FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions About ACE Surgical Assisting

Q How much experience do I need to have?

A If you graduated from a CAAHEP accredited or military surgical technician program, you qualify for the program with no extra experience necessary. For everyone else, you need 2 years of scrub experience and the following 5 Basic Science classes: Medical Terminology, Anatomy/Physiology, Microbiology, Pathophysiology and Surgical Pharmacology. Medical doctors, foreign or domestic, Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners are automatically accepted into the surgical first assist program based on their advanced educational experience.

Q Do I need to be a CST?

A No need to be a Certified Surgical Technologist to enter our program. As a matter of fact, our program was designed for a variety of working medical professionals to be able to advance their medical career. The requirements for enrollment in ACE Surgical Assistant training program are as follows:

• Operating Room Nurses with a license to practice in the state where they will be doing their clinical internship, two (2) years of documented recent experience in the Operating Room (OR) with scrub proficiency. Or...
• Surgical Technologists who graduate from a CAAHEP accredited or military Surgical Technology program may enroll right after graduation if they can show they’ll be able to get their clinical experience. Or...
• Surgical Technologists (On-the-job or formally trained, including LPNs and LVNs) with at least two (2) years of documented recent scrub experience in the OR. Or...
• Nurse Practitioners (NP), Physician Assistants (PA), Medical Doctors (MD foreign and domestic), and Osteopathic Doctors (DO). It is preferable, but not required, that these professionals have scrub experience in the OR.

Q Do you accept people in the military?

A Yes! As a matter of fact, we are the only surgical first assistant program in the country who helps military professionals gain civilian certification. In fact, you can even begin your first assist training while still serving abroad in the military. ACE Surgical Assistant training will help you transition from a military career to the civilian job force. We even offer military discounts.

Q What are your payment plans?

A $895 down and 12 payments of $295 and then you’re paid in full.

Q I'm a Tech, are there states I can't assist in?

A The current states are Washington, California, New York and New Jersey. We will keep you updated on any other changes as they happen.

Q Where are your 6 day labs?

A The Surgical SkillLab is scheduled by ACE Surgical First Assistant School to accommodate the majority of its medical students in any given geographical region of the country.

Guidelines for scheduling a Surgical SkillLab™ are as follows:

• The Surgical SkillLab™ will be scheduled in a particular state if there are sufficient enrollments in that state and a local hospital will host the lab. Or...
• If there are insufficient enrollments in a state, we will schedule a Surgical SkillLab™ in a region that includes that state and neighboring states if there are sufficient enrollments in that region and a local hospital will host the lab. Or...
• If it is impossible to schedule a lab in a particular state or region, students may attend a scheduled Surgical SkillLab anywhere space is available. A sufficient number of labs will be presented to accommodate all enrolled students. Learn more about the 6-Day Surgical Skill Lab.

Q How much more money can I expect to make as a Surgical First Assistant?

A The median salary in the U.S. is around $87,000 a year. However, the amount you earn depends on your hospital, the hours your decide to work, and the state in which you live. Many graduates of the ACE Surgical Assistant program earn upward of $100,000 a year and more working only 20 hours a week!

Q Where can I do my clinicals?

A You can make arrangements at any hospital to complete your clinical internship. A Clinical Affiliate Agreement must be signed by the authorized clinical facility representative. This is an agreement between the hospital and ACE Surgical Assistant School, which allows the medical student to get clinical experience at the hospital. You must have at least one clinical sponsor for each clinical rotation. These clinical sponsors must be qualified surgeons who sign the ACE’s Clinical Sponsor Form. This agreement says the surgeon will to allow the student to function as a Surgical Assistant, provides supervision and clinical direction to the student, will perform two clinical evaluations on the student, and accept full responsibility for the conduct of the student while under their supervision. The student need not have all sponsor forms signed before starting the clinical internship. However, the appropriate form must be signed prior to starting the corresponding surgical rotation. Learn more by downloading our course catalog.

Q What certification exams can I sit for when I’m done with your surgical first assist program?

A Because our program is CAAHEP accredited, ALL medical graduates of our program are eligible to sit for exams offered by the following national certifying agencies:

• NBSTSA (the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting) earning the credential CSFA.
• ABSA (the American Board of Surgical Assistants) earning the credential SA-C.

Q Can I bill for my services after I complete your surgical first assist program?

A Absolutely! You can use our billing company or any that you choose.

Q I’ve already first assisted on 135 cases. Can I count them toward my clinical internship?

A Unfortunately no. The purpose of the clinical internship is so you can practice the skills you learned in the program. We also have to follow standards and guidelines set up for us by the American College of Surgeons and accrediting bodies. So, even though you already have great assisting experience, 135 additional cases are part of your training.

Q I'm a foreign medical doctor. Do I qualify for ACE Surgical First Assistant program?

A Yes, the first assist program is perfect for doctor’s coming from overseas who want or need certification in the U.S. It is preferable, but not required that the doctor have scrub experience in the operating room.

Q How long does the surgeon assistant program take to finish?

A A student is considered to have graduated and will receive a Certificate of Completion only after all SurgiNet™, Surgical SkillLab™, and SurgiEdge assignments are successfully completed and tuition is paid in full. Students are expected to complete the entire surgical first assist program within 16 months. If the student has a legitimate reason for not completing the program in the allotted time, they can submit a written request for a 6-month extension. The student is responsible for a $250 a month or 6 months for $995 extension fee. It does take the majority of our students 9 – 11 months to complete.

Q Is ACE Surgical Assisting an accredited school?

A ACE Surgical Assistant Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). Additionally, ACE Surgical Assistant Program is approved by the American Board of Surgical Assistants, Inc. (ABSA). Upon passing the NBSTSA exam, graduates can use the title ‘CSFA’ (Certified Surgical First Assistant) and/or upon passing the ABSA exam, graduates can use the title 'SA-C' (Surgical Assistant - Certified).

Q How many credits do I get?

Surgical Assistant Certificate Program

Q Can credits transfer to another school so I can get my degree?

A Unfortunately, ACE Surgical Assisting cannot guarantee transferability of credits. Transferability is at the sole discretion of the receiving institution.

Q Do I need an associates degree?

A No, you do not need an associates degree. To enroll in ACE Surgical Assistant program, you must provide proof of high school diploma (or GED equivalency) or diploma of highest level of medical education completed after high school. You must also meet one (1) or more of the following 4 requirement categories:

• Operating Room Nurses with a license to practice in the state where they will be doing their clinical internship, two (2) years of documented recent experience in the Operating Room (OR) with scrub proficiency. Or...
• Surgical Technologists who graduate from a CAAHEP accredited or military Surgical Technology program may enroll right after graduation if they can show they'll be able to get their clinical experience. Or...
• Surgical Technologists (On-the-job or formally trained, including LPNs and LVNs) with at least two (2) years of documented recent scrub experience in the OR. Or...
• Nurse Practitioners (NP), Physician Assistants (PA), Medical Doctors (MD foreign and domestic), and Osteopathic Doctors (DO). It is preferable, but not required, that these professionals have scrub experience in the OR.

Q Will I be an RNFA after I complete your program?

A You will be if you are an RN. RNFA is just a generic title that Nurses who assist use. If your ultimate goal is to become a CRNFA, we can’t help you. You’ll need a special AORN approved program, BS, CNOR, 2000 hours of first assistant experience and the board exam all which take about 5 -7 years to complete.

Q What is the difference between a SA-C and a CSFA?

A Nothing but the Certifying Body. It is the same job, same pay, same ability to bill insurance companies and are both nationally recognized. It’s up to you which one you choose.

Q Can I work at different hospitals?

A Yes, as a certified surgical first assistant, you can work freelance in one or several hospitals, or you can work exclusively for the hospital of your choice.

Q How many states will my surgical first assistant certification be good in?

A Every single one unless you are a Technician as it is illegal for Tech’s to assist in surgery in Washington, California, New York and New Jersey.

Q Do you offer extensions if I don’t finish in time?

A Students may start the distance learning portion of the program as early as the month after enrolling or may postpone their start date for as long as 3 months without written notice. If there are extenuating circumstances, a postponement may be granted but it requires a written agreement signed by the student and the School. The agreement must set forth:

• Whether the postponement is for the convenience of the student or the School, and...
• A deadline for the new start date, beyond which the start date will not be postponed
• The student then has 16 months from their new start date to complete surgical first assist program.

If the student does not start, or fails to start, by the new start date set forth in the agreement, the student is entitled to an appropriate refund of prepaid tuition and fees within 30 days of the deadline of the new start date set forth in the enrollment agreement, determined in the School’s refund policy and all applicable laws and rules concerning the Private Occupational Education Act of 1981.

Q Will my hospital pay for ACE Surgical First Assistant Certification?

A Some hospitals will pay for part or all of your surgical first assist training. For details, please contact your hospital administrator. If you need help paying tuition, we offer payment plans and even the chance to win free tuition once per quarter. Complete the registration form on this page to be entered.

Q I'm already certified and I just want to get new skills. Can you help me?

A Consider the Surgical SkillLab™. The results of the SkillLab have been phenomenal. You will immerge from the lab as a sea­soned expert in the latest techniques. Perfect for those who don’t need a program but do need the surgical skills. Documentation is required in the form of certificates or letters from employers or instructors to demonstrate the participant is qualified to attend.

• Any Surgical Technician or Operating Room Nurse who may have to first assist as part of their job description or who, in the course of their duties, may have to first assist when the scheduled first assistant is late or doesn’t show up.
• Licensed or non-licensed MD’s or DO’s—USA or foreign trained, PA’s, or NP’s. It is preferable, but not required, to have scrub experience in the OR.
• Surgical Assistants or RN First Assistants that have successfully completed a formal training program and/or were certified to first assist. These profes­sionals may take the lab as a refresher or to upgrade their skills and knowledge.
• Current students in a Surgical Assistant Program, RN First Assistant Program, Medical School, or Surgical Residency Program. These students may elect to take the lab in order to achieve a higher level of preparation before starting their clinical internship.

Q I’m on-the-job trained. Can you help me?

A Yes, On-the-job trained Surgical Technicians must show proof of having completed post-secondary courses in Medical Terminology, Anatomy & Physiology, Microbiol­ogy, Pathophysiology, and Pharmacology. You can go to any local community college and take these courses for a minimal charge and then we will welcome you into our surgical first assistant program.

Q Can the lab come to my hospital?

A A powerful way hospitals can save money on training is to host the Surgical SkillLab™ in your hospital. It saves you money on travel cost when you have to send students out-of-state for the lab. You also can get a big PR boost when you inform the community of your Performance Improvement efforts and the advantage it brings to them. The custom lab fee is $4,000 to cover costs plus you must provide a minimum of 2 students.

Q Are there specific rotations I have to do for my clinicals?

A To complete the clinical internship, students must be the documented Surgical Assistant on 135 cases. They must complete 35 General Surgery cases, 50 specialty cases of the student’s choice, and then rotate through one or more elective specialties on ACE's Surgical First Assistant school list of specialties to complete a total of 135 cases (See Educational Services, SE230 SurgiEdge).

Q What is your pass rate for the Surgical First Assistant certification exam?

A Only the American Center for Excellence in Surgical Assisting (ACE Surgical Assisting) offers its students a greater than 90% certification pass rate. We are the largest online Surgical First Assistant Program in the United States and our graduates are better prepared to earn more in their work.

Q Is there any way to finish your first assist program faster?

A We do have our Enhanced Access Program. The cost of this is $695 and you are removed from our automated system and you have all of your courses available for you immediately. Utilizing this option, we have had students complete our course in as little as 3 months.

Q When can I attend the surgical skill lab?

A You may schedule and attend the 6-day Surgical SkillLab at any time during the surgical first assistant program. It is not necessary that the distance learning be finished first. In fact if the lab is completed early in the program, the student will have more time to finish the clinical internship.

Q What books do I need?

A Surgical Technology for the Surgical Technologist A Positive Care Approach – 3rd Edition, ISBN: 10:1-4180-5168-3; Current Surgical Diagnosis & Treatment – 13th Edition, ISBN: 978-0-07-163515-8; Clinically Oriented Anatomy – 6th Edition, ISBN: 10:0-7817-7525-6

Q Do I have to have malpractice insurance?

A You do while you are in the SurgiEdge part of the program. You need to hold the insurance so that you are covered as a Surgical Assistant student. It runs between $29 and $130 a year, depending on medical background.