Orthopedic surgeon vs reconstructive surgeon

The differences between orthopedic surgeons and reconstructive 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 reconstructive surgeon. Additionally, a reconstructive surgeon has an average salary of $321,483, 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 reconstructive surgeon are cosmetic surgery, EMR, and exam rooms.

Orthopedic surgeon vs reconstructive surgeon overview

	Orthopedic Surgeon	Reconstructive Surgeon
Yearly salary	$137,571	$321,483
Hourly rate	$66.14	$154.56
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	5,046	3,458
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	Bachelor's Degree, 31%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	6	6

Orthopedic surgeon vs reconstructive surgeon salary

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

	Orthopedic Surgeon	Reconstructive Surgeon
Average salary	$137,571	$321,483
Salary range	Between $73,000 And $257,000	Between $168,000 And $613,000
Highest paying City	Brockton, MA	Saint Paul, MN
Highest paying state	Maine	Minnesota
Best paying company	Trinity Health	Allina Health
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	-

Differences between orthopedic surgeon and reconstructive surgeon education

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

	Orthopedic Surgeon	Reconstructive Surgeon
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	Bachelor's Degree, 31%
Most common major	Nursing	Nursing
Most common college	New York University	Case Western Reserve University

Orthopedic surgeon vs reconstructive surgeon demographics

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

	Orthopedic Surgeon	Reconstructive Surgeon
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 34.1% Female, 65.9%	Male, 25.0% Female, 75.0%
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 reconstructive 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).

Reconstructive surgeon example responsibilities.

Manage insurance authorization and hospital bookings for surgery.
Perform administrative tasks regarding origination paperwork for patients, preoperative paperwork, medical clearance, financing and payment.
Manage insurance authorization and hospital bookings for surgery.

Orthopedic surgeon vs reconstructive surgeon skills

Common orthopedic surgeon skills

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

Common reconstructive surgeon skills

Cosmetic Surgery, 62%
EMR, 12%
Exam Rooms, 12%
Front Desk, 7%
Hand Surgery, 3%
Post-Operative Care, 2%

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Orthopedic Surgeon
Orthopedic Surgeon vs Reconstructive Surgeon

Updated January 8, 2025

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