The CSFA (Certified Surgical First Assistant) is an allied-health certification awarded by NBSTSA.
NBSTSA publishes the official exam outline, eligibility rules and fees — see NBSTSA's official page before you book.
In our 1050-card CSFA deck the heaviest topics are Procedures (53%), Management (10%), Anatomy (7%) — that is how this deck is weighted, not the official blueprint, so use it to plan practice and check NBSTSA's exam outline for the real weighting. This guide shows where the material gets hardest, which topics to practise first, and a 5-step plan built on active recall.
Start with the free CSFA practice test
20 mixed questions with answers — find your weak topics before you plan around them →
Based on the 1050 flashcards in our CSFA deck. Use it to budget study time, then confirm the official blueprint with the certifying body below.
| Topic | Cards | Share of deck | Practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Procedures | 560 | 53% | Free questions → |
| Management | 100 | 10% | Free questions → |
| Anatomy | 70 | 7% | Free questions → |
| Basics | 70 | 7% | Free questions → |
| Pharmacology | 60 | 6% | Free questions → |
| Pathology | 50 | 5% | Free questions → |
| Physiology | 50 | 5% | Free questions → |
| Legal | 40 | 4% | Free questions → |
| Microbiology | 30 | 3% | in the full deck |
| Assessment | 20 | 2% | in the full deck |
Our CSFA cards carry difficulty ratings. The spread tells you how much of the deck is quick recall versus genuinely demanding:
0
Easy cards
0% of deck
526
Medium cards
50% of deck
524
Hard cards
50% of deck
These are genuine cards from the heaviest-weighted topics above. Answer each one before you reveal it — that is what active recall means in practice.
What specific elements must be documented in the medical record regarding the Time Out protocol to meet safety standards?
Show answer →Documentation must include the names/roles of participants, the verification of patient identity, correct site/side, procedure to be performed, and confirm that all relevant images/implants are available. Rationale: This creates a legal and clinical audit trail. NBSTSA emphasizes that documentation is not just a check but a verification that a verbal process occurred.
Upon physical assessment, the CSFA notes the patient has a Mallampati Class III airway. What specific anatomical structures are visible, and what does this imply for intubation?
Show answer →Only the soft palate and the base of the uvula are visible. This indicates a Difficult Airway, suggesting that endotracheal intubation may be challenging. Mallampati Class III and IV are high predictors of difficult laryngoscopy. CSFA Role: Ensure the presence of a difficult airway cart and fiberoptic equipment. Exam Tip: Class I = full visualization; Class II = partial uvula; Class III = base of uvula; Class IV = hard palate only.
The CSFA is reviewing the surgical consent for a right inguinal hernia repair. The patient has signed for a left inguinal hernia repair. What is the immediate correct action?
Show answer →Notify the surgeon and the circulating nurse to initiate the correction process. The consent must be corrected and resigned/re-witnessed before the patient enters the OR. Exam Strategy: NBSTSA emphasizes the CSFA's role in the Universal Protocol. The CSFA must verify that the consent, the patient’s verbal statement, and the surgical site marking all align. NEVER proceed with a discrepancy in laterality, even if the patient seems sure verbally.
Eligibility, fees, question counts and the current blueprint live on the official NBSTSA site (linked below). Print the outline — it is the map for everything that follows.
These 3 topics alone account for roughly 70% of our 1050-card CSFA deck. Time spent here pays off more than anywhere else.
Answer questions before flipping to the answer — that struggle is what builds retention. Start with the 30 free CSFA cards, then work through the full deck one category at a time.
After a full pass, re-drill only the cards you missed. Small categories are quick wins — closing a weak topic can be an afternoon's work.
Our deck rates 524 cards as hard. If those feel comfortable in your final two weeks, you are studying above test level.
Put the plan into practice
Every topic in the table above, with progress tracking across devices.
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Try 30 free CSFA cards firstWeight your time toward the biggest topics: in our 1050-card CSFA deck, Procedures has 560 cards (53%), Management has 100 cards (10%), Anatomy has 70 cards (7%). Always cross-check against the official NBSTSA exam outline.
Question counts, time limits and fees change — always confirm them in the official NBSTSA handbook (linked on this page). For practice, our CSFA deck has 1050 question-and-answer flashcards covering the listed topics.
Difficulty is personal, but our deck's ratings give a sense of the spread: 0 easy, 526 medium and 524 hard cards. If the hard cards feel manageable, you are in good shape.
Try the 30 free CSFA flashcards — no sign-up needed. If the format works for you, the full 1050-card deck is a one-time $7.
Eligibility rules, fees, question counts and passing standards are set by the certifying body and change over time. Always confirm them at the source before you apply or schedule your exam — our flashcards are practice material, not the official handbook.