Flight surgeon vs thoracic surgeon

The differences between flight surgeons and thoracic 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 flight surgeon and a thoracic surgeon. Additionally, a thoracic surgeon has an average salary of $437,281, which is higher than the $429,498 average annual salary of a flight surgeon.

The top three skills for a flight surgeon include primary care, USAF and medical support. The most important skills for a thoracic surgeon are patient care, CME, and lung cancer.

Flight surgeon vs thoracic surgeon overview

	Flight Surgeon	Thoracic Surgeon
Yearly salary	$429,498	$437,281
Hourly rate	$206.49	$210.23
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	4,876	3,460
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Doctoral Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	6	6

Flight surgeon vs thoracic surgeon salary

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

	Flight Surgeon	Thoracic Surgeon
Average salary	$429,498	$437,281
Salary range	Between $214,000 And $860,000	Between $217,000 And $880,000
Highest paying City	-	Minneapolis, MN
Highest paying state	-	Minnesota
Best paying company	-	Allina Health
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between flight surgeon and thoracic surgeon education

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

	Flight Surgeon	Thoracic Surgeon
Most common degree	Doctoral Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Most common major	Medicine	Nursing
Most common college	Duke University	New York University

Flight surgeon vs thoracic surgeon demographics

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

	Flight Surgeon	Thoracic Surgeon
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 81.9% Female, 18.1%	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 flight surgeon and thoracic surgeon 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.

Thoracic surgeon example responsibilities.

Room patients, check vitals, verify meds, H+P on new patients, EKG as requested by provider.
Coordinate with patients and medical staff at civilian and military treatment facilities to schedule medical appointments and retrieve medical documentation.
Apply all HIPPA guidelines to everyday office procedures

Flight surgeon vs thoracic surgeon skills

Common flight surgeon skills

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

Common thoracic surgeon skills

Patient Care, 57%
CME, 21%
Lung Cancer, 14%
Surgical Procedures, 5%
Community Hospital, 4%
EKG, 0%

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

Updated January 8, 2025

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