HOW I BUILT A LEGACY AS A FREELANCE SURGICAL ASSISTANT

Surgical Assisting has been a powerful and rewarding journey for me, both personally and professionally. Surgery isn’t just a job; it’s a calling. I love it. The purpose, the intensity, the impact – it’s what keeps me inspired every day, and I know as an alumnus you feel the same. My story might not be entirely unique, but it highlights the incredible possibilities available to both current and aspiring Surgical Assistants.

So, what do you envision for your own career in surgery?

• Getting closer to the heart of the action?
• Achieving a six-figure income?
• Earning recognition and advancing your career?
• Making a more direct impact on patient outcomes?
• Gaining status and the respect of your peers and surgeons?

Whatever drives you, a career as a freelance Surgical Assistant can help you achieve these goals beyond what you’ve envisioned. In this first in a series of 3 blog posts, I’ll share my journey and provide insights and strategies to help you carve out a similar path – whether you’re ready to go freelance or looking to excel in your current role, be it as a Surgical Assistant for a surgeon, a hospital/surgicenter, or agency.

A Legacy in the Making

It was 1989, and I found myself sitting in a crowded conference room in Florida, listening to Al Sanchez talk about something that would alter my career forever. After 14 years as a Surgical Technologist, I thought I had a good grasp of the field. But Sanchez’s presentation introduced me to Surgical Assisting from a whole new angle. His message was clear: there was an emerging niche where Surgical Assistants could work as freelancers – partners to their surgeons, not just support staff.

For me, surgery has always been more than a paycheck; it’s a calling. But the idea that I could shape a freelance career and work side-by-side with surgeons in a respected partnership? That was revolutionary. I knew right then and there that this was the path for me.

The Turning Point

Let’s rewind a bit: I’d already been flirting with the idea of going freelance as an assistant. Medicare had recently stopped reimbursing surgeons to assist each other during cataract surgeries, which led our Ophthalmologists to start relying on me to fill both the Surgical Tech and Assistant roles simultaneously. For whatever reason, they liked working with me over anyone else in the OR. I didn’t engineer this, but you should. I just had a genuine passion for the work and I’m sure they sensed it.

Tip #1: Make it a priority to become the assistant your surgeons love working with most. They’ll get addicted to you. Building these relationships lays the foundation for future opportunities.

However, there was a problem. As the assistant, I worked under the microscope with the surgeon. I might be holding something on the patient’s eye with my forceps. Then, as the Surgical Tech, I’d have to reach back to grab an instrument with my other hand that the surgeon needed for the next step. Now, I think I had learned well how to be steady under the microscope. But this small action made it look like an earthquake under the microscope! This was bound to be unsettling for the surgeon and potentially unsafe for the patient.

It occurred to me that this problem might be revealing an unexpected opportunity. After some reflection, I came up with a plan. What if I could schedule my days off to align with the surgeons’ OR block time? That would allow me to come in as their dedicated freelance assistant. This arrangement would enable me to focus exclusively on assisting, without the need to juggle the tasks of both roles.

Tip #2: Learn to see opportunity in every problem. That’s often were innovation begins.

Once I pitched this idea, surgeons were thrilled with it. At a minimum, they’d enjoy these 3 benefits:

• Consistency and reliability for every case.

• Focused assistance, allowing for a smoother and safer procedure.

• Reduced liability, eliminating the risk associated with managing dual roles.

When it came to compensation, I initially proposed working for free and billing patients directly. But while I saw this as a win-win, they worried it might drive patients to their competitors who didn’t have this extra charge. Not long after, they countered with an even better offer – they’d pay me themselves!

Tip #3: Whenever possible, charge by the case instead of by the hour. It’s the secret sauce of higher level income. And remember, the source of your reimbursement is less important than building a reliable income stream.

This turning point marked the beginning of my journey as a freelance Surgical Assistant. Each step was a lesson in finding opportunities, adapting to challenges, and building strong professional relationships.

A New Beginning in Denver

Unfortunately, I can’t tell you how that venture turned out. Before I had the chance to finalize and launch the business, I took Al Sanchez up on his offer to move to Colorado and work directly with him. It was a bold decision, but the timing was perfect since I hadn’t started freelancing on my own yet. So, I uprooted my life, moved my family to Denver, and joined Al’s team at Colorado Surgical Assisting. Under his mentorship, I learned not only how to be a more effective and talented Surgical Assistant but also how to run and grow a surgical assisting business. It was a transformative experience.

That first year in Denver, I earned $105,000 working only 20 hours per week. That was triple what I was making before working 50 to 60 hours a week! But it wasn’t just the income that mattered. It was the respect I gained and the realization that I had found my calling as a Surgical Assistant. I was no longer viewed simply as an assistant but as a trusted partner in the surgery, often being delegated to perform parts of procedures myself. It was a new kind of professional validation, one that made every challenge worth it.

Tip #4: If you want to fast-track your success as a freelance Surgical Assistant, partner with someone who knows how it’s done. It will help you avoid costly pitfalls, accelerate your progress, and amplify your success.

Paying It Forward

Throughout my career, I’ve experienced firsthand the challenges and rewards of surgical assisting. The journey from Surgical Technologist to respected Surgical Assistant taught me that success in this field requires more than just technical skills – it demands a mindset focused on growth, adaptability, and relentless pursuit of excellence.

These experiences have put me on a mission: Make surgeon-level SKILLS and INCOME attainable for non-physicians and unmatched physicians through powerfully effective Surgical Assistant training. I believe that with the right guidance and training, individuals from diverse backgrounds – whether they’re Surgical Techs, OR Nurses, Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, or foreign or domestic trained Physicians – can achieve a high level of surgical proficiency and find their place in the operating room as valued team members.

Through ACE Surgical Assisting, my goal is to provide comprehensive training that gives students the surgeon-level skills they need to achieve their highest level of success. And, through business training and partnerships, to give our alumni the confidence and business acumen required to thrive in a freelance capacity.

Summary

In this blog post, I share the pivotal moments and lessons learned on my journey from Surgical Technologist to freelance Surgical Assistant. Starting with a transformative conference experience, I recount how I uncovered a unique path to freelancing, gaining independence and respect within the surgical field. The post details key tips on building surgeon relationships, spotting opportunities in challenges, structuring freelance compensation, and the power of mentorship. Ultimately, these experiences have fueled my mission to help others achieve surgeon-level skills and income through high-impact training, making this path accessible to those ready to take charge of their careers.

Do you think freelancing could be for you? There are 2 things you should do right away:

1. Learn more: there are 2 more blog posts coming up on this subject – one a month. There’ll be more valuable tips and insights, so stay tuned.
2. Get more details on partnering with ACE by emailing me at dan.bump@acesatraining.com. I look forward to hearing from you soon and doing great things together.