Flight surgeon vs upper extremity surgeon

The differences between flight surgeons and upper extremity 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 an upper extremity surgeon. Additionally, an upper extremity surgeon has an average salary of $434,227, 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 an upper extremity surgeon are surgical procedures, physical therapy, and appointment scheduling.

Flight surgeon vs upper extremity surgeon overview

	Flight Surgeon	Upper Extremity Surgeon
Yearly salary	$429,498	$434,227
Hourly rate	$206.49	$208.76
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	4,876	3,474
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Doctoral Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	6	6

Flight surgeon vs upper extremity surgeon salary

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

	Flight Surgeon	Upper Extremity Surgeon
Average salary	$429,498	$434,227
Salary range	Between $214,000 And $860,000	Between $216,000 And $872,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between flight surgeon and upper extremity surgeon education

There are a few differences between a flight surgeon and an upper extremity surgeon in terms of educational background:

	Flight Surgeon	Upper Extremity Surgeon
Most common degree	Doctoral Degree, 41%	Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Most common major	Medicine	Occupational Therapy
Most common college	Duke University	-

Flight surgeon vs upper extremity surgeon demographics

Here are the differences between flight surgeons' and upper extremity surgeons' demographics:

	Flight Surgeon	Upper Extremity 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 upper extremity 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.

Upper extremity surgeon example responsibilities.

Manage insurance authorization and hospital bookings for surgery.
Assist COTA with inpatient care involving upper extremity exercises and morning ADL.
Apply plaster/fiberglass casts, joint splints, sutures, and wind dressings.
Treat patients with a variety of hand and upper extremity diagnoses; fabricate splints.
Board-Certify dermatologist performing Mohs surgery, advance reconstruction, blepharoplasty, liposuction, cosmetic & medical dermatology.
Manage insurance authorization and hospital bookings for surgery.

Flight surgeon vs upper extremity surgeon skills

Common flight surgeon skills

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

Common upper extremity surgeon skills

Surgical Procedures, 38%
Physical Therapy, 20%
Appointment Scheduling, 13%
Front Desk, 9%
Therapeutic Exercises, 7%
Splints, 7%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Flight Surgeon
Flight Surgeon vs Upper Extremity Surgeon

Updated January 8, 2025

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