Orthopedic surgeon vs upper extremity surgeon

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

Orthopedic surgeon vs upper extremity surgeon overview

	Orthopedic Surgeon	Upper Extremity Surgeon
Yearly salary	$137,571	$434,227
Hourly rate	$66.14	$208.76
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	5,046	3,474
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	6	6

Orthopedic surgeon vs upper extremity surgeon salary

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

	Orthopedic Surgeon	Upper Extremity Surgeon
Average salary	$137,571	$434,227
Salary range	Between $73,000 And $257,000	Between $216,000 And $872,000
Highest paying City	Brockton, MA	-
Highest paying state	Maine	-
Best paying company	Trinity Health	-
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	-

Differences between orthopedic surgeon and upper extremity surgeon education

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

	Orthopedic Surgeon	Upper Extremity Surgeon
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Most common major	Nursing	Occupational Therapy
Most common college	New York University	-

Orthopedic surgeon vs upper extremity surgeon demographics

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

	Orthopedic Surgeon	Upper Extremity Surgeon
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 34.1% Female, 65.9%	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 orthopedic surgeon and upper extremity 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).

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.

Orthopedic surgeon vs upper extremity surgeon skills

Common orthopedic surgeon skills

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

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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Orthopedic Surgeon
Orthopedic Surgeon vs Upper Extremity Surgeon

Updated January 8, 2025

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