Plastic surgeon vs foot and ankle surgeon

The differences between plastic surgeons and foot and ankle surgeons can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a plastic surgeon, becoming a foot and ankle surgeon takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a foot and ankle surgeon has an average salary of $440,772, which is higher than the $172,467 average annual salary of a plastic surgeon.

The top three skills for a plastic surgeon include patients, patient care and hand surgery. The most important skills for a foot and ankle surgeon are private practice, patient care, and EMR.

Plastic surgeon vs foot and ankle surgeon overview

	Plastic Surgeon	Foot And Ankle Surgeon
Yearly salary	$172,467	$440,772
Hourly rate	$82.92	$211.91
Growth rate	7%	2%
Number of jobs	3,906	3,655
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 34%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Average age	49	47
Years of experience	6	4

Plastic surgeon vs foot and ankle surgeon salary

Plastic surgeons and foot and ankle surgeons have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Plastic Surgeon	Foot And Ankle Surgeon
Average salary	$172,467	$440,772
Salary range	Between $87,000 And $339,000	Between $218,000 And $889,000
Highest paying City	Rockville Centre, NY	-
Highest paying state	Maine	-
Best paying company	MaineGeneral Health	-
Best paying industry	Professional	-

Differences between plastic surgeon and foot and ankle surgeon education

There are a few differences between a plastic surgeon and a foot and ankle surgeon in terms of educational background:

	Plastic Surgeon	Foot And Ankle Surgeon
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 34%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Most common major	Nursing	Podiatric Medicine
Most common college	Case Western Reserve University	Kent State University

Plastic surgeon vs foot and ankle surgeon demographics

Here are the differences between plastic surgeons' and foot and ankle surgeons' demographics:

	Plastic Surgeon	Foot And Ankle Surgeon
Average age	49	47
Gender ratio	Male, 23.6% Female, 76.4%	Male, 55.2% Female, 44.8%
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, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 5.8% Asian, 13.2% White, 74.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage	12%	36%

Differences between plastic surgeon and foot and ankle surgeon duties and responsibilities

Plastic surgeon example responsibilities.

Manage insurance authorization and hospital bookings for surgery.
Develop x-rays, foot and ankle therapies, including hydrotherapy, ultrasound and hot wax.
Assist with surgery scheduling, casting/removing, & casting for orthotics.
Check patient in/out, collect co-payments/deductibles that apply for orthotics, enter charges/post payments.
Perform administrative tasks regarding origination paperwork for patients, preoperative paperwork, medical clearance, financing and payment.
Complete knowledge of military and DOD protocols pertaining to network and computer systems.

Foot and ankle 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.
Obtain referrals for all HMO patients.
Prepare fee slips with correct CPT and ICD-9 codes, and ready deposits for billing service.

Plastic surgeon vs foot and ankle surgeon skills

Common plastic surgeon skills

Patients, 55%
Patient Care, 9%
Hand Surgery, 6%
Private Practice, 6%
Medical Procedures, 5%
Surgical Procedures, 4%

Common foot and ankle surgeon skills

Private Practice, 35%
Patient Care, 33%
EMR, 15%
Physical Therapy, 14%
Medical Diagnosis, 1%
Soft Tissue, 1%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Plastic Surgeon
Plastic Surgeon vs Foot And Ankle Surgeon

Updated January 8, 2025

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