As a surgical assistant, you know how important your role is in the operating room team. At UMC Utrecht, you will be involved in a wide variety of challenging procedures. No two days are the same. We would like to tell you what makes working as a surgical assistant at UMC Utrecht so interesting, challenging, and varied.

Here's why you want to work in the operating room at UMC Utrecht:

• We perform innovative and groundbreaking operations using a multidisciplinary approach. These include complex brain and spine surgery, oncological surgery, thoracic surgery, transplant surgery, endovascular surgery, and Da Vinci robotic surgery.
• Our operating room is the trauma center for the central Netherlands. For the team and for you, this often means unexpected surgeries on polytrauma patients and creativity in problem solving.
• Innovation is our top priority. You will work with the latest medical techniques and you can also contribute to new developments yourself.
• With us, you will continue to learn and grow. There are all kinds of opportunities to advance your career or delve deeper into specialisms of your choice.
• Supervising surgical assistants in training is also part of your duties. 

Together, we will look at which specialisms suit you, which direction you want to go in, and what you need. Of course, you don't have to be able to do everything right away. Your fellow surgical assistants will first give you thorough and comprehensive training. Your training program will always be tailored to your needs. We will make sure of that.

Audrey, an operating room assistant, explains: "Teamwork is a very important part of my job, and definitely a very enjoyable part! You work closely with the surgeon, anesthetist, logistics staff, and recovery team. We have a good rapport with each other. Together, we ensure that the process during the operation runs as smoothly as possible for the patient. We learn from each other and from the situation, and we can always turn to each other as a team." 

This is where you will work

There are three operating room centers at UMC Utrecht. Two for adults at the UMC Utrecht location and one at the Wilhelmina Children's Hospital. You will be working at our operating room complex for adults. Here we have 23 operating rooms, where we perform challenging and specialized surgeries. We do this within the following specialties:

• Cardiac and vascular surgery;
• Orthopedics, urology, and gynecology;
• General trauma and plastic surgery;
• Neurosurgery, ENT, and oral surgery;
• Ophthalmology.

Want to know more? Read more about the different specialismshere.

Every operation is unique, and you will be working with the latest techniques and most advanced equipment. You will be part of a close-knit and collegial team with people of all ages. We believe it is important to have fun outside of work as well. That is why we regularly organize parties, get-togethers, and sporting activities. We also ensure there is extra fun between shifts: think of a coffee or ice cream bike, celebrating successes and personal milestones.

This you take with you

Just graduated or have extensive experience? You can start working as a surgical assistant right away!

• You have obtained your CZO diploma in Surgical Nursing, or HBO-VT/GT, or you will soon be completing your training. A combination of working in a nursing ward and the operating room is also possible.
• You are strongly focused on collaboration and achieving optimal results together.
• You like to contribute ideas for improvements and innovation.
• You want to develop yourself and are curious about technical applications and innovative operating rooms.