Surgical PA Roles & Responsibilities

Surgical PAs are formally trained to provide diagnostic, therapeutic, surgical and preventative care, under the supervision of a physician or surgeon. In addition, surgical PAs can function as researcher, committee member, supplier, and surgical equipment supply or pharmaceutical representative liasion and much more.

Surgical PA Roles

While surgical PAs assist the physician in the global management of patient care in all peri-operative settings, their primary role is to assist licensed physicians in patient surgery. This end-to-end involvement enables surgical PAs to provide unparalleled continuity of patient care. Often surgical PAs handle routine problems and procedures, freeing the surgeon to concentrate on more complex patients.

In-office Patient Care

Surgical PAs can perform all manner of patient care in the office setting, as determined by the supervising surgeon.

Hospital Care

Surgical PAs can alleviate the frustration of canceled, delayed or bumped cases.

• 1st assistant in surgery – Performs first assist duties, including ensuring all needed equipment and supplies are present. Keep your surgical skills up-to-date with CME.
• Post-op – Writes orders in the recovery room, talks with family, visits patients, performs post-op procedures and more.
• Discharge planning – Dictates discharge summaries, writes prescriptions, explains discharge instructions, confirms follow-up appointments and more.

Research & Administration

• Researcher – Conducts, designs and/or participates in research studies.
• Committee Member – Play a role on education committees, medical supply, and equipment committees and more. A hospital selects its surgical equipment based on the demands of the surgeon. More and more, surgical PAs are deciding which products to use.
• Supplier and Pharmaceutical Rep Liaison – Serve as a mediator between the surgeon and/or practice and the drug reps/instrument sales reps.

Duties & Responsibilities