Surgical Physician Assistant I

About the Role

Provides surgical assistance in the operating room upon request to any surgeon with a delegation agreement and as assigned by the Clinical Coordinator of APPs/designee. Develops laparoscopic and DaVinci robotic first assist skills. Performs daily post-operative rounding and facilitates/coordinates care of the patient as requested by the supervising physician.

Responsible for admission History and Physical examinations, daily progress notes, daily orders, discharge, transfer and death summaries, discharge/transfer orders, and prescriptions for all patients admitted by the attending surgeon. Conducts evaluations of patients in the Emergency Department and on the surgical floor at the request of the attending surgeon. Assists credentialed practitioners with bedside procedures including central venous catheter placement, tube thoracostomy, arterial catheter placement, and peripherally inserted central catheters.

Supports Quality initiatives of Holy Cross Hospital including medication reconciliation, universal time-out procedures, SCIP, VTE prevention, and electronic documentation. Supports timely, accurate, and compliant professional billing.

Responsibilities

• Provide surgical assistance in the operating room for surgeons with delegation agreements.
• Develop laparoscopic and DaVinci robotic first assist skills.
• Perform daily post-operative rounding and coordinate patient care.
• Conduct admission History and Physical examinations, daily progress notes, orders, discharge summaries, and prescriptions.
• Evaluate patients in the Emergency Department and surgical floor as requested.
• Assist with bedside procedures (e.g., central venous catheter placement, tube thoracostomy).
• Support hospital Quality initiatives (medication reconciliation, SCIP, VTE prevention).
• Ensure timely, accurate, and compliant professional billing.
• Adhere to safety responsibilities, including identifying hazardous materials and ensuring compliance with hospital safety policies.

Requirements

• Graduate from an ARC-PA-certified Physician Assistant program.
• Passed the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE).
• Current Maryland Physician Assistant license.
• Qualify for prescriptive authority (CDS and DEA).
• Ability to work in operating rooms and inpatient units.
• BLS Certification.
• Excellent communication skills and teamwork ability.

Physical and Mental Requirements

• Works within inpatient hospital environments (floors, post-operative units, operating rooms).
• Endurance for long procedures in the operating room.
• Lifting, carrying, pushing, or pulling up to 35 lbs.
• Bending body downward at the waist.
• Close visual acuity required.
• Subject to hazards associated with a hospital environment.
• Weekend and on-call hours required on a rotating schedule.

Reporting Relationship

Reports directly to the Clinical Supervisor of APPs and the Primary Supervising Physician registered with the State of Maryland. Patient care decisions are made in conjunction with the alternate supervising physician as mandated by Maryland law.