract letting me do my clinicals there. There is an option to pay 215.00 a month until the whole 5 grand or so is paid off, the only hitch is that you have to be paid in FULL before you graduate, no matter if you have everything else done. I am not working yet. I take my SA-C exam in January. Plus, my last payment still hasn't cleared on my "loan". - Was this comment helpful? Yes (2) / No Reply - Report abuse
Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia 42 months ago	Hi, Benn and thank you for your answer! Did you get any certification after the 6-day surgical skill lab ? - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia 42 months ago	..and I have another question : did they offer you the books for the didactic part ? How much did you pay for it? The books for the exam are those from ABSA.net website ? Thank you! - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Shemuel-Benn Psalms in Tucson, Arizona 42 months ago	Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia said: ..and I have another question : did they offer you the books for the didactic part ? How much did you pay for it? The books for the exam are those from ABSA.net website ? Thank you! No certificate, the workshop is a course requirement and a prerequisite for your clincal rotations. I took the workshop at the very beginning when I signed up, so i could immediately start with my clinicals and do my course work at the same time. There are required texts for the course, plus what they give you online in the form of documents to read. ABSA and ACESA are TOTALLY different, so no, the texts are not the same. - Was this comment helpful? Yes (1) / No Reply - Report abuse
Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia 42 months ago	But, they don't give you a certificate of completion of the course ? - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia 42 months ago	You don't prepare now for ACESA exam ? I know that they are different. - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Shemuel-Benn Psalms in Tucson, Arizona 42 months ago	Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia said: You don't prepare now for ACESA exam ? I know that they are different. ACESA doesn't give you a certification exam. You take unit exams throughout the course. Yes, you do get a certificate. You give a copy of the course completion certificate to ABSA, which makes you eligible for the certification exam. Graduating from ACESA makes you eligible to sit for the ABASA SA-C exam. - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia 42 months ago	I will have my 6-day skill lab in febr; Would you like to give me a list with the books you prepared for the course ? What kind of material do you study ? - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Shemuel-Benn Psalms in Tucson, Arizona 42 months ago	Ummm...if you are signed up with ACESA, they give you a list of books needed for the course. the 6 day lab stands alone and you don't need to study or take anything except for your instruments and gloves. Again, the lab stands alone and the only books you'll need for the course are given to you when you sign up. I didn't pay for my books at all. I checked them out at the medical library and renewed them until the end of my course. - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia 42 months ago	I didn't mean a certification exam; I said a certification of completion of the 6day lab course....but you said that you have got that... - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Shemuel-Benn Psalms in Tucson, Arizona 42 months ago	Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia said: I didn't mean a certification exam; I said a certification of completion of the 6day lab course....but you said that you have got that... Again, no certificate for the course, simply checked off the list on the web. - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia 42 months ago	I already signed up but only for the 6day lab course; I don't have money for the didactic part; I'm going to study by myself, that why I asked for the list of books ! - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia 42 months ago	What do you mean by "excepting for your instruments and gloves" Do they put us to buy it? - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia 42 months ago	In the "6day lab agenda" they say that you receive a Certificate of Completion - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Shemuel-Benn Psalms in Tucson, Arizona 42 months ago	Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia said: In the "6day lab agenda" they say that you receive a Certificate of Completion oh, okay..that one. just a piece of paper and you get to take a picture with Dan. - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia 42 months ago	Benn, it's Ok if you don't want to give the list of the books ! - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia 42 months ago	Tell me about instruments and gloves: did you buy them ? - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Shemuel-Benn Psalms in Tucson, Arizona 42 months ago	no, i just don't know their names off hand...i don't really care if you have them dude. - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No (1) Reply - Report abuse
Shemuel-Benn Psalms in Tucson, Arizona 42 months ago	Clinically Oriented Anatomy – 4th or 5 th Edition Surgical Technology for the Surgical Technologist A Positive Care Approach Current Surgical Diagnosis & Treatment - 11th Edition (Way’s not Doherty’s) 12th Edition I borrowed the instruments from work and kept them in a pencil box during the course. Gloves were non contaminated opened ones from work also. - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Shemuel-Benn Psalms in Tucson, Arizona 42 months ago	Clinically Oriented Anatomy – 4th or 5 th Edition Surgical Technology for the Surgical Technologist A Positive Care Approach Current Surgical Diagnosis & Treatment - 11th Edition (Way’s not Doherty’s) 12th Edition - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia 42 months ago	Only 3 books ??!! - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Shemuel-Benn Psalms in Tucson, Arizona 42 months ago	Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia said: Only 3 books ??!! Are you signed up for the entire course? I wasn't aware that you could just take the lab, unless for CME credit or something I guess. If so, you need to take the instuments they list (driver, pick up, scissor, weitlaner retractor)and hopefully you can borrow them because they are really expensive Honestly, I'm not sure how you can study without knowing what to study for, plus, they give you some online articles to read. good luck with that. - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia 42 months ago	Because I'm a foreign medical doctor, they allowed me to sign up only for the lab's course. But, I haven't know that they don't give you instruments as long as you pay for the course!! I'm going to study all the material from ABSA website - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia 42 months ago	You give ABSA exam, not ACESA; ACESA gives you only the training for participation for the ABSA exam. - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia 42 months ago	I'm a foreign medical doctor with no income; in USA I'm like a nothing; I can't do anything; I took a lot of exams with no future as a doctor; Now I'm going to try this path ... - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Shemuel-Benn Psalms in Tucson, Arizona 42 months ago	Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia said: I'm a foreign medical doctor with no income; in USA I'm like a nothing; I can't do anything; I took a lot of exams with no future as a doctor; Now I'm going to try this path ... Look man, don't even say that. You may not be credentialed here, but what really counts is that you take care of people. To the people I work with, I'm just a tech, but I've personally saved lives, or have been part of a team that did. Yesterday, I was walking through pre-op and they brought a patient in who blew his patch from his CEA that he had that morning. I put pressure on his neck, alerted anesthesia not to take my routine case back, but to help us with this dude. We opened his neck on the hospital bed, evacuated the hematoma (which deviated his airway), and clamped his bleeding ICA. I assisted in sewing in a new patch while talking a nurse through scrubbing the case....and I'm just "a tech". What matters is where your heart is. Once you get your SA, you'll be recognized by those you work with as an important part of the team. - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia 42 months ago	Thanks!! - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Pura in Baltimore, Maryland 41 months ago	is there any website or book/guide having sample practice test or questions for C-SA exam? I appreciate your help. Thanks in advance - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia 41 months ago	Hi, Benn ! Good luck with your exam. I know it is in January. - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Shemuel-Benn Psalms in Tucson, Arizona 41 months ago	Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia said: Hi, Benn ! Good luck with your exam. I know it is in January. Thanks! It got pushed back to January 30th, but the good news is that I only have to drive up to Phoenix instead of having to fly to Houston to sit for it... - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia 41 months ago	You still have another month until then, so good luck with the preparation for the exam! Good news for you! - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
CSELMAN in Dayton, Ohio 40 months ago	THIS IS A WONDERFUL CLASS - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Mia Talau in Atlanta, Georgia 40 months ago	Benn, good luck on exam!!! - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Shemuel-Benn Psalms in Tucson, Arizona 40 months ago	thanks. - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Tommy Littlefoot in Richmond, Virginia 40 months ago	Dan Bump is like a crack dealer who pressures all of the little playground kids into buying his crap..... I paid $5000 for the NIFA course and got some 5th grade workbooks and a piece of foam and some suture (wow never could have gotten foam and suture on my own!), so I figured this NIFA course is a scam and not worth it.... SO I go to the ACESA course...what do you know....the same crap there too...and I find out Dan Bump also started that one!!!! So now I am $10,000 in the hole and I realize that everything I learned in the Army allowed me to sit for the exam. Thank you Uncle SAM and screw you Dan Bump!! NIFA and ACESA are rip offs, go to someone else, learn on the job...whatever it takes, just do not give Dan Bump your money!!! P.S.---- anyone want to buy some crappy foam and suture for $10,000???? By the way, I have done a ton of suturing on people and it is TOTALLY different than on some foam... if you want to learn, just buy some pigs feet - Was this comment helpful? Yes (1) / No Reply - Report abuse
Shemuel-Benn Psalms in Tucson, Arizona 40 months ago	Tommy Littlefoot in Richmond, Virginia said: Dan Bump is like a crack dealer who pressures all of the little playground kids into buying his crap..... I paid $5000 for the NIFA course and got some 5th grade workbooks and a piece of foam and some suture (wow never could have gotten foam and suture on my own!), so I figured this NIFA course is a scam and not worth it.... SO I go to the ACESA course...what do you know....the same crap there too...and I find out Dan Bump also started that one!!!! So now I am $10,000 in the hole and I realize that everything I learned in the Army allowed me to sit for the exam. Thank you Uncle SAM and screw you Dan Bump!! NIFA and ACESA are rip offs, go to someone else, learn on the job...whatever it takes, just do not give Dan Bump your money!!! P.S.---- anyone want to buy some crappy foam and suture for $10,000???? By the way, I have done a ton of suturing on people and it is TOTALLY different than on some foam... if you want to learn, just buy some pigs feet The only reason I took ACESA'S program was to be able to sit for the ABSA exam. Basic sewing and tying I did learn at the work shop. However, most of my "skills" came from the internship required by the program. Side by side with the surgeons. I wasn't really impressed with the entire process, but Dan is a very nice guy. In order to work in the field, most of us have to graduate from a program and then take the certification exam. A raquet? Probably, but that's what I had to do. It took a year of my life, but I'm starting out on my own soon, just waiting for hospital privilages to go through. Jump through the hoops. Pay the 5K, make it back, forget about how stupid it all is, just get'er done. Just my opinion. - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
OR2DOx in Scottsdale, Arizona 40 months ago	Shemuel-Benn Psalms in Tucson, Arizona said: Thanks! It got pushed back to January 30th, but the good news is that I only have to drive up to Phoenix instead of having to fly to Houston to sit for it... Hi ben! First of all my congratulations for passing the SA-C exam. Good luck in your practice! I would like to know if you took the ABSA SA-C exams? I'm taking mine in March in Chicago... How come you were able to take the exam in Phoenix instead of Houston? I know there are only three testing sites for ABSA: Florida, Chicago and Houston... sure could use the same site, save more money (instead of buying plane tickets and booking a hotel to stay overnight...) highly appreciate your response. - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Shemuel-Benn in Tucson, Arizona 40 months ago	Thank you. Things are going well. Yes, I took the ABSA. The reason it was offered in Phoenix because one of the students is in the Army Guard and was being deployed to Kuwait on the 31st, so they gave a special sesson for him. I hadn't purchased my ticket to Houston, so they said just to wait until Jan 30th and drive up to Chandler Medical Center instead. Saved me 500.00 in airfare, hotel and car rental. It was a very unusual circumstance that I was blessed with. - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
or2dox in Scottsdale, Arizona 40 months ago	Shemuel-Benn in Tucson, Arizona said: Thank you. Things are going well. Yes, I took the ABSA. The reason it was offered in Phoenix because one of the students is in the Army Guard and was being deployed to Kuwait on the 31st, so they gave a special sesson for him. I hadn't purchased my ticket to Houston, so they said just to wait until Jan 30th and drive up to Chandler Medical Center instead. Saved me 500.00 in airfare, hotel and car rental. It was a very unusual circumstance that I was blessed with. Good for you ben! Happy to hear that. My wife is working as a nurse at Chandler Medical Center. Anyway, that's the reason why I'm taking it in Chicago and not Houston, because they're giving the exam at the hotel (function rooms) itself (Holiday Inn-Willowbrook). They advised me to take the Midway Airport, its much closer than O'Hare and the hotel offers shuttle services to and from the hotel. Unlike in Houston, the testing site is at the Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital. and the nearest hotel is about 1.3miles away... How was your test? What specialty exam did you take? was it hard? I'm taking ortho... Any advise you could give? Thanks again! Appreciate everything... God bless ben! - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Shemuel-Benn Psalms in Tucson, Arizona 40 months ago	or2dox in Scottsdale, Arizona said: Good for you ben! Happy to hear that. My wife is working as a nurse at Chandler Medical Center. Anyway, that's the reason why I'm taking it in Chicago and not Houston, because they're giving the exam at the hotel (function rooms) itself (Holiday Inn-Willowbrook). They advised me to take the Midway Airport, its much closer than O'Hare and the hotel offers shuttle services to and from the hotel. Unlike in Houston, the testing site is at the Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital. and the nearest hotel is about 1.3miles away... How was your test? What specialty exam did you take? was it hard? I'm taking ortho... Any advise you could give? Thanks again! Appreciate everything... God bless ben! post your email and i'll give you the skinny brother. - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
or2dox in Scottsdale, Arizona 40 months ago	Great! its or2dox@yahoo.com Thanks bro! - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
or2dox in Scottsdale, Arizona 40 months ago	Shemuel-Benn Psalms in Tucson, Arizona said: post your email and i'll give you the skinny brother. CORRECTION! my email is or2dox69@yahoo.com sorry 'bout that... - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
T in Elkhart, Indiana 34 months ago	Im taking the ABSA exam in chicago in sept. anyone who has taken the exam i would be very appreciative to any info that can be offered. If you prefer u can email t_surgicalassisting@yahoo.com - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Tommy Littlefoot in Richmond, Virginia 34 months ago	T in Elkhart, Indiana said: Im taking the ABSA exam in chicago in sept. anyone who has taken the exam i would be very appreciative to any info that can be offered. If you prefer u can email t_surgicalassisting@yahoo.com The ABSA exam is not as recognized as the NSAA certification, I believe the ABSA certified people are not allowed to assist in NJ whereas the NSAA people are..... I think overall most employers are looking toward the NSAA people rather than the ABSA certified people... at least that is what I have found in my extensive research, you probably wont have a problem finding a job now but possibly down the road - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
Shemuel-Benn Psalms in Tucson, Arizona 34 months ago	Tommy Littlefoot in Richmond, Virginia said: The ABSA exam is not as recognized as the NSAA certification, I believe the ABSA certified people are not allowed to assist in NJ whereas the NSAA people are..... I think overall most employers are looking toward the NSAA people rather than the ABSA certified people... at least that is what I have found in my extensive research, you probably wont have a problem finding a job now but possibly down the road Just don't work in NJ....I'm not sure if there are other places that don't recognize it. do your home work first, for sure. I'm certified through ABSA and was immediately recognized. I've heard that CA doesn't use non RNFA assists at all...that is another reason why SA's need to organize. - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse
T in Elkhart, Indiana 34 months ago	thanks for that info i was aware of that I was hoping for info on the exam with ABSA refering to the exam content and diffcuilty of anyone who has taken the exam thanks. - Was this comment helpful? Yes / No Reply - Report abuse

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I really could use some answers/help to my questions about becoming a Surgical assistant.. Thanks

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