Plastic surgeon vs upper extremity surgeon

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

Plastic surgeon vs upper extremity surgeon overview

	Plastic Surgeon	Upper Extremity Surgeon
Yearly salary	$172,467	$434,227
Hourly rate	$82.92	$208.76
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	3,906	3,474
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 34%	Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	6	6

Plastic surgeon vs upper extremity surgeon salary

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

	Plastic Surgeon	Upper Extremity Surgeon
Average salary	$172,467	$434,227
Salary range	Between $87,000 And $339,000	Between $216,000 And $872,000
Highest paying City	Rockville Centre, NY	-
Highest paying state	Maine	-
Best paying company	MaineGeneral Health	-
Best paying industry	Professional	-

Differences between plastic surgeon and upper extremity surgeon education

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

	Plastic Surgeon	Upper Extremity Surgeon
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 34%	Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Most common major	Nursing	Occupational Therapy
Most common college	Case Western Reserve University	-

Plastic surgeon vs upper extremity surgeon demographics

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

	Plastic Surgeon	Upper Extremity 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%

Differences between plastic surgeon and upper extremity 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.

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.

Plastic surgeon vs upper extremity surgeon skills

Common plastic surgeon skills

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

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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Plastic Surgeon
Plastic Surgeon vs Upper Extremity Surgeon

Updated January 8, 2025

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