First assistant vs surgical scrub technician

The differences between first assistants and surgical scrub technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a surgical scrub technician has an average salary of $52,701, which is higher than the $52,444 average annual salary of a first assistant.

The top three skills for a first assistant include patients, patient care and surgical procedures. The most important skills for a surgical scrub technician are patients, surgical procedures, and CPR.

First assistant vs surgical scrub technician overview

	First Assistant	Surgical Scrub Technician
Yearly salary	$52,444	$52,701
Hourly rate	$25.21	$25.34
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	3,202	40,168
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Associate Degree, 40%
Average age	43	41
Years of experience	-	12

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 a surgical scrub technician do?

A surgical Scrub Technician can be referred to as a doctor because he/she is a committed technician who does multiple tasks like providing the surgeon with nice instruments for surgery. They provide sterile instruments to the surgeon, prepare the operating table, sterilize the instruments, and make the room neat and clean.

First assistant vs surgical scrub technician salary

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

	First Assistant	Surgical Scrub Technician
Average salary	$52,444	$52,701
Salary range	Between $37,000 And $73,000	Between $35,000 And $77,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between first assistant and surgical scrub technician education

There are a few differences between a first assistant and a surgical scrub technician in terms of educational background:

	First Assistant	Surgical Scrub Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Associate Degree, 40%
Most common major	Nursing	Nursing
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Connecticut

First assistant vs surgical scrub technician demographics

Here are the differences between first assistants' and surgical scrub technicians' demographics:

	First Assistant	Surgical Scrub Technician
Average age	43	41
Gender ratio	Male, 44.5% Female, 55.5%	Male, 28.3% Female, 71.7%
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, 13.2% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 4.8% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	10%	13%

Differences between first assistant and surgical scrub technician 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.

Surgical scrub technician example responsibilities.

Manage sterilization of field during surgical procedures, ensuring cleanliness and sanitation meet organization protocol.
Clamp, ligation and cutting of tissue per surgeon's directive.
Pass instruments, sponges, sutures, and needles to surgeons and their assistants.
Communicate patient status to other units including PACU, ICU, and blood bank.
Remain flexible to float into the PACU, same day surgery, prep room, and GI as needed.
Act as liaison between technical staff, anesthesia residents, MD's, CRNA's, and hospital management.

First assistant vs surgical scrub technician skills

Common first assistant skills

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

Common surgical scrub technician skills

Patients, 25%
Surgical Procedures, 14%
CPR, 12%
HIPAA, 8%
Surgical Equipment, 8%
Surgical Scrub, 6%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
First Assistant
First Assistant vs Surgical Scrub Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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