Cardiothoracic surgeon vs upper extremity surgeon

The differences between cardiothoracic surgeons and upper extremity 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 an upper extremity surgeon. Additionally, an upper extremity surgeon has an average salary of $434,227, 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 an upper extremity surgeon are surgical procedures, physical therapy, and appointment scheduling.

Cardiothoracic surgeon vs upper extremity surgeon overview

	Cardiothoracic Surgeon	Upper Extremity Surgeon
Yearly salary	$409,035	$434,227
Hourly rate	$196.65	$208.76
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	3,612	3,474
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	6	6

Cardiothoracic surgeon vs upper extremity surgeon salary

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

	Cardiothoracic Surgeon	Upper Extremity Surgeon
Average salary	$409,035	$434,227
Salary range	Between $205,000 And $813,000	Between $216,000 And $872,000
Highest paying City	Minneapolis, MN	-
Highest paying state	Michigan	-
Best paying company	Allina Health	-
Best paying industry	Health Care	-

Differences between cardiothoracic surgeon and upper extremity surgeon education

There are a few differences between a cardiothoracic surgeon and an upper extremity surgeon in terms of educational background:

	Cardiothoracic Surgeon	Upper Extremity Surgeon
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Most common major	Nursing	Occupational Therapy
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	-

Cardiothoracic surgeon vs upper extremity surgeon demographics

Here are the differences between cardiothoracic surgeons' and upper extremity surgeons' demographics:

	Cardiothoracic Surgeon	Upper Extremity Surgeon
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 58.1% Female, 41.9%	Male, 35.3% Female, 64.7%
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 upper extremity 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.

Upper extremity surgeon example responsibilities.

Manage insurance authorization and hospital bookings for surgery.
Assist COTA with inpatient care involving upper extremity exercises and morning ADL.
Apply plaster/fiberglass casts, joint splints, sutures, and wind dressings.
Treat patients with a variety of hand and upper extremity diagnoses; fabricate splints.
Board-Certify dermatologist performing Mohs surgery, advance reconstruction, blepharoplasty, liposuction, cosmetic & medical dermatology.
Manage insurance authorization and hospital bookings for surgery.

Cardiothoracic surgeon vs upper extremity 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 upper extremity surgeon skills

Surgical Procedures, 38%
Physical Therapy, 20%
Appointment Scheduling, 13%
Front Desk, 9%
Therapeutic Exercises, 7%
Splints, 7%

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Cardiothoracic Surgeon
Cardiothoracic Surgeon vs Upper Extremity Surgeon

Updated January 8, 2025

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