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The differences between doctors and surgeons can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a doctor has an average salary of $208,582, which is higher than the $155,553 average annual salary of a surgeon.
The top three skills for a doctor include patients, customer service and emergency medicine. The most important skills for a surgeon are patients, general surgery, and healthcare.
| Doctor | Surgeon | |
| Yearly salary | $208,582 | $155,553 |
| Hourly rate | $100.28 | $74.79 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 14,571 | 37,918 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 48 | 49 |
| Years of experience | - | 6 |
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.
A surgeon is a medical professional who conducts surgical procedures on the human body to treat injuries and diseases such as broken bones and cancerous tumors. Surgeons are required to review test results to identify abnormal findings and recommend a plan of treatment to patients. They must manage surgical technicians during the surgery process to ensure all standards of care and safety are followed in the operating room. Surgeons must also address concerns that the patients have about their health and well-being.
Doctors and surgeons have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Doctor | Surgeon | |
| Average salary | $208,582 | $155,553 |
| Salary range | Between $106,000 And $408,000 | Between $85,000 And $284,000 |
| Highest paying City | Green Bay, WI | Lewiston, ME |
| Highest paying state | Ohio | Maine |
| Best paying company | Saint Luke's Health System | MaineGeneral Health |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Professional |
There are a few differences between a doctor and a surgeon in terms of educational background:
| Doctor | Surgeon | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Medicine | Medicine |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between doctors' and surgeons' demographics:
| Doctor | Surgeon | |
| Average age | 48 | 49 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.8% Female, 54.2% | Male, 51.2% Female, 48.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 18.6% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 13% | 12% |