Cardiac surgeon vs hand surgeon

The differences between cardiac surgeons and hand surgeons can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a cardiac surgeon and a hand surgeon. Additionally, a cardiac surgeon has an average salary of $381,912, which is higher than the $327,249 average annual salary of a hand surgeon.

The top three skills for a cardiac surgeon include cardiovascular surgery, heart procedures and . The most important skills for a hand surgeon are patients, EMR, and MRI.

Cardiac surgeon vs hand surgeon overview

	Cardiac Surgeon	Hand Surgeon
Yearly salary	$381,912	$327,249
Hourly rate	$183.61	$157.33
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	5,920	22,502
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Doctoral Degree, 30%	Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	6	6

Cardiac surgeon vs hand surgeon salary

Cardiac surgeons and hand surgeons have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Cardiac Surgeon	Hand Surgeon
Average salary	$381,912	$327,249
Salary range	Between $196,000 And $743,000	Between $171,000 And $625,000
Highest paying City	Minneapolis, MN	Eau Claire, WI
Highest paying state	Alaska	Maine
Best paying company	Allina Health	Allina Health
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between cardiac surgeon and hand surgeon education

There are a few differences between a cardiac surgeon and a hand surgeon in terms of educational background:

	Cardiac Surgeon	Hand Surgeon
Most common degree	Doctoral Degree, 30%	Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Most common major	Biology	Nursing
Most common college	Duke University	University of Pennsylvania

Cardiac surgeon vs hand surgeon demographics

Here are the differences between cardiac surgeons' and hand surgeons' demographics:

	Cardiac Surgeon	Hand Surgeon
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 64.7% Female, 35.3%	Male, 20.9% Female, 79.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 1.8% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 5.0% Asian, 12.7% White, 76.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%	Black or African American, 1.8% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 5.0% Asian, 12.7% White, 76.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between cardiac surgeon and hand surgeon duties and responsibilities

Cardiac surgeon example responsibilities.

Coordinate with patients and medical staff at civilian and military treatment facilities to schedule medical appointments and retrieve medical documentation.
Handle confidential and sensitive information with accuracy and according to HIPAA policies.

Hand surgeon example responsibilities.

Manage insurance authorization and hospital bookings for surgery.
Schedule patients for surgery and diagnostic testing; eligibility benefits and insurance verification duties.
Assist Dr Fatuma Osman in dental procedures and consults.
Inform patients on various reactions to prescribe medications along with other medical information.
Board-Certify dermatologist performing Mohs surgery, advance reconstruction, blepharoplasty, liposuction, cosmetic & medical dermatology.
Generate billing and conduct follow-up calls.

Cardiac surgeon vs hand surgeon skills

Common cardiac surgeon skills

Cardiovascular Surgery, 77%
Heart Procedures, 23%

Common hand surgeon skills

Patients, 67%
EMR, 18%
MRI, 8%
Memorial Hospital, 3%
Patient Appointments, 1%
Vital Signs, 1%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Cardiac Surgeon
Cardiac Surgeon vs Hand Surgeon

Updated January 8, 2025

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