| “Eastern Virginia Medical School's Surgical Assistant Program sets the standard for
surgical assistant education in this country.” |
Daniel Baird, C.S.A., M.B.A.
President, National Surgical Assistant Association |
Overview
Since 1981, Eastern Virginia Medical School has offered an educational
program to prepare candidates for a career in assisting surgeons in the performance of surgical procedures;
currently, we offer Graduate Certificate and Certificate Programs in the specialized area of surgical
assisting. EVMS’ Surgical Assistant (S.A.) Program is unique in comparison to other currently
accredited S.A. programs, because individuals may be admitted without prior medical experience.
Surgical Assistants scrub for operative procedures, assist in the
positioning of patients and assist in draping and preparation of the operative site. During procedures, the
S.A. retracts and exposes the operative field and assists in securing the best possible exposure of the
anatomical site. With experience, the S.A. learns to anticipate the moves and needs of the surgeon. The
seasoned S.A. is an expert in surgical procedures and surgical techniques.
All graduates have successfully secured employment. There is a growing
demand for dedicated surgical assistants in hospitals and surgical practices throughout the nation.
For more specific information about the
admissions criteria, program curricula, application and tuition, please
click on the hyperlinks in the blue shaded box.
Programs
Candidates accepted into our
nationally accredited residential programs (CAAHEP)
complete 22 months of training, which includes 10 months of didactic
instruction and 12 months of clinical training. The two Surgical
Assistant Programs are distinct, and each has its own specific admissions
criteria and curricula. After accepting an offer of admission to
either program and matriculating to EVMS, students must complete the
graduation requirements for that program and may not switch between
these two programs.
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With experience, the surgical assistant learns to anticipate the needs
of the surgeon as the operative procedure progresses. |
All classes during the didactic year are held on the EVMS campus. While the
class schedule varies, courses are typically held between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.
As part of the preclinical training of the
Surgical Assistant Program, first-year students are assigned to the
Department of Surgery’s Surgical Resident Teams and rotate through the six
surgical services every five weeks. This preclinical training complements
the knowledge and skills students obtain during the 10- month didactic phase
of the program with hands-on instruction by chief surgical residents. Now,
when students enter their clinical phase of the program during year two,
they will have eights months of OR experience and surgical knowledge as
a foundation.
Second-year clinical rotations are conducted in
regional tertiary facilities including Sentara Norfolk General Hospital,
Sentara Leigh Hospital, Bon Secours DePaul Medical Center, Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center, Sentara
Virginia Beach General Hospital, Sentara Bayside Hospital, Sentara Obici Hospital, Chesapeake General Hospital,
Riverside Regional Medical Center and Sentara Careplex. Additionally, there are specific rotations in
plastic, vascular, cardiac, trauma and orthopedic surgery.
These rotations provide students with more than 1,500 hours of
hands-on practical experience assisting in surgical procedures. Rotations are typically conducted during the
hours of 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Surgical assistant students are required to
attend Grand Rounds with the Department of Surgery, from 8 a.m. - 9 a.m. twice per month, frequently on the first
and third Fridays of each month. During the clinical year, Educational Days coincide with Grand Rounds.
Second- year students are excused from their clinical sites and take part in the surgical lecture series and
group or individualized study sessions.
Cost
Tuition for the 2008-2009 academic year is $11,246 per year.
Books and supplies are not included in this fee. Students may apply
for financial aid via the EVMS
Financial Aid Office. Federal financial aid is not
available for international students.
Application Procedures
Candidates must
complete the online application, along with a nonrefundable $60 application
fee, three letters of recommendation, a personal narrative statement and official transcripts of all
college-level coursework. The application deadline is February 1.
Official transcripts should be mailed to the
Director of Enrollment for Health Professions at the address below. If you experience technical
difficulties or related problems in completing your online application, please contact:
Rose Mwayungu
Director of Enrollment for Health Professions
Attention: Surgical Assistant Programs
Eastern Virginia Medical School
700 W. Olney Road
Norfolk, VA 23507-1607
Tel: (757) 446-7153/7096
Fax: (757) 446-8915
mwayunra@evms.edu
The application review process takes approximately eight weeks.
The Program Director will send letters to all applicants indicating the determination of the admissions
review committee. Approximately 15 students are admitted. New
classes are admitted each July and students are enrolled for 22
consecutive months.
Admission Criteria and Policy
Accepted students are required to sign a Conditions of Acceptance form and
submit a $300 fee. They are expected to be in good health to withstand the rigors of the program and to
strictly adhere to all rules and regulations of EVMS, as well as those of the clinical facilities where they
will receive clinical training. All students must possess valid health insurance at all times while enrolled
in the program, through either the school or private insurance. All applicants must be U.S. citizens or
provide evidence of permanent U.S. residence.
The program does not accept transfer credits.
Program Completion Requirements
Prior to graduation from the program, students must have completed all coursework and clinical components
with an overall "B" average, and must have received clinical evaluations rated as "Satisfactory" or better from all clinical sites prior to graduation. Students are required to submit documentation
of the number and types of operative procedures in which they participated. In addition, all students must
have successfully completed the EVMS exit interview process, which includes meeting all EVMS financial
obligations.
National Surgical Assistant Association
Upon completion of the EVMS Surgical Assistant Program,
graduates are eligible to sit for the National Surgical Assistant Association's (NSAA) Certification Exam.
Graduates who pass this exam obtain the professional credentials of Certified Surgical Assistant (CSA). For
the past six years, 100 percent of our graduates have passed the exam on their first attempt. Additionally, NSAA reports that our graduates post some of the highest scores nationally.
National Surgical Assistant Association
2615 Amesbury Road
Winston Salem, NC 27103
1-888-633-0479
http://www.nsaa.net
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