Surgical Assistant, Full Time, Day shift
About The Position
Be part of a world-class academic healthcare system at UChicago Medicine as a Surgical Assistant. In this role, you’ll work alongside leading physicians and surgical teams who are advancing medicine through groundbreaking research and innovative patient care. At UChicago Medicine, we treat patients with conditions ranging from routine to highly complex, using the most advanced surgical approaches available. As a Surgical Assistant, you will play a critical role in delivering safe, efficient, and high-quality perioperative care while supporting surgeons throughout the operative process. This position is 100% onsite and requires candidates to be based in the greater Chicagoland area. Position Summary: The Surgical Assistant supports the surgical and perioperative team by collaborating with the Primary Attending Surgeon to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate patient care during surgical procedures. Responsibilities include assisting with surgical exposure, tissue handling, wound closure, device placement, and other intraoperative tasks delegated by the attending surgeon and appropriate to the assistant’s training and certification.
Requirements
- 2–5 years of clinical experience in a surgical specialty area preferred
- Completion of an accredited Surgical Assistant program if early career
- Surgical Assistant certification obtained or actively pursued within 3 months of program completion
- Demonstrated clinical competence and ability to work independently
- Strong communication, leadership, and teamwork skills
- Ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary healthcare teams
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Excel
- Illinois Surgical Assistant License
- Certified Surgical First Assist (CSFA) and/or Certified Surgical Assistant (CSA)
- Surgical Assistant Certification recognized in Illinois and Indiana
- Certification from: National Commission for the Certification of Surgical Assistants (NCCSA) American Board of Surgical Assistants (ABSA)
Responsibilities
- Prepare and ensure availability of equipment and supplies needed for surgical procedures
- Review patient history, consent documentation, and imaging prior to surgery
- Assist with patient transport, positioning, and preparation in the operating room
- Support anesthesia team during induction and emergence
- Assist with patient transfer to PACU or ICU following procedures
- Complete required documentation and perioperative paperwork
- Provide surgical exposure through tissue and organ retraction
- Assist with minimally invasive and robotic procedures, including trocar placement
- Operate and assist with surgical devices such as staplers, ligating devices, retractors, and energy instruments
- Maintain hemostasis through direct pressure, sutures, ligatures, cauterization, or hemostatic agents
- Clamp, ligate, and cut tissue as directed by the surgeon
- Assist with implantation of surgical devices and drains
- Insert drainage tubes including chest tubes and gastric tubes as directed
- Close surgical wounds (subcutaneous and skin layers) per surgeon directive
- Apply wound dressings and compression dressings
- Assist in specimen handling and verification
- Provide support during emergency situations, including resuscitation in the operating room
- Assist with casts, splints, tourniquets, and orthopedic devices when required
- Participate in placement of wound vacuum systems
- Perform other perioperative tasks as delegated by the attending surgical provider to ensure optimal patient outcomes
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
