First Asisant Certified Surgical Tech

Can a scrub tech also be a first assist in California?

gloria martinez in Baltimore, Maryland said: hey Tenika,
I was wondering! I am moving from Maryland to Orlando in about 1 month and I am searching for jobs over there and I have NO idea what a typical Surgical Tech makes in that area. I have 5 years experience and can scrub everything. Over here in Maryland we make about 27 to 45 dollars an hour. What is the range I can expect when I move there. Does 22 dollars an hour seem unrealistic? Please respond I have no one to help me with relocating.

There is no way you will make that much money in Orlando . i've been a tech for 20years and work in Orlando and i only make $20 and change. If you find a job in Orlando making more let me know.

does anyone know about the new RN program at concorde career institute in orlando fl? the people there were really nice and made the program sound perfect but all i read on the internet is how bad concorde is. so is there any RN students in orlando reading this? let me know how the program and teachers are!

Gone Fishin in Houston, Texas said: 1-2 dollars...whoever told you that is either the worst assistant on this planet or is seriously being taken advantage of. As with anything assisting is geographical and you'll make more money in certain parts of the country than others, this is true with Surg tech as well and probably any other profession.It also depends on a whetehr you are hospital empoyed (lowest icome range) private physician employed( medium incmoe renage) or self employed billing for yourself (highest Income range). In Texas for example a self employed Assistant billing for themselves should be making well over $150,000.00 and I have friends who are making upwards of $250,000.00 with 5-10 years experience (in Texas). See the American Medical association's income ranges.... www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/education-careers/careers-health-care/health-care-income.shtml

How can you become a self employed Assistant??

I have clients who are certified as CST and they make anywhere from 7-10k a month by billing insurance companies for assists at surgery. Most of them didn't even know they could do this.

Kim in Orlando, Florida said: Yes, I did I have been working in the OR at Central Florida Regional Hospital in Sanford for almost eight years. I went to High Tech Inst In Orlando FL, and I took my certification with National Center for Competency Testing. Iam interested in becoming a CSTFA.Could you guide me in the right direction I am thinging about traveling and so I need something that I will beable to be certified no matter what state I work in. Iam already a CST but someone told me that because I went through NCCT for my certification that I was only certified in FL and no where else is that true.

Actually, no State recognizes your Certification. Most every Hosp,anymore REQUIRES certification thru AST for Surg Techs. High Tech's Surg Tech was NEVER accrediated. [their so called college was}. You'll have to contact AST for info on becoming Certified thru them. As for 1st Assist, there are not many Accediated programs and you must be a CST, RN et al to be elgible to apply. And to the Houston guy who says there is no such thing as a CSTFA...He is dead wrong. That IS the Credential that AST {or whatever they're called now days, gives you when you pass their 1st asst exam.} Contact NSAA or Meridian for info on 1st Asst Programs.

Theresa in Clermont, Florida said: There is no way you will make that much money in Orlando . i've been a tech for 20years and work in Orlando and i only make $20 and change. If you find a job in Orlando making more let me know.

Nope, you'll be lucky with 5 yrs to make 15-16.

Gabriel in Cedar Rapids, Iowa said: CFA 's are higher trained than CST's. They can "legally" close cases (sutures) and they are the surgeons assistant . The CST can assess what instrument will be needed next whereas the CFA can call for instruments and use them in assistance to the surgeon.
TO be a CFA without going to school, you have to have a certain number of cases certified by a qualified surgeon and sit for the 250 question 4 hour exam. (See NBSTSA for specific requirements) Currently there is a 25% fail rate on the CST exam and nearly a 50% fail rate on the CFA exam. The CFA exam is much more intense in advanced knowledge and case management . It is about 10 times more difficult than the CST exam. The NBSTSA and NSAA (nssa.net) should always be the first places you look for information.

You have to go to a school to be a 1st Assist. You have to be a CST to get in, pass all the classes and have all your cases documented and have a MD sponser you. THEN you apply to take the National Exam, [took mine thru NSAA} passed with flying colors. Oh....I've taken the CST exam several times in lieu of CEU's...EVERY question is word for work, sentence by sentence out of the ALEXANDER'S CARE OF THE PATIENT IN SURGERY.

CSA III in Hopkinsville, Kentucky said: You have to go to a school to be a 1st Assist. You have to be a CST to get in, pass all the classes and have all your cases documented and have a MD sponser you. THEN you apply to take the National Exam, [took mine thru NSAA} passed with flying colors. Oh....I've taken the CST exam several times in lieu of CEU's...EVERY question is word for work, sentence by sentence out of the ALEXANDER'S CARE OF THE PATIENT IN SURGERY.

There also the Absa.net

If you need a prep class to help with Certification
Go to trsurgical.com