Surgical First Assistant Mock Interview

Master 30 Surgical First Assistant interview questions covering sterile technique, intraoperative procedures, and clinical judgment.

Question 1 of 30

Why did you choose a career as a surgical first assistant?

Entry Level
Experienced
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Darby Faubion

Darby Faubion has been a Nurse and Allied Health Educator for over 20 years. She has clinical experience in several specialty areas, including pediatrics, medical-surgical, critical care, and hospice.

"I have always been fascinated with the human body and how it works. Being a surgical assistant gives me the chance to be a part of 'setting things right,' so to speak. I get to assist surgeons and the rest of the surgical team as we try to repair things that aren't working correctly or take care of trauma related injuries that require surgical intervention. I absolutely love what I do!"

Darby Faubion

"For me, being a surgical first assistant was the next best thing to being a surgeon. I love working in the operating room and seeing first hand the way the human body is intricately made and how each part helps another to function properly. Being a surgical first assistant allows me to be the 'right hand' of the surgeon, but I did not have to devote many years of my life to school. I have never regretted my career choice."

Darby Faubion

Interviewers almost always ask what caused you to be interested in the career you've chosen. It gives them an opportunity to see how you feel about the work you are doing and what made it stand out among so many career choices, as the right one for you. There is no right or wrong answer here; it's simply a way of opening the door to get to know you.

Darby Faubion

"When I was younger, I thought of becoming a surgeon. As time went on, I really didn't feel like I wanted to spend the number of years required to become a physician and then to specialize in surgery. For me, the next logical choice was to be a surgical assistant. I still get to be in the operating room and have a part in helping people be better, but I did not have to go to school for as many years as becoming a surgeon would have required."

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Anonymous Answer

In PA school, I was about to head into my surgery rotation. The PA that worked with the surgeon had a reputation of a being a real hard guy. I was quite intimidated going in, but after observing the PA and his skill level, that intimidation changed to me having a strong desire to perform up to his standards. I wanted to emulate him. I quickly became enamored with how surgery was its own world right down to its own overhead paging and I was hooked. Before the end of my 6 weeks, I was closing and doing a phenomenal job. My surgeon commented that I had been hiding my talents under a bushel, a compliment I take much pride in. Surgery in all its facets are a perfect fit for me.

Rachelle's Feedback

Your story is very engaging, and I followed along with interest from the beginning to the end. Great work! It's clear that you have found your stride in the world of surgery :)

Anonymous Answer

Working as an SFA is my dream job. I would like to expand my role as a scrub nurse so that I can work closely with patients and the surgical team in preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative care. I would like to work as the right hand of the surgeon and trying to help the surgeon to do the surgery more easily and efficiently. I would also like to strengthen my knowledge of surgical procedures and learn new procedures each day. I could pay more attention to the surgical sites including suctioning, cauterizing, deep retracting. Moreover, I feel that I would get to know more about my patients and their surgical care.

Marcie's Feedback

Great answer! You list multiple reasons as to why you'd like to move from a scrub nurse to a surgical first assistant, which is great. Perhaps you can consider expanding more on why you like to work closely with patients and surgical teams. What about this appeals to you? Also, you might explain further why you're interested in learning more about surgical procedures.

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30Surgical First Assistant Interview Questions & Answers

1.Why did you choose a career as a surgical first assistant?

2.If you were scheduled to assist with a surgery, but had reason to believe that the surgeon was impaired and may be unsafe to perform surgery, what would you do?

3.What do you dislike most about being a surgical first assistant?

4.Do you feel like you have strong relationship building skills?

5.If you were working a case where a patient had signed consent, but just before being sedated, he stated to you that he doesn't think he wants the surgery, what would your response be?

6.Give me an example of an interesting surgical case that you assisted with.

7.Working in a surgical setting is often very stressful. What are some ways that you prepare yourself for potentially stressful situations?

8.Has there ever been a time that you felt you should not participate in a specific surgery? If so, how did you handle the situation?

9.How would you handle a situation if a family member was angry because of a poor surgical outcome regarding their loved one?

10.Have you ever been yelled at by a surgeon, and if so, how did you or how would you handle that situation?

11.What is something about you that most people may not know?

12.What is an example of one of the most difficult cases you have ever worked?

13.What kind of coworkers do you find difficult to work with?

14.Many healthcare workers report experiencing 'burn out' at some point in their careers. What do you do to help prevent this in your life?

15.If you suspected a team member of having a hangover or being under the influence of other substances, what would your response be?

16.How do you approach dealing with an angry patient, and why?

17.What sets you apart from other surgical first assistants, and why are you the best candidate for this job?

18.What are some of the first things you'd like to accomplish if you are offered this position?

19.What are some aspects of your specialty that make it unique compared to other specialties?

20.Have you ever felt it necessary to go to someone who is higher in the chain of command than your immediate supervisor to resolve or report an issue?

21.What is one of your biggest weaknesses and what are you doing to improve in that area?

22.Have you ever considered going to back to school to get a higher degree or to change career paths?

23.Talk about a time that you had to deal with a significant change in your work procedures or in your workplace. How did you handle that change?

24.Tell me about a time that there was an unexpected emergency at work. How did you handle the situation?

25.Would you ever consider relocation? If so, what areas are you open to?

26.Tell me about a time you had a disagreement with a coworker and how it was resolved.

27.What is your greatest fear about being a surgical first assistant?

28.What makes you feel you will be a good fit for our organization?

29.There are many different personalities among peers and coworkers. What would you like for people to notice about your personality?

30.Working in surgery requires a great deal of attention to detail and often multi-tasking. What do you do to help keep yourself from becoming overwhelmed?