Flight surgeon vs physician

The differences between flight surgeons and physicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a flight surgeon, becoming a physician takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a flight surgeon has an average salary of $429,498, which is higher than the $238,887 average annual salary of a physician.

The top three skills for a flight surgeon include primary care, USAF and medical support. The most important skills for a physician are patients, surgery, and patient care.

Flight surgeon vs physician overview

	Flight Surgeon	Physician
Yearly salary	$429,498	$238,887
Hourly rate	$206.49	$114.85
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	4,876	46,489
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Doctoral Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Average age	49	48
Years of experience	6	4

Flight surgeon vs physician salary

Flight surgeons and physicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Flight Surgeon	Physician
Average salary	$429,498	$238,887
Salary range	Between $214,000 And $860,000	Between $128,000 And $442,000
Highest paying City	-	Cleveland, TN
Highest paying state	-	Wisconsin
Best paying company	-	Yuma Regional Medical Center
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between flight surgeon and physician education

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

	Flight Surgeon	Physician
Most common degree	Doctoral Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Most common major	Medicine	Medicine
Most common college	Duke University	Duke University

Flight surgeon vs physician demographics

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

	Flight Surgeon	Physician
Average age	49	48
Gender ratio	Male, 81.9% Female, 18.1%	Male, 39.0% Female, 61.0%
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, 5.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.7% Asian, 19.1% White, 61.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	12%	13%

Differences between flight surgeon and physician duties and responsibilities

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.

Physician example responsibilities.

Manage catheters and dress wounds.
Maintain ACLS and BLS certifications.
Treat complicated oncology cases in ICU and emergency.
Schedule new, follow-up and diagnostic testing for cardiology patients.
Attend radiation oncology clinic for new patients beginning treatment as well as follow-ups for returning patients.
Schedule tests and procedures (including radiology, cardiology, and respiratory) utilizing the hospital and clinic computer systems.

Flight surgeon vs physician skills

Common flight surgeon skills

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

Common physician skills

Patients, 22%
Surgery, 8%
Patient Care, 7%
Internal Medicine, 6%
Primary Care, 6%
EMR, 6%

Flight Surgeon vs. similar jobs

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Flight Surgeon
Flight Surgeon vs Physician

Updated January 8, 2025

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