Flight surgeon vs trauma surgeon

The differences between flight surgeons and trauma 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 trauma surgeon. Additionally, a flight surgeon has an average salary of $429,498, which is higher than the $406,184 average annual salary of a trauma surgeon.

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

Flight surgeon vs trauma surgeon overview

	Flight Surgeon	Trauma Surgeon
Yearly salary	$429,498	$406,184
Hourly rate	$206.49	$195.28
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	4,876	3,750
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Doctoral Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 25%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	6	6

Flight surgeon vs trauma surgeon salary

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

	Flight Surgeon	Trauma Surgeon
Average salary	$429,498	$406,184
Salary range	Between $214,000 And $860,000	Between $204,000 And $806,000
Highest paying City	-	Grand Forks, ND
Highest paying state	-	Minnesota
Best paying company	-	Trinity Health
Best paying industry	-	Professional

Differences between flight surgeon and trauma surgeon education

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

	Flight Surgeon	Trauma Surgeon
Most common degree	Doctoral Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 25%
Most common major	Medicine	Medicine
Most common college	Duke University	Duke University

Flight surgeon vs trauma surgeon demographics

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

	Flight Surgeon	Trauma Surgeon
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 81.9% Female, 18.1%	Male, 55.6% Female, 44.4%
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 trauma 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.

Trauma 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.

Flight surgeon vs trauma surgeon skills

Common flight surgeon skills

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

Common trauma surgeon skills

Critical Care, 44%
Patient Care, 29%
Trauma Surgery, 20%
Emergency Medicine, 3%
Private Practice, 2%
IV, 1%

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

Updated January 8, 2025

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