National Surgical Assistant Association

09/29/2026

Ready to advance your career? Applications are officially OPEN for the NSAA Professional Advancement Endowment Award!

This award supports the professional growth, leadership development, and continuing education of surgical assistants by providing funding to attend the 2027 ASA/NSAA Annual Conference on April 16–17 in Tampa, FL. Recipients will receive funding toward conference registration, travel, and hotel accommodations!

Are You Eligible?
-Active NSAA member in good standing
-Active CSA credential for a minimum of 5 consecutive years
-Demonstrated involvement in clinical practice, leadership, service, or professional activities

What You Need to Apply:
-Proof of current CSA certification
-Verification of active NSAA membership
-Current CV or résumé
-Letter of Recommendation from a surgeon you work with (addressing clinical competence, professional development, and impact)

⚠️ All materials MUST be submitted together in one single email packet to [email protected]. Incomplete, separate, or late submissions will not be considered.

🗓️ Deadline: November 1, 2026

Don't miss this opportunity to invest in your professional journey

09/21/2026

Collaborative AI or just another tool in the suite?

South Korea’s Samsung Medical Center and Rainbow Robotics recently demonstrated the world’s first unified surgical team featuring a lead surgeon working alongside two humanoid surgical assistant robots.

Unlike standalone robotic platforms (like the da Vinci system), these 140 cm tall humanoid robots stand right at the OR table in surgical gowns—handing instruments, holding retraction, operating endoscopes, and responding to voice commands in real time.

Developers aim to commercialize the technology by 2029 to help address surgical staff shortages, particularly during off-hours and in regional facilities.

While the technology is still in testing and faces clear regulatory, safety, and liability hurdles, it raises important questions for the surgical community:
-How will AI and humanoid robotics shape the future role of the Surgical Assistant?
-Where do you see human expertise remaining completely indispensable in complex cases?

Read the full report here

🔗 https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2026/09/18/3KOXERFXP5E7XJ3LX345MG5YDE/

Humanoid Surgical Robots and Surgeon Form Worlds First Unified Surgical Team Samsung Medical Center and Rainbow Robotics robots achieve 100% tool success, target 2029 commercialization

09/16/2026

Ready to Take Your Robotic Surgical Assisting Skills to the Expert Level?

Take your skills beyond the basics with an intensive one-day robotic surgical assisting course at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN!

Designed specifically for experienced Surgical Assistants (SAs), PAs, NPs, and RNFAs, this program focuses on what matters most in the OR: precision, efficiency, speed, and critical surgical knowledge.

✨ What You’ll Experience:

🔹 High-Fidelity Simulation Labs
Get hands-on experience in Mayo Clinic’s world-class simulation center.

🔹 Live Expert Demonstrations
Learn advanced techniques and receive direct guidance from experienced robotic surgical experts.

🔹 Mastery-Focused Curriculum
Build greater efficiency and accuracy with concrete, measurable performance metrics.

🔹 One-Day Intensive Training
Elevate your clinical practice and strengthen your expertise on the surgical robotic system—all in one day!

📍 Location: Mayo Clinic — Rochester, MN
💰 Cost: $300
🎓 7 LIVE CEUs

🎟️ Seats are limited to maximize hands-on simulation time, so don’t miss this opportunity to take your robotic assisting skills to the next level!

👉 For more information and registration:

https://ce.mayo.edu/nursing/content/intensive-training-robotic-surgery-assisting-2026-dates?elqTrackId=FC8AAD45454920CF6FDAD4881513E14B&elq=6b63da02d01a47a5bdf20646309f2156&elqaid=27912&elqat=1&elqCampaignId&elqak=8AF5716FB50CB224499ED6CFF14AA16FA345EED75C2D163420856000141FC3E2C4EE&fbclid=IwZnRzaAUX54RwZG9mBWZkaWQWUOjfj_08nrz0nFpjFTHc7XUmEahmv2V4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR7sr00tfST-ict4GWLzZpcZ1QZ1q4zdXMT-8w89zTM8Xv0zWdVU8vZqca4Isw_aem_R1Mlbr3hWedogr_l-4S7lw -tabs-node-course-default6

08/31/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1HkPGc2tDZ/?mibextid=wwXIfr

In this image, legendary cardiovascular surgeon Michael DeBakey holds arterial grafts made of Dacron, a synthetic material that helped revolutionize the treatment of aortic and major vessel diseases.

Long before the era of stents, robotic surgery, and 3D imaging, DeBakey was already performing procedures that seemed impossible for his time. His research and innovations transformed modern cardiovascular surgery and saved countless lives around the world.

~ rc.educacao
𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲!
The Operating Room Global (TORG)
𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐿𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑁𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑘 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑂𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑅𝑜𝑜𝑚 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑓𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑂𝑛𝑒 𝑃𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒!

08/26/2026

Help Shape the 2027 ASA & NSAA Joint Conference!

As we prepare for Tampa Bay, we want to hear from YOU.

What hands-on workshops would you like to see at the 2027 ASA & NSAA Joint Conference? What skills would help you grow in your practice and provide greater value to your surgeons and patients?

👇 Drop your ideas in the comments and help us build an outstanding conference experience.

Your Ideas. Your Conference. Your Future.

📍 Tampa Bay, Florida
📅 April 16-17, 2027

08/20/2026

08/19/2026

Save the Date: 8th Annual ASA & NSAA Joint Conference!

While conference registration will open at a later date, hotel rooms are officially available to book now! Secure your stay early to lock in the special conference rate and guarantee your spot at the host hotel.

📍 Venue: The Westin Tampa Bay | 7627 W Courtney Campbell Causeway, Tampa, FL 33607

📅 Dates: April 16–17, 2027

👉 Reserve your hotel room today and save the date! Stay tuned for registration details coming soon.

https://asa-nsaa.org/

08/13/2026

We’re thrilled to officially announce the newest National Surgical Assistant Association (NSAA) Ambassadors!

These exceptional professionals embody the highest standards of clinical excellence, leadership, and advocacy in the operating room. Alongside our returning ambassadors; Leilani Settles, Loni Simonson, Holly Rusch, and David Roman, they will help strengthen connections with NSAA members nationwide, advance the surgical assistant profession, and contribute to the future of surgical patient care.

Please join us in giving a warm welcome and congratulations to our newest ambassadors:

Noah Hankerson
Michael Khalil
Ashley Givens

To our new and returning ambassadors: thank you for stepping up to lead, mentor, and inspire. We’re excited to see the incredible impact you’ll make together throughout the surgical community!

08/03/2026

Did you know? Research shows that playing a musical instrument helps trainees perform surgical tasks with greater precision and speed.
Building muscle memory, dexterity, and fine motor control on an instrument translates directly to surgical precision at the table.

HKU study of 203 final-year medical students shows those with musical experience completed surgical tasks 10 per cent faster and more skilfully.

05/30/2026

A record 49,064 organ transplants were performed in the US in 2025. 📈

This milestone reflects a growing trend driven by advances in clinical care, organ preservation, and policy—helping surgeons expand the donor pool, improve outcomes, and save more lives.

Innovations like machine perfusion technologies are allowing more organs to be used, while evolving policies aim to create a more equitable and efficient system for allocation.

At the center of this progress are transplant surgeons, whose expertise continues to shape the future of care and increase the impact of organ donation.

📸 A living donor kidney transplant is performed by Dr. Nicole Turgeon at the Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas.

🔗 Read the full story: https://brnw.ch/21x2Pmu