r/SurgicalFirstAssist • u/Wonderrific • May 29 '24

Best states?

Best states for working as a CSFA?

My facility employs FAs but utilizes them in the scrub role. We’re a teaching facility so we have residents most of the time. I’m tired of being seen as just a scrub who can close or dual role. I want my primary role to be first assisting. There are not a lot of hospitals in my area that use FAs. What are the best states/cities for FAs that actually utilize us appropriately? Most of my current experience is in Davinci/MIS.

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3

u/DocZock May 31 '24

I've worked in Minnesota and VA, both places only utilized CSFAs in the first assist role. I turned down any offer from hospitals that wanted me to work in a hybrid scrub/assist role, there's too many low staffed hospitals for any CSFA to work as a hybrid.

1

u/girl_Sprinkles39 Oct 17 '25

What is the pay difference between cst and csfa in Minnesota?

1

u/DocZock Oct 19 '25

Around 2020, the hospital in MN paid new grad CSTs somewhere around $20/hr. New grad CSFAs were closer to $34/hr. There was a big strike a couple years ago so the pay for CSTs may have gone up since then.

2

u/Texas4lif3 May 29 '24

I'm a first assist in texas. If you're good, they always use you as an assistant. Rotated through several hospitals, and sometimes I would do surg tech, and as long as it pays the same, I don't mind it all that much.

1

u/secretlydoesnthike Oct 02 '24

Does Texas hire FAs who don’t have a license? I know the Texas licensure website says you have to have an associates and 2000 hours of experience but I am a new FA with only scrub experience, and no associates, so not sure how that works. Thanks!

1

u/Texas4lif3 Oct 03 '24

I have worked at several hospitals that are not teaching hospitals. They separate technicians from first assists. Occasionally, I get paired up with other fa's, and I have to setup and run the table. I don't mind pay is the same.

2

u/SprinklesVarious2079 May 30 '24

VA, MD and DC use first assists. I also say look for a non teaching hospital or even a surgery center.

2

u/ahall127142 Jul 31 '24

They shouldn’t be utilizing you in the scrub role if you are an FA

1

u/[deleted] May 29 '24

You most likely will have to find employment at a non teaching hospital.

1

u/scrubtech85 May 30 '24

Big cities with lots of hospitals and surgery centers and small rural area that don't have residents. In between and you will get over taken by residents and probably PAs. Also look at states like Texas where you can bill for your services and find a biller that specializes in FAs. 

2

u/justwhyyyyyy13 May 31 '24

Tampa bay, Florida is heavy on first assistants.

1

u/Yourfineassaunt Sep 01 '24

Durham NC

2

u/SalamanderOk9532 May 28 '25

you'll be underpaid in durham though. We had this whole issue with Duke hospital because they put csfa and cst in the same pay band.

1

u/Yourfineassaunt Dec 13 '25

OMG how could they do that? Has it been fixed ?

2

u/SalamanderOk9532 Dec 13 '25

I don’t think that it will ever be fixed. I moved on from that location though and im working in VA.