Cardiothoracic surgeon vs flight surgeon

The differences between cardiothoracic surgeons and flight 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 cardiothoracic surgeon and a flight surgeon. Additionally, a flight surgeon has an average salary of $429,498, which is higher than the $409,035 average annual salary of a cardiothoracic surgeon.

The top three skills for a cardiothoracic surgeon include private practice, surgical procedures and MRI. The most important skills for a flight surgeon are primary care, USAF, and medical support.

Cardiothoracic surgeon vs flight surgeon overview

	Cardiothoracic Surgeon	Flight Surgeon
Yearly salary	$409,035	$429,498
Hourly rate	$196.65	$206.49
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	3,612	4,876
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	Doctoral Degree, 41%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	6	6

Cardiothoracic surgeon vs flight surgeon salary

Cardiothoracic surgeons and flight surgeons have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Cardiothoracic Surgeon	Flight Surgeon
Average salary	$409,035	$429,498
Salary range	Between $205,000 And $813,000	Between $214,000 And $860,000
Highest paying City	Minneapolis, MN	-
Highest paying state	Michigan	-
Best paying company	Allina Health	-
Best paying industry	Health Care	-

Differences between cardiothoracic surgeon and flight surgeon education

There are a few differences between a cardiothoracic surgeon and a flight surgeon in terms of educational background:

	Cardiothoracic Surgeon	Flight Surgeon
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	Doctoral Degree, 41%
Most common major	Nursing	Medicine
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Duke University

Cardiothoracic surgeon vs flight surgeon demographics

Here are the differences between cardiothoracic surgeons' and flight surgeons' demographics:

	Cardiothoracic Surgeon	Flight Surgeon
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 58.1% Female, 41.9%	Male, 81.9% Female, 18.1%
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 cardiothoracic surgeon and flight surgeon duties and responsibilities

Cardiothoracic surgeon example responsibilities.

Manage all incoming medical records requests (ensuring office is within HIPPA guidelines).
Coordinate with patients and medical staff at civilian and military treatment facilities to schedule medical appointments and retrieve medical documentation.
Observe fracture plating, skin grafting, wind cleaning, amputation, and other Orthopaedic surgeries.

Flight surgeon example responsibilities.

Attain proficiency in high volume spay/neuter surgeries in order to support the mission of fighting pet overpopulation.
Coordinate with patients and medical staff at civilian and military treatment facilities to schedule medical appointments and retrieve medical documentation.
Collect R/R, IME and QME as they come in thru the billing department without having the case settle.

Cardiothoracic surgeon vs flight surgeon skills

Common cardiothoracic surgeon skills

Private Practice, 38%
Surgical Procedures, 28%
MRI, 19%
Post-Operative Care, 7%
Chest Tubes, 7%
Direct Care, 2%

Common flight surgeon skills

Primary Care, 59%
USAF, 29%
Medical Support, 4%
Physical Exams, 3%
Medical Examinations, 1%
NASA, 1%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Cardiothoracic Surgeon
Cardiothoracic Surgeon vs Flight Surgeon

Updated January 8, 2025

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