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The differences between assistants-at surgery and surgical assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an assistant-at-surgery has an average salary of $81,630, which is higher than the $52,170 average annual salary of a surgical assistant.
The top three skills for an assistant-at-surgery include patients, surgical procedures and HIPAA. The most important skills for a surgical assistant are patients, surgical procedures, and patient care.
| Assistant-At-Surgery | Surgical Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $81,630 | $52,170 |
| Hourly rate | $39.25 | $25.08 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 154,070 | 28,138 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 30% | Bachelor's Degree, 30% |
| Average age | 37 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 12 | - |
An assistant at surgery is a medical professional who assists surgeons and nurses during surgical operations and other procedures. They are responsible for setting up and maintaining the cleanliness of operating rooms, preparing and sanitizing tools and equipment, understanding the operations' course, and preparing the patients pre-surgery through interviews and assessments. During the surgery, they provide direct assistance to the surgeon by handing the correct tools, monitoring the patients' vital signs, attaching tubes, and even closing wounds. Moreover, as an assistant at surgery, it is essential to be proactive and have a clear mind presence.
A Surgical Assistant provides assistance during an operation by performing a wide range of crucial tasks. They cover patients with surgical drapes to create and maintain a sterile operative field and adjust and maintain operating room parameters according to the surgeon's specifications.
Assistants-at surgery and surgical assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assistant-At-Surgery | Surgical Assistant | |
| Average salary | $81,630 | $52,170 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $215,000 | Between $35,000 And $76,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Physician Affiliate Group of New York | Baptist Health Care |
| Best paying industry | - | Utilities |
There are a few differences between an assistant-at-surgery and a surgical assistant in terms of educational background:
| Assistant-At-Surgery | Surgical Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 30% | Bachelor's Degree, 30% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Nursing |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between assistants-at surgery' and surgical assistants' demographics:
| Assistant-At-Surgery | Surgical Assistant | |
| Average age | 37 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 25.5% Female, 74.5% | Male, 20.7% Female, 79.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 23.3% Asian, 9.7% White, 51.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 9.1% White, 56.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 10% |