First assistant vs assistant

The differences between first assistants and assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a first assistant has an average salary of $52,444, which is higher than the $37,363 average annual salary of an assistant.

The top three skills for a first assistant include patients, patient care and surgical procedures. The most important skills for an assistant are patients, customer service, and patient care.

First assistant vs assistant overview

	First Assistant	Assistant
Yearly salary	$52,444	$37,363
Hourly rate	$25.21	$17.96
Growth rate	6%	-8%
Number of jobs	3,202	557,900
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Average age	43	50
Years of experience	-	2

What does a first assistant do?

First assistants to surgeons are in charge of assisting surgeons in the smooth execution of the operation's procedure and completion. They are the ones who will prepare the patient for surgeries, hand surgeons the needed tools, hold incisions open so that surgeons can easily perform the operation, transport patients to their rooms, and maintain the cleanliness of the operating room. They must also be able to withstand long hours of standing to complete surgical operations and agility to rush in case of emergencies.

What does an assistant do?

An assistant intern is responsible for facilitating administrative and clerical tasks as assigned by the management. Assistant interns' duties include keeping records of meetings, receiving calls and handling customer inquiries, assisting on writing reports and data entry processing, cooperating and providing support for business events, and adhering to company policies and regulatory procedures. Successful assistant interns must have excellent time-management, multi-tasking, and communication skills. They must be a team player and fast-learner to handle various tasks in the corporate industry.

First assistant vs assistant salary

First assistants and assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	First Assistant	Assistant
Average salary	$52,444	$37,363
Salary range	Between $37,000 And $73,000	Between $16,000 And $82,000
Highest paying City	-	Boston, MA
Highest paying state	-	Massachusetts
Best paying company	-	Latham & Watkins
Best paying industry	-	Education

Differences between first assistant and assistant education

There are a few differences between a first assistant and an assistant in terms of educational background:

	First Assistant	Assistant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Most common major	Nursing	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Western Carolina University

First assistant vs assistant demographics

Here are the differences between first assistants' and assistants' demographics:

	First Assistant	Assistant
Average age	43	50
Gender ratio	Male, 44.5% Female, 55.5%	Male, 40.7% Female, 59.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 9.4% White, 57.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 3.8% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	10%	6%

Differences between first assistant and assistant duties and responsibilities

First assistant example responsibilities.

Teach patients and family members how to manage their post operative home care needs, self-administration of medication and rehabilitation
Execute and monitor strategic merchandising plans to achieve revenue objectives and reduce expenditures while ensuring payroll remains within budget.
Obtain health history via phone prior to surgery and triage patients upon arrival to the ASC.
Insert Foley catheters and intravenous catheter, if need.
Assist in orthopedics, plastics, ENT, urology, gynecology and ortho-neuro cases.
Provide preventative maintenance ensuring vessel's compliance with USCG regulations, inspections, and certificates.

Assistant example responsibilities.

Manage circulations, including educational textbooks and DVDS, video technology and supplies.
Manage branches providing information technology support, logistics, training and operational support.
Manage company's twitter account and communicate with multiple physical therapy providers around the country
Optimize productivity in prioritizing and managing special projects, PowerPoint presentations for classes, and proctore exams for undergraduate classes.
Assist in jewelry design and assembly, manage company Facebook page, participate in wholesale buying, and manage retail inventory
Manage and update company Facebook page with daily updates, finding/sharing relevant and interesting information, and encouraging fan engagement.

First assistant vs assistant skills

Common first assistant skills

Patients, 24%
Patient Care, 16%
Surgical Procedures, 11%
Visualization, 6%
Suturing, 4%
CPR, 4%

Common assistant skills

Patients, 27%
Customer Service, 13%
Patient Care, 8%
CPR, 5%
Sales Floor, 5%
Scheduling Appointments, 3%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
First Assistant
First Assistant vs Assistant

Updated January 8, 2025

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