Doctors' surgery assistant

About this occupation

Doctors' surgery assistants support doctors of medicine in medical measures, in performing simple support activities during medical procedures, standardised diagnostic programmes and standardised point-of-care tests, ensuring surgery hygiene, cleaning, disinfecting, sterilising and maintaining medical devices and performing the organisational and administrative tasks required for operating a doctor`s surgery under supervision, following the orders of the doctor of medicine.

• Make tentative diagnoses and decisions about management and treatment of patients.
• Interpret diagnostic test results for deviations from normal.
• Prescribe therapy or medication with physician approval.
• Obtain, compile, and record patient medical data, including health history, progress notes, and results of physical examination.
• Examine patients to obtain information about their physical condition.
• Administer or order diagnostic tests, such as x-ray, electrocardiogram, and laboratory tests.

Typical education (US)

Master's Degree

Preparation

Job Zone 5 of 5

Interests

Social, Investigative, Conventional

Top skills: Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Active Listening, Writing, Speaking, Social Perceptiveness

US median pay: US$135,880 a year (2025), 162,150 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.

Subjects this work relies on

How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).

• BiologyO*NET: BiologyExtremely important (4.8)
• English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageExtremely important (4.6)
• PsychologyO*NET: PsychologyExtremely important (4.6)
• SociologyO*NET: Sociology and AnthropologyVery important (3.6)
• Computer StudiesO*NET: Computers and ElectronicsVery important (3.5)
• ChemistryO*NET: ChemistryImportant (3.5)
• Mathematics or StatisticsO*NET: MathematicsImportant (3.4)
• Environmental ScienceO*NET: Biology + GeographyImportant (3.2)

O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

Preparation needed

Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed

Most common education (US)

Master's Degree

Education

Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Experience

Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Training

Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.