Surgical Assisting, MSA

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The EVMS Surgical Assisting program is the only CAAHEP-accredited surgical assistant program that does not require its students to be trained as surgical technicians. Our graduates earn a Master of Surgical Assisting degree and become certified in 22 months.

Our mission is to train competent surgical assistants in a dynamic academic environment and nurture future educators and leaders of the profession.

Admission

This program maintains an admission process unique to the program. Prospective students are encouraged to review the admission requirements in order to best prepare themselves for a successful future at EVMS.

Academic Calendar

This program maintains an academic calendar unique to the program that includes exam schedules. All students are encouraged to review the academic calendar in order to be successful at EVMS.

Tuition and Fees Process

This program maintains a tuitio and fees process unique to the program. All students are encouraged to review the tuition and fees process in order to best prepare themselves for a successful future at EVMS.

Curriculum

Our 71-credit-hour program includes 36 credits of training in our 10 month didactic phase and 35 credits of clinical practice in the second year.

Didactic Phase

Our immersive experience allows for direct observation and active participation with the surgical team to develop the critical clinical skills surgical assistants need. Students are exposed to surgical services, including perioperative, intraoperative and postoperative patient care, and ancillary surgical services, such as central sterile services and pathology.

This training complements the hands-on instruction students receive in the surgical environment. Our students enter the clinical phase of the program with practical experience in the operating room and a strong foundation of surgical knowledge.

Clinical Phase

In contrast to other accredited programs, our program manages and assigns students’ clinical placements. At the end of the clinical phase, students:

Have completed eight clinical rotations.
Have performed the duties of and served in the role of the surgical assistant in at least 240 cases.
Have the equivalent competencies expected of a junior surgical resident.
Are eligible to sit for a national certification exam.

Course Sequence

Term 1 | Fall 2022 | 18 Credit Hours

Term 2 | Spring 2023 | 18 Credit Hours

Term 3 | Summer 2023 (Clinical Year) | 9 Credit Hours

Term 4 | Fall 2023 (Clinical Year) | 14 Credit Hours

Term 5 | Spring 2024 (Clinical Year) | 12 Credit Hours

Total Requirement: 71 Credit Hours

Faculty and Staff

Program Director
R. Crews, MPH, Assistant Dean Admissions

Program Staff

Jennifer Land

Clinical Coordinator

Karen Owen, CSA, RSA, Instructor

Faculty

Daniel Baird, CSA, MSc, MBA, Teacher

Cynthia D. Ferguson, PA-C, MHS, Assistant Professor

David Jennette, CSA, LSA, RSA, Teacher

Michael Solhaug, MD, Vice Chair and Professor

Jessica Wilhelm, CSA, MSA, F-PRS, Assistant Professor

Jennifer M. Wohl, DHSc, PA-C, Associate Professor