What does a surgical physician assistant do?
A surgical physician assistant plays a vital role in surgeries and patient care. In surgeries, they typically assist surgeons by performing physical examinations on patients, handing tools and necessary items, closing incisions, and even maintaining the cleanliness of operating rooms while adhering to the hospital's health and safety regulations. It is also their duty to assist patients before and after surgeries by answering inquiries, discussing important matters such as treatment options, prescribing or administering medicine, and counseling patients, helping them feel comfortable every step of the way.
Surgical physician assistant responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real surgical physician assistant resumes:
- Manage s/p cardiac bypass in recovery unit, ICU and step down units.
- Work closely with patients to manage their depression and anxiety beginning with initial diagnosis to med-initiation and follow-up care.
- Certify CPR and basic first aid instructor trainer.
- Perform debridement, incision and drainage, wind VAC, ostomy care.
- Perform resuscitative measures in a code setting using ACLS, ATLS protocols.
- Perform minor procedures including but not limit to: Foley catheter placement, drain removal, dressing changes and removals
- Prepare patients for surgery, including education, positioning, skin preparation and administration of local anesthetic.
- Provide patients and family members with educational material prior to surgery and important post operative care information.
- Gain experience in specialty areas including cardiology, ENT, dermatology, orthopedics, emergency medicine, and hematology/oncology.
- Work in an outpatient orthopedic clinic with emphasis on physical medicine, rehabilitation of both chronic and acute orthopedic conditions.
- Document complete history and physicals and progress notes using a combination of dictation, EMR, and paper charting.
- Attend outpatient psychiatry clinic sessions.
Surgical physician assistant skills and personality traits
We calculated that 29% of Surgical Physician Assistants are proficient in Patients, Patient Care, and Diagnostic Tests. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Compassion, and Detail oriented.
We break down the percentage of Surgical Physician Assistants that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Patients, 29%
Reviewed discharge instructions and education with patients, and responded to general patient medical management concerns.
- Patient Care, 12%
Perform a variety of patient care functions including conducting rounds, taking medical histories, conducting examination and medical procedures.
- Diagnostic Tests, 6%
Ordered/administered diagnostic tests and interpretation.
- Physical Examinations, 4%
Perform routine physical examinations and vaccinations.
- Surgical Procedures, 3%
Handled inbound calls from physician offices to coordinate various different surgical procedures.
- CPR, 3%
Certified CPR and basic first aid instructor trainer.
"patients," "patient care," and "diagnostic tests" are among the most common skills that surgical physician assistants use at work. You can find even more surgical physician assistant responsibilities below, including:
Communication skills. One of the key soft skills for a surgical physician assistant to have is communication skills. You can see how this relates to what surgical physician assistants do because "physician assistants must explain complex medical issues in a way that patients can understand." Additionally, a surgical physician assistant resume shows how surgical physician assistants use communication skills: "exercised excellent communication and patient care skills to administer consultations, history and physical exam preoperatively. "
Compassion. Another essential skill to perform surgical physician assistant duties is compassion. Surgical physician assistants responsibilities require that "physician assistants deal with patients who are sick or injured and who may be in extreme pain or distress." Surgical physician assistants also use compassion in their role according to a real resume snippet: "commended for compassion and quick diagnostic accuracy. "
Detail oriented. surgical physician assistants are also known for detail oriented, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to surgical physician assistant responsibilities, because "physician assistants should be observant and have a strong ability to focus when evaluating and treating patients." A surgical physician assistant resume example shows how detail oriented is used in the workplace: "performed bedside procedures including thorocentesis's, cvc line placement, and arterial line placement.- further details available upon request"
Emotional stability. A big part of what surgical physician assistants do relies on "emotional stability." You can see how essential it is to surgical physician assistant responsibilities because "physician assistants, particularly those working in surgery or emergency medicine, should work well under pressure." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical surgical physician assistant tasks: "instruct and counsel patients about prescribed therapeutic regimens, emotional problems of daily living and health maintenance. "
Problem-solving skills. Another crucial skill for a surgical physician assistant to carry out their responsibilities is "problem-solving skills." A big part of what surgical physician assistants relies on this skill, since "physician assistants need to evaluate patients’ symptoms and administer the appropriate treatments." How this skill relates to surgical physician assistant duties can be seen in an example from a surgical physician assistant resume snippet: "set up of iv solutions daily. "
The three companies that hire the most surgical physician assistants are:
- Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital13 surgical physician assistants jobs
- Intralign13 surgical physician assistants jobs
- Danbury Hospital11 surgical physician assistants jobs
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Compare different surgical physician assistants
Surgical physician assistant vs. Midlevel provider
Pain management physicians are medical doctors who diagnose and coordinate treatment while providing care for patients who are experiencing pain. By understanding the physiology of pain, these physicians are required to conduct specialized tests to diagnose complex pain conditions as well as prescribe proper medications and therapies to treat them. They must observe their patients for their ability to function and overall quality of life. Pain management physicians must also work with other healthcare professionals such as physical therapists, physiatrists, and nurses to meet all the needs of their patients.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, surgical physician assistant responsibilities require skills like "patients," "physical examinations," "surgical procedures," and "cpr." Meanwhile a typical midlevel provider has skills in areas such as "physical exams," "diagnostic procedures," "surgery," and "acute care." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Midlevel providers tend to reach higher levels of education than surgical physician assistants. In fact, midlevel providers are 5.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 4.4% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Surgical physician assistant vs. Pain management physician
Obstetrics Gynecology Physician is a specialist doctor in childbirth, pregnancy, and female reproductive health. Their duties include conducting tests such as pelvic exams, breast exams, and pap smears, diagnosing diseases and disorders, carrying out a patient routine check-up, prescribing treatment plans, and monitoring expectant mothers during periods of postpartum, pregnancy, and childbirth. They maintain accurate patient medical records, educate patients on reproductive healthcare and disease detection and prevention. Obstetrics Gynecology Physicians works to keep abreast with the latest innovations, best practice and collaborates with non-medical and medical teams in accomplishing its tasks.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real surgical physician assistant resumes. While surgical physician assistant responsibilities can utilize skills like "diagnostic tests," "physical examinations," "orthopedics," and "thoracic," pain management physicians use skills like "pain management," "interventional pain," "primary care," and "family practice."
Pain management physicians earn a higher average salary than surgical physician assistants. But pain management physicians earn the highest pay in the pharmaceutical industry, with an average salary of $190,772. Additionally, surgical physician assistants earn the highest salaries in the health care with average pay of $151,445 annually.In general, pain management physicians achieve lower levels of education than surgical physician assistants. They're 20.3% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 4.4% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Surgical physician assistant vs. Obstetrics gynecology physician
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a surgical physician assistant is likely to be skilled in "cpr," "orthopedics," "traction," and "thoracic," while a typical obstetrics gynecology physician is skilled in "ob-gyn," "surgery," "primary care," and "family practice."
Obstetrics gynecology physicians earn the highest salary when working in the professional industry, where they receive an average salary of $189,968. Comparatively, surgical physician assistants have the highest earning potential in the health care industry, with an average salary of $151,445.When it comes to education, obstetrics gynecology physicians tend to earn lower degree levels compared to surgical physician assistants. In fact, they're 15.1% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 10.6% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Surgical physician assistant vs. Anesthetic assistant
Types of surgical physician assistant
Updated January 8, 2025
