Certified Surgical First Assistant
Posted Feb 6, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026
Likely interview questions for this role
Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.
About your past
Tell me about a time you saw a break in sterile technique. What did you do?
What they are checking: Willingness to speak up about sterility even when it is awkward or slows the case.
Tell me about a time something went wrong in the OR and how the team handled it.
What they are checking: Calm teamwork during a surgical emergency and lessons learned afterward.
What certification do you hold as a first assistant, and how do you keep it current?
What they are checking: Meeting credential requirements and commitment to ongoing learning in the specialty.
What would you do
A case runs much longer than planned and the team is tired. How do you stay focused?
What they are checking: Stamina and focus during long, complex cancer surgeries.
About the work
Walk me through how you position a patient for a long abdominal cancer surgery to prevent nerve injury and pressure sores.
What they are checking: Careful positioning knowledge that prevents injuries during long oncology procedures.
What do you do to prepare and count instruments before and after a case?
What they are checking: Discipline with counts and setup that prevents retained items and delays.
How do you provide exposure and retraction for a surgeon you have never worked with before?
What they are checking: Adaptability and anticipation in the operating field with different surgeons.
The surgeon asks you to close a wound. What closure techniques are you comfortable with?
What they are checking: Real hands-on skill in suturing and closure within their scope of practice.
How do you help control bleeding during a procedure?
What they are checking: Skill with hemostasis tools and techniques that keep the field clear and the patient safe.
Which surgical specialties and robotic or laparoscopic systems have you assisted with?
What they are checking: Range of case experience relevant to a cancer hospital's surgical mix.
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As published by City of Hope Chicago.