12FTCC physicianFayetteville Technical Community College is excited to announce the start of the Surgical First Assistant program starting this summer.

Surgical First Assistants, or SFAs, are surgical “physician extenders.” The Surgical First Assistant program of study allows hospital planning administrators an opportunity to offer a staffing model that emphasizes better use of physician extenders – healthcare professionals credentialed to provide services under the direction of the surgeon.

In the operating room, these physician extenders provide advanced support that scrub techs are unqualified to provide, which helps free up the surgeon’s time to focus on tasks more appropriate for the surgeon’s level of medical training. Ultimately, the use of SFAs will facilitate surgeons’ efforts and promote wise use of their time, leading to better quality of care with fewer resources along with better surgeon satisfaction and better care economics for the hospital.

Recent news reports suggest that the demand for SFAs in the U.S. will continue to grow. The program will provide online didactic studies and a workbased learning clinical experience, which will allow candidates to continue their employment status.

Many healthcare representatives realize the need to address a number of factors in order to provide better care and services in response to surgical patients’ needs. Physician extenders like SFAs will be critical in helping healthcare get to that point. The SFA profession will only grow in volume and importance. The use of SFAs will provide the hospital’s operating room leadership an opportunity to take a closer look at staffing models that will not only help meet patient demand but also increase efficiency and revenue opportunity for their organizations.

Federal statistics project SFA jobs to increase 15 percent from 2014-2024 due to the increasing demand for surgical procedures, especially among the elderly population.

If you enjoy helping others, want to have a fulfilling career in a professional healthcare environment and wish to create a positive difference through your career, email herringt@faytechcc.edu or call 910-678-8358 to learn more about the new Surgical First Assistant program of study at FTCC. You can also visit the campus or visit the school’s website at faytechcc.edu for more details. Registration for Summer 2018 classes begins March 28. First Session Summer classes begin May 29. Students can receive enrollment and registration assistance at the Fayetteville campus, Spring Lake campus, and FTCC’s Center at the Fort Bragg Training and Education Center.