Surgical Assistant Interview Questions & Answers


A Surgical Assistant provides assistance to Surgeons during operations and surgical procedures by providing pre and post-operative patient care, performing a variety of crucial tasks during operations, and may perform some clerical work.

Whether you're a job seeker preparing to be interviewed for the role of Surgical Assistant or an employer preparing to interview candidates for Surgical Assistant position, these Surgical Assistant interview questions will help you prepare yourself for the job interview session.

Surgical Assistant Interview Questions

Below are a list of some skill-based Surgical Assistant interview questions.

  1. Why do you like to work as a Surgical Assistant?
  2. What are your educational qualifications and/or field experience for this role?
  3. What are the main job duties and responsibilities of a Surgical Assistant?
  4. What are the skills required from a Surgical Assistant to succeed in their career?
  5. Describe the abilities you have in order to work as a Surgical Assistant?
  6. What are knowledge elements you obtained from your education, training, and work experience that would support your surgical assistant career?
  7. How would you describe your needed work style as a Surgical Assistant?
  8. What do you not like about the work of a Surgical Assistant?
  9. What are your future steps after experience you'll gain from your Surgical Assistant job?
  10. As a Surgical Assistant, what training courses or extra education that you think will improve your work performance?
  11. Talk about a recent experience you've had working with your hands.
  12. Describe your experience preparing patients for surgery.
  13. Share an experience in which you effectively observed a patient's vital signs and assessed the patient's physical condition.          
  14. What is the state of your records of surgical procedures? What is something you are trying to improve?
  15. What methods do you use to stay focused during surgery and competently handle multiple tasks?
  16. Provide an experience in which monitoring operating room conditions helped you to identify the needs of a patient or surgeon.        
  17. Share an experience in which you applied dressings and bandages following surgery.
  18. Share an experience when you applied new technology or information in your job. How did it help your skill?
  19. Describe an experience in which you successfully controlled the operation of a difficult system. What made you successful?
  20. Share an experience in which your attention to detail and thoroughness had an impact on your last company.               
  21. Provide an experience in which you assisted a surgeon, surgical nurse, or anesthesiologist on a difficult technical matter.
  22. Share an experience in which you effectively assisted a surgeon during a difficult operation.
  23. Share your experience preparing and caring for tissue specimens.            
  24. Describe your experience operating sterilizers, suction machines, and/or diagnostic equipment.
  25. Share an experience in which you've successfully learned how to handle a new piece of equipment?
  26. Share an experience in which you conducted a test of a product, service, or process and successfully improved the quality or performance.
  27. What is your biggest fear about being a Surgical Assistant, and how will you overcome it?
  28. Share an experience in which your diligence in inspecting equipment, structures, or materials helped you identify a problem or the cause of a problem.    
  29. Can you describe a time when you discovered a problem with surgical equipment, sutures, or materials and how you resolved the issue?
  30. How would you handle a sudden emergency, such as cardiac arrest, during an operation?
  31. What methods have you found effective in calming an anxious patient pre-surgery?
  32. Talk about yourself and why you think you are a good Surgical Assistant.

Surgical Assistant Interview Questions and Answers

Every interview is different and the questions may vary. However, there are lots of general questions that get asked at every interview.

Below are some common questions you'd expect during Surgical Assistant interviews. Click on each question to see how to answer them.

  1. Why Do You Want To Leave Your Current Job?
  2. What is Your Greatest Strength?
  3. Tell Me About Yourself
  4. Why Do You Want This Job?
  5. Are You a Leader or a Follower?
  6. What Is Your Greatest Accomplishment?
  7. What is Your Salary Expectation?
  8. Do You Have Any Questions for Us?
  9. Why Should We Hire You?
  10. What is Your Greatest Weakness?