Cardiac surgeon vs reconstructive surgeon

The differences between cardiac surgeons and reconstructive 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 reconstructive surgeon. Additionally, a cardiac surgeon has an average salary of $381,912, which is higher than the $321,483 average annual salary of a reconstructive surgeon.

The top three skills for a cardiac surgeon include cardiovascular surgery, heart procedures and . The most important skills for a reconstructive surgeon are cosmetic surgery, EMR, and exam rooms.

Cardiac surgeon vs reconstructive surgeon overview

	Cardiac Surgeon	Reconstructive Surgeon
Yearly salary	$381,912	$321,483
Hourly rate	$183.61	$154.56
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	5,920	3,458
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Doctoral Degree, 30%	Bachelor's Degree, 31%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	6	6

Cardiac surgeon vs reconstructive surgeon salary

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

	Cardiac Surgeon	Reconstructive Surgeon
Average salary	$381,912	$321,483
Salary range	Between $196,000 And $743,000	Between $168,000 And $613,000
Highest paying City	Minneapolis, MN	Saint Paul, MN
Highest paying state	Alaska	Minnesota
Best paying company	Allina Health	Allina Health
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between cardiac surgeon and reconstructive surgeon education

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

	Cardiac Surgeon	Reconstructive Surgeon
Most common degree	Doctoral Degree, 30%	Bachelor's Degree, 31%
Most common major	Biology	Nursing
Most common college	Duke University	Case Western Reserve University

Cardiac surgeon vs reconstructive surgeon demographics

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

	Cardiac Surgeon	Reconstructive Surgeon
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 64.7% Female, 35.3%	Male, 25.0% Female, 75.0%
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 reconstructive 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.

Reconstructive surgeon example responsibilities.

Manage insurance authorization and hospital bookings for surgery.
Perform administrative tasks regarding origination paperwork for patients, preoperative paperwork, medical clearance, financing and payment.
Manage insurance authorization and hospital bookings for surgery.

Cardiac surgeon vs reconstructive surgeon skills

Common cardiac surgeon skills

Cardiovascular Surgery, 77%
Heart Procedures, 23%

Common reconstructive surgeon skills

Cosmetic Surgery, 62%
EMR, 12%
Exam Rooms, 12%
Front Desk, 7%
Hand Surgery, 3%
Post-Operative Care, 2%

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

Updated January 8, 2025

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