Physician Assistants (PA-C)

AAPA – American Academy of Physician Assistants

NCCPA – National Commission of Certified Physician Assistants

Our Physician Assistants are certified through NCCPA. Typically, completion of this program consists of:

• Successful completion of an accredited Physician Assistant program
• An active license in the state to which you will be assigned/working
• Board certification by the NCCPA.

Nurse Practitioners (NP)

AANP – American Association of Nurse Practitioners

Our Nurse Practitioners are certified through AANP. Typically, completion of this program consists of:

• Successful completion of a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program through an accredited educational program
• An active license in the state to which you will be assigned/working
• Certification as a Nurse Practitioner by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) or American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)

ANCC – American Nurses Credentialing Center

Our Nurse Practitioners are certified through ANCC. Typically, completion of this program consists of:

• Successful completion of a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program through an accredited educational program
• An active license in the state to which you will be assigned/working
• Certification as a Nurse Practitioner by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) or American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)

Registered Nurse First Assistants (CRNFA, RNFA)

ABSNC  – American Board for Specialty Nursing Certification

Our Registered Nurse First Assistants are certified through ABSNC (American Board for Specialty Nursing Certification.) Typically, completion of this program consists of:

• An active license in the state to which you will be assigned/working
• Certified Nurse Operating Room credential through the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCAA) or the American Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC)

AORN -Association of periOperative Registered Nurse

NCCA – National Commission for Certifying Agencies

Our Registered Nurse First Assistants are certified through NCAA. Typically, completion of this program consists of:

• An active license in the state to which you will be assigned/working
• Certified Nurse Operating Room credential through NCAA, or the American Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC)

Surgical Assistants

ABSA – American Board of Surgical Assistants (SA-C)

Our Surgical Assistant Certified’s (SA-C) are certified through ABSA (American Board of Surgical Assistants.) Typically, completion of this program consists of:

• Physician (US or Foreign Trained) with a minimum of two years primary or advanced surgical experience or documentation of at least 400 clinical surgical cases as a first assistant
• PA/RN/LPN/CST/ST’s must provide documentation of successful completion of a formal surgical assisting training program with a curriculum approved by ABSA and an Associate’s Degree or higher and two-year’s clinical surgical work experience

ASA – Association of Surgical Assistants

DORA – Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (SA)

In Colorado, our Surgical Assistants are registered with DORA . Typically, completion of this program consists of:

• Associates Degree from a two or four-year institution or greater
• Graduation from a CAAHEP accredited Surgical Assisting educational program, Registered Nurse First Assisting Program, Surgical Physician Assistant program or a full medical school (and recipient of a physician’s degree)
• Board Certified by the National Surgical Assistant Association (NSAA), National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) or the American Board of Surgical Assistants (ABSA)
• In Colorado, registered as an SA with the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies.

IDFPR – Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation (RSA)

In Illinois, Registered Surgical Assistants (RSA) are certified with IDFPR. Certification of completion from a medical education program approved by the Division, or has graduated from a United States Military Program that emphasizes surgical assisting.

The following applicants are considered from an approved program:

• Individuals who are graduates of a National Surgical Assistant Association approved program of surgical assisting. The category shall include certificate programs, an associate degree or higher, and formal hospital based programs for surgical assisting.
• Individuals with 3 consecutive years experience as a surgical first assistant with 750 hours per year. The individual must provide a signed and notarized affidavit from his or her supervisor attesting to his or her experience and 5 verifiable letters of reference from surgeons he or she has assisted.
• Individuals with 2 full years of first assisting experience during the last 4 years with 350 documented surgical cases.
• Individuals who are graduates of a foreign medical school must submit: a copy of the diploma or a reference letter from their medical school (verifying surgical training and experience) and a reference letter from a sponsoring U.S. surgeon who has evaluated the individual’s technical skills and aseptic technique;

Required: Documentation that the applicant has passed a national certifying examination from the National Surgical Assistant Association on the Certification of Surgical Assistants; the Liaison Council on Certification for Surgical Technologists as a certified first assistant; or the American Board of Surgical Assistants;

Required: Proof of current certification by one of the following certifying bodies:

• National Surgical Assistant Association for the certification of surgical assistants;
• Liaison Council on Certification for the Surgical Technologist as a certified first assistant; or
• American Board of Surgical Assistants;

If the applicant has ever been licensed/registered in another state or territory of the United States (jurisdiction), certification, on forms provided by the Division, from the jurisdiction applicant was originally licensed and the jurisdiction applicant predominantly practices and is currently licensed, stating:

• The time during which the applicant was registered in that jurisdiction, including the date of original issuance of the license; and
• Whether the file on the applicant contains any record of disciplinary actions taken or pending.

NBSTSA – National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (CSFA)

Our Surgical Technologists are certified through NBSTSA (National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting.) Typically, completion of this program consists of:

• Diploma, certificate or associates degree from an accredited Surgical Technology program
• Board Certified with the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) as a CST
• Where applicable, an active license in the state to which you will be assigned/working

NSAA – National Surgical Assitant Association (CSA)

Our Surgical Assistants are certified through NSAA. Typically, completion of this program consists of:

• Associates Degree from a two or four-year institution or greater
• Graduation from a CAAHEP accredited Surgical Assisting educational program, Registered Nurse First Assisting Program, Surgical Physician Assistant program or a full medical school (and recipient of a physician’s degree)
• Board Certified by the NSAA, National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) or the American Board of Surgical Assistants (ABSA)
• In Texas, licensing by the Texas Medical Board as an LSA is preferred
• In Colorado, registered with the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies as an SA
• In Illinois, registered with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulations an RSA

TMB – Texas Medical Board (LSA)

In Texas, certification with the TMB can take you a long way towards employment at ASP. Other requirements:

• Associates Degree from a two or four-year institution or greater
• Graduation from a CAAHEP accredited Surgical Assisting educational program, Registered Nurse First Assisting Program, Surgical Physician Assistant program or a full medical school (and recipient of a physician’s degree)
• Board Certified by the National Surgical Assistant Association (NSAA), National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) or the American Board of Surgical Assistants (ABSA)
• In Texas, licensing by the Texas Medical Board as an LSA is preferred

VBM – Virginia Board of Medicine (LSA)

In Virginia, certification with the VBM can take you a long way towards employment at ASP. Other requirements:

• A current credential as a surgical assistant or surgical first assistant issued by the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA), or the National Commission for Certification of Surgical Assistants (NCCSA) or their successors; or
• Successful completion of a surgical assistant training program during the applicant’s service as a member of any branch of the armed forces of the United States; or
•  Practice as a surgical assistant in the Commonwealth at any time in the six months immediately prior to July 1, 2020.

Other Affiliations

Parallon Workforce Management Solutions

American Surgical Holdings, the parent company of American Surgical Professionals, is an approved vendor with Parallon, which enables ASP and other subsidiaries of ASH to provide surgical assistant services to the hundreds of hospitals which Parallon provides services, including Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), one of the nation’s leading providers of healthcare services.

The Joint Commission

In June of 2005, we became the first surgical assistant professional services company in the country to be awarded the Healthcare Staffing Services (HCSS) Certification of The Joint Commission, the highest recognition in the industry. Read more about our history and evolution as a leader in providing Surgical Assistants.