What does a cardiothoracic surgeon do?
A cardiothoracic surgeon specializes in performing surgeries on the heart, esophagus, lungs, and other organs within the chest to treat different health conditions, some even life-threatening. A cardiothoracic surgeon is responsible for studying the patients' medical records and histories, conducting extensive tests and examinations, coordinating with physicians and other experts, and helping patients understand the extent and risks of the operations. They are also responsible for monitoring the patients' conditions after surgeries, conducting tests as necessary. Moreover, they maintain an open and transparent communication line with nurses and other staff for a smooth and efficient workflow.
Cardiothoracic surgeon responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real cardiothoracic surgeon resumes:
- 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.
Cardiothoracic surgeon skills and personality traits
We calculated that 38% of Cardiothoracic Surgeons are proficient in Private Practice, Surgical Procedures, and MRI. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Compassion, and Detail oriented.
We break down the percentage of Cardiothoracic Surgeons that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Private Practice, 38%
Employed private practice position with emphasis on reconstructive and cosmetic procedures of the breast, body, and skin structures
- Surgical Procedures, 28%
Educated in treatments and surgical procedures for patients with problems regarding their heart and lungs.
- MRI, 19%
Proposed and developed an MRI imaging center that increased practice revenues by an estimated $800,000 the first year.
- Post-Operative Care, 7%
Educate patients about peri-operative and post-operative care.
- Chest Tubes, 7%
Full knowledge of management of Tracheotomies, chest tubes, pleurovacs, bi-pap and c-pap machines.
- Direct Care, 2%
Provided direct care for up to 15 cardiothoracic patient's perioperative to include pediatric population.
"private practice," "surgical procedures," and "mri" are among the most common skills that cardiothoracic surgeons use at work. You can find even more cardiothoracic surgeon responsibilities below, including:
Communication skills. The most essential soft skill for a cardiothoracic surgeon to carry out their responsibilities is communication skills. This skill is important for the role because "physicians and surgeons need to be excellent communicators." Additionally, a cardiothoracic surgeon resume shows how their duties depend on communication skills: "maintained open lines of communication between patients, physician, staff, and laboratory personnel. "
Compassion. Many cardiothoracic surgeon duties rely on compassion. "patients who are sick or injured may be in extreme pain or distress," so a cardiothoracic surgeon will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways cardiothoracic surgeon responsibilities rely on compassion: "provided and directed patient care in an appropriate and compassionate manner. "
Detail oriented. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of cardiothoracic surgeons is detail oriented. This skill is critical to many everyday cardiothoracic surgeon duties, as "patients must receive appropriate treatment and medications." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "obtain detailed historical data from patients and perform focused physical examinations. "
Dexterity. For certain cardiothoracic surgeon responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "dexterity." The day-to-day duties of a cardiothoracic surgeon rely on this skill, as "physicians and surgeons may work with very precise and sometimes sharp tools, and mistakes can have serious consequences." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what cardiothoracic surgeons do: "gained invaluable knowledge of the medical industry and patient care; developed diagnostic and problem-solving skills through hands-on clinical experience. "
Leadership skills. Another crucial skill for a cardiothoracic surgeon to carry out their responsibilities is "leadership skills." A big part of what cardiothoracic surgeons relies on this skill, since "physicians who work in their own practice must manage a staff of other professionals." How this skill relates to cardiothoracic surgeon duties can be seen in an example from a cardiothoracic surgeon resume snippet: "delivered advice to surgeon general and executive leadership on public health policies, project implementation, and milestone establishment. "
Physical stamina. Another skill commonly found on cardiothoracic surgeon job descriptions is "physical stamina." It can come up quite often in cardiothoracic surgeon duties, since "physicians and surgeons should be comfortable lifting or turning disabled patients, or performing other physical tasks." Here's an example from a resume of how this skill fits into day-to-day cardiothoracic surgeon responsibilities: "performed surgical ward management : morning rounds, medical history, physical examinations, following up of cases and opd rotation. "
The three companies that hire the most cardiothoracic surgeons are:
- The Medicus Firm
41 cardiothoracic surgeons jobs
- HealthTrust9 cardiothoracic surgeons jobs
- KPG4 cardiothoracic surgeons jobs
Compare different cardiothoracic surgeons
Cardiothoracic surgeon vs. Eye physician
A doctor is a medical expert who diagnoses and treats illnesses and injuries, often specializing in particular areas. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting initial interviews and examinations, studying a patient's medical history and laboratory results, providing consultations and care advice, prescribing medication, and referring patients to specialists when necessary. They must also coordinate and maintain an active communication line with nurses, administrators, and technicians for a smooth workflow. Moreover, a doctor must educate patients about their health conditions, helping them understand their situation better.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between cardiothoracic surgeons and eye physician. For instance, cardiothoracic surgeon responsibilities require skills such as "cardiovascular surgery," "cabg," "heart failure," and "board certification." Whereas a eye physician is skilled in "exam rooms," "eye drops," "patient appointments," and "field testing." This is part of what separates the two careers.
The education levels that eye physicians earn slightly differ from cardiothoracic surgeons. In particular, eye physicians are 2.5% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a cardiothoracic surgeon. Additionally, they're 7.8% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Cardiothoracic surgeon vs. Doctor
Each career also uses different skills, according to real cardiothoracic surgeon resumes. While cardiothoracic surgeon responsibilities can utilize skills like "cardiovascular surgery," "cabg," "heart failure," and "board certification," doctors use skills like "patients," "customer service," "emergency medicine," and "surgery."
Doctors earn a lower average salary than cardiothoracic surgeons. But doctors earn the highest pay in the health care industry, with an average salary of $178,767. Additionally, cardiothoracic surgeons earn the highest salaries in the health care with average pay of $219,188 annually.In general, doctors achieve similar levels of education than cardiothoracic surgeons. They're 4.4% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 7.8% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Cardiothoracic surgeon vs. Surgeon's assistant
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a cardiothoracic surgeon is likely to be skilled in "cardiovascular surgery," "cabg," "heart failure," and "board certification," while a typical surgeon's assistant is skilled in "patients," "ortho," "emr," and "epic."
Surgeon's assistants earn the highest salary when working in the health care industry, where they receive an average salary of $199,491. Comparatively, cardiothoracic surgeons have the highest earning potential in the health care industry, with an average salary of $219,188.surgeon's assistants typically earn lower educational levels compared to cardiothoracic surgeons. Specifically, they're 6.6% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.9% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Cardiothoracic surgeon vs. Foot and ankle surgeon
Even though a few skill sets overlap between cardiothoracic surgeons and foot and ankle surgeons, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a cardiothoracic surgeon might have more use for skills like "cardiovascular surgery," "cabg," "heart failure," and "board certification." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of foot and ankle surgeons require skills like "cme," "patient care," "emr," and "physical therapy. "
Foot and ankle surgeons reach lower levels of education compared to cardiothoracic surgeons, in general. The difference is that they're 7.5% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 14.7% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of cardiothoracic surgeon
Updated January 8, 2025
