
Serving at our health system’s most advanced and complex cardiac surgery center, the UH Cleveland Medical First Assistant team performs a variety of state of the art surgeries and procedures giving our team a well-rounded experience in coronary, valve, transplant, robotic, and structural heart disease including hybrid structural and aortic interventions. Cardiac First Assistants support every cardiac surgery case across our system in and out of the operating room, including emergencies within the hospital and procedures in the cardiac cath lab. RNFA, Physician Assistant or Surgical Assist will be considered. Cardiac OR experience strongly preferred.
When you join UH, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, which includes, but is not limited to:
A Brief Overview
The Cardiac First Assist works under the direction and supervision of the attending physician to provide aid in exposure, hemostasis, closure and other intraoperative technical functions that help the surgeon carry out a safe operation with optimal results for the patient. Performs preoperative and postoperative duties to better facilitate the needs of the surgical patient during the perioperative period. The First Assist will 1st and/or 2nd assist cardiac surgical procedures. The First Assist will cover regional call to support the Cardiac Surgery program across the system as well as covering call for Transplant, both donor and recipient, which requires the ability to travel in cars, ambulances, planes and helicopters.
Additional Responsibilities
RNFA
Graduation of approved RN Program (Required) and
Completion of state approved RNFA course (Required)
less than 1 year Minimum of 6 months taking Second call for Cardiac Surgery service line (Required)
Surgical Assistant
Graduation of approved SA Program (Required)
less than 1 year experience taking Second Call for Cardiac service line (Required)
Physician Assistant
Associate's Degree in healthcare related field with emphasis on clinical practice. (Required) or
Bachelor's Degree in healthcare related field with emphasis on clinical practice (Required) and
Master's Degree in healthcare related field with emphasis on clinical practice. (Preferred)
1+ years of Cardiac Surgery experience as a Level 1 (Preferred)
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities
Physical Demands

Founded in 1866, University Hospitals serves the needs of patients through an integrated network of 23 hospitals (including 5 joint ventures), more than 50 health centers and outpatient facilities, and over 200 physician offices in 16 counties throughout northern Ohio. The system’s flagship quaternary care, academic medical center, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, is affiliated with Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Oxford University and the Technion Israel Institute of Technology. The main campus also includes the UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, ranked among the top children’s hospitals in the nation; UH MacDonald Women's Hospital, Ohio's only hospital for women; and UH Seidman Cancer Center, part of the NCI-designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. UH is home to some of the most prestigious clinical and research programs in the nation, with more than 3,000 active clinical trials and research studies underway. UH Cleveland Medical Center is perennially among the highest performers in national ranking surveys, including “America’s Best Hospitals” from U.S. News & World Report. UH is also home to 19 Clinical Care Delivery and Research Institutes. UH is one of the largest employers in Northeast Ohio with more than 30,000 employees.