The first two cohort graduates from the Surgical First Assistant Program at Fayetteville Technical Community College received a 100 percent pass rate on their namesake certified examination.
The College announced in November 2019 the Surgical First Assistant Program earned its accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). It is the first program in North Carolina to receive such accreditation and the eleventh in the nation. The program is overseen by Division Chair Terry Herring and Michelle Walden, the current Dean of Allied Health Technologies.
A student while training and learning as a surgical first assistant at FTCC.
The Surgical First Assistant program is designed to meet the educational requirements for the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting in the state. For admissions into FTCC’s 3-semester certificate program, which is also online, students must be Certified Surgical Technologists with three years of work experience. Students at the College can pursue an associate degree, diploma or certificate in this area of study.
Surgical first assistants are medical professionals who assist surgeons during surgical and other medical procedures by anticipating the needs of the surgical team during an operation, assisting the surgeon with tasks (such as selecting equipment, holding open incisions, stopping bleeding, and closing incisions) and other technical tasks.
After graduating and passing the state exam, surgical first assistants can gain employment in the healthcare field at clinics, educational institutions and hospitals or become self-employed.
Learn more about the Surgical First Assistant Program by clicking here .