Orthopedic surgeon vs flight surgeon

The differences between orthopedic surgeons and flight surgeons can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an orthopedic surgeon and a flight surgeon. Additionally, a flight surgeon has an average salary of $429,498, which is higher than the $137,571 average annual salary of an orthopedic surgeon.

The top three skills for an orthopedic surgeon include patients, spine and EMR. The most important skills for a flight surgeon are primary care, USAF, and medical support.

Orthopedic surgeon vs flight surgeon overview

	Orthopedic Surgeon	Flight Surgeon
Yearly salary	$137,571	$429,498
Hourly rate	$66.14	$206.49
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	5,046	4,876
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	Doctoral Degree, 41%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	6	6

Orthopedic surgeon vs flight surgeon salary

Orthopedic surgeons and flight surgeons have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Orthopedic Surgeon	Flight Surgeon
Average salary	$137,571	$429,498
Salary range	Between $73,000 And $257,000	Between $214,000 And $860,000
Highest paying City	Brockton, MA	-
Highest paying state	Maine	-
Best paying company	Trinity Health	-
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	-

Differences between orthopedic surgeon and flight surgeon education

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

	Orthopedic Surgeon	Flight Surgeon
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	Doctoral Degree, 41%
Most common major	Nursing	Medicine
Most common college	New York University	Duke University

Orthopedic surgeon vs flight surgeon demographics

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

	Orthopedic Surgeon	Flight Surgeon
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 34.1% Female, 65.9%	Male, 81.9% Female, 18.1%
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 orthopedic surgeon and flight surgeon duties and responsibilities

Orthopedic surgeon example responsibilities.

Manage insurance authorization and hospital bookings for surgery.
Handle medical billing, medical transcription, and medical billing.
Perform surgical procedures of the foot and ankle in both a hospital and surgery center setting.
Provide conservative and surgical care of foot and ankle relate medical conditions for children and adults.
Register and interview patients for purpose of compiling medical history and record keeping.
Perform laparoscopic surgery on regular basis (cholecystectomy, appendectomy, gynecological surgery).

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.

Orthopedic surgeon vs flight surgeon skills

Common orthopedic surgeon skills

Patients, 31%
Spine, 15%
EMR, 11%
Sports Medicine, 10%
Patient Care, 8%
Private Practice, 7%

Common flight surgeon skills

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

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Orthopedic Surgeon
Orthopedic Surgeon vs Flight Surgeon

Updated January 8, 2025

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