General surgeon vs pediatric surgeon

The differences between general surgeons and pediatric 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 general surgeon and a pediatric surgeon. Additionally, a pediatric surgeon has an average salary of $417,737, which is higher than the $223,321 average annual salary of a general surgeon.

The top three skills for a general surgeon include patients, EMR and medical education. The most important skills for a pediatric surgeon are general surgery, general hospital, and CPT.

General surgeon vs pediatric surgeon overview

	General Surgeon	Pediatric Surgeon
Yearly salary	$223,321	$417,737
Hourly rate	$107.37	$200.84
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	45,174	35,576
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 30%	Bachelor's Degree, 31%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	6	6

What does a general surgeon do?

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.

What does a pediatric surgeon do?

A pediatric surgeon specializes in performing surgeries to treat injuries, illnesses, and deformities among children and young adults. It is their duty to study the patients' cases and conduct extensive tests and examinations prior to the surgery, discuss the diagnosis and treatment options with the patients' family or guardian, and monitor the patients' condition after the operations, providing post-surgery care advice to families. Moreover, they are also responsible for coordinating with nurses, technicians, and other specialists, maintaining an active communication line with them to ensure optimal service.

General surgeon vs pediatric surgeon salary

General surgeons and pediatric surgeons have different pay scales, as shown below.

	General Surgeon	Pediatric Surgeon
Average salary	$223,321	$417,737
Salary range	Between $121,000 And $411,000	Between $209,000 And $834,000
Highest paying City	Watertown, NY	Duluth, MN
Highest paying state	Connecticut	Minnesota
Best paying company	Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County	Essentia Health
Best paying industry	Health Care	-

Differences between general surgeon and pediatric surgeon education

There are a few differences between a general surgeon and a pediatric surgeon in terms of educational background:

	General Surgeon	Pediatric Surgeon
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 30%	Bachelor's Degree, 31%
Most common major	Medicine	Nursing
Most common college	Duke University	University of Pennsylvania

General surgeon vs pediatric surgeon demographics

Here are the differences between general surgeons' and pediatric surgeons' demographics:

	General Surgeon	Pediatric Surgeon
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 53.9% Female, 46.1%	Male, 21.1% Female, 78.9%
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 general surgeon and pediatric surgeon duties and responsibilities

General surgeon example responsibilities.

Manage insurance authorization and hospital bookings for surgery.
Provide preoperative diagnosis of patients, perform the necessary emergency or elective surgery, and provide postoperative surgical care and treatment.
Provide patient ancillary testing such as EKG, NDX and NCV.
Wash and sterilize equipment, using germicides and sterilizers.
Assist the physician during angioplasty and endovenous laser ablation procedures.
Clean operating room and wash and sterilize equipment, using germicides and sterilizers.

Pediatric 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.
Generate billing and conduct follow-up calls.

General surgeon vs pediatric surgeon skills

Common general surgeon skills

Patients, 34%
EMR, 14%
Medical Education, 9%
Patient Care, 8%
Endoscopy, 6%
Private Practice, 3%

Common pediatric surgeon skills

General Surgery, 99%
General Hospital, 0%
CPT, 0%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
General Surgeon
General Surgeon vs Pediatric Surgeon

Updated January 8, 2025

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