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The differences between plastic surgeons and thoracic 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 plastic surgeon and a thoracic surgeon. Additionally, a thoracic surgeon has an average salary of $437,281, 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 thoracic surgeon are patient care, CME, and lung cancer.
| Plastic Surgeon | Thoracic Surgeon | |
| Yearly salary | $172,467 | $437,281 |
| Hourly rate | $82.92 | $210.23 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 3,906 | 3,460 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 34% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 49 | 49 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Plastic surgeons must have skills in hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, organization, communication, and teamwork. This career also requires a bachelor's degree in a premedical major and completion of a four-year M.D. and a surgical residency. Those who choose this career path perform reconstructive plastic surgery in order to restore form and function following illness or trauma and/or perform cosmetic surgery for simple alteration of appearance.
A Thoracic Surgeon is often grouped with cardiac or heart specialists for cardiothoracic surgery. He/She is a surgeon who specializes in surgery that involves the heart, lungs, esophagus, and other major blood vessels inside the chest as well as surgery of the chest wall. As a thoracic surgeon, your job is to evaluate a patient's medical history and educate him or her about her condition as well as available options. Generally, you are expected to diagnose and treat diseases in the chest, and you'll do it sometimes by working closely with the primary care doctor or other specialists.
Plastic surgeons and thoracic surgeons have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Plastic Surgeon | Thoracic Surgeon | |
| Average salary | $172,467 | $437,281 |
| Salary range | Between $87,000 And $339,000 | Between $217,000 And $880,000 |
| Highest paying City | Rockville Centre, NY | Minneapolis, MN |
| Highest paying state | Maine | Minnesota |
| Best paying company | MaineGeneral Health | Allina Health |
| Best paying industry | Professional | - |
There are a few differences between a plastic surgeon and a thoracic surgeon in terms of educational background:
| Plastic Surgeon | Thoracic Surgeon | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 34% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | Case Western Reserve University | New York University |
Here are the differences between plastic surgeons' and thoracic surgeons' demographics:
| Plastic Surgeon | Thoracic Surgeon | |
| Average age | 49 | 49 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 23.6% Female, 76.4% | 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% |