Page 99 - South Mississippi Living - June, 2026

Meet the
Surgical Assistant
PATIENT EDUCATION SERVICES – THE GULF COAST’S LARGEST CSFA NETWORK
WHO IS A SURGICAL FIRST ASSISTANT?
WHY ARE WE THERE?
Surgery is a
Two-Person Job.
Your surgeon is the lead – but
no surgeon can simultaneously operate, maintain a clear view
of the surgical field, control unexpected bleeding, and close a wound with precision all at once. The surgical first assistant is the second set of skilled, trained hands that makes it possible for your doctor to stay focused on what matters most: the critical decisions of your care.
In the operating room, a first assistant is retracting tissue
so your surgeon can see clearly. They are controlling bleeding so the field stays clean and safe. They are anticipating every move the surgeon makes – before they even ask. And when it is time to close, they are suturing your incision with the same precision the entire procedure demanded.
“Working alongside Precision Surgical Resources has given me the flexibility to continue
doing what I love while practicing at a higher level. The opportunity to work across different hospitals, maintain schedule flexibility, and benefit from improved billing outcomes has truly changed the way I’m able to care for patients and support surgeons.”
— Grace Miller, MSN, APRN, NP-C, RNFA
THE RESEARCH
MEET THE FOUNDER
A Real Profession. A Real Credential.
A Certified Surgical First Assistant (CSFA) is not a nurse handling tools from across the room. They are a nationally board- certified healthcare professional – credentialed through the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) – who earns that credential
through years of rigorous clinical training, thousands of documented operating room hours, and passage of a demanding national exam.
They are gloved, gowned, and in the surgical field alongside your surgeon from the very first incision to the very last stitch. They are not observers. They are active, skilled participants in your surgery.
Surgical first assistants specialize. You may find a CSFA focused exclusively on orthopedics, spine, cardiac, or trauma surgery – dedicating their entire career to mastering the specific procedures your surgeon performs every day.
Christopher L. Sweebe
PA-C, RNFA, and SA-C are other surgical assistants who participate in this role.
READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP?
Are you a surgical technologist ready to advance to CSFA, or a practicing assistant looking for better structure and the billing support to back it up? PSR helps surgical assistants build independent careers without giving up their autonomy to
do it.
precision-surgical.net • 855.708.5353
14%
Higher complication risk for every 30 extra minutes in the OR. A skilled assistant helps keep surgery on time.
Cheng et al., J. Surgical Research, 2018 (meta-analysis)
7. 5 x
Lower surgical site infection rate when a certified specialist assists vs. an inexperienced trainee.
Kim et al., Medicine (2023) – 528 spine surgery patients, PMC10101257
$36+
Cost per OR minute. An efficient, experienced assistant directly reduces time – and your risk.
Childers & Maggard-Gibbons, JAMA (2018); NSAA Efficiency Analysis (2021)
9.7
Extra hospital days
on average when a surgical site infection occurs – costing $20,842+ per admission
Broex et al., Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology (PubMed # 19398246)
CSFA • PRESIDENT, PSR
U.S. Air Force Veteran.
Top of his class, Air Force Surgical Services Tech School. Part of the first surgical teams at Keesler AFB post- Hurricane Katrina. Trained at Meridian Institute of Surgical Assisting, Nashville. Founded PSR in 2010. Personally assists 1,200–1,400 procedures annually.
OUR NATIONAL NETWORK
700+ 48
FIRST ASSISTANTS
STATES COVERED
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