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The differences between general surgeons and doctors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a general surgeon has an average salary of $223,321, which is higher than the $208,582 average annual salary of a doctor.
The top three skills for a general surgeon include patients, EMR and medical education. The most important skills for a doctor are patients, customer service, and emergency medicine.
| General Surgeon | Doctor | |
| Yearly salary | $223,321 | $208,582 |
| Hourly rate | $107.37 | $100.28 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 45,174 | 14,571 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 30% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Average age | 49 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
The General Surgeon's role is to perform operations to treat or prevent diseases, repair damage caused by injuries, and improve the functions of the human body through the use of different surgical instruments. They also assess patients and explain different diagnostic tests that are performed.
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.
General surgeons and doctors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| General Surgeon | Doctor | |
| Average salary | $223,321 | $208,582 |
| Salary range | Between $121,000 And $411,000 | Between $106,000 And $408,000 |
| Highest paying City | Watertown, NY | Green Bay, WI |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Ohio |
| Best paying company | Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County | Saint Luke's Health System |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a general surgeon and a doctor in terms of educational background:
| General Surgeon | Doctor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 30% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Medicine | Medicine |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between general surgeons' and doctors' demographics:
| General Surgeon | Doctor | |
| Average age | 49 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 53.9% Female, 46.1% | Male, 45.8% Female, 54.2% |
| 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, 5.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 18.6% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 13% |