Surgeon vs general surgeon

The differences between surgeons and general 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 surgeon and a general surgeon. Additionally, a general surgeon has an average salary of $223,321, which is higher than the $155,553 average annual salary of a surgeon.

The top three skills for a surgeon include patients, general surgery and healthcare. The most important skills for a general surgeon are patients, EMR, and medical education.

Surgeon vs general surgeon overview

	Surgeon	General Surgeon
Yearly salary	$155,553	$223,321
Hourly rate	$74.79	$107.37
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	37,918	45,174
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 30%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	6	6

What does a surgeon do?

A surgeon is a medical professional who conducts surgical procedures on the human body to treat injuries and diseases such as broken bones and cancerous tumors. Surgeons are required to review test results to identify abnormal findings and recommend a plan of treatment to patients. They must manage surgical technicians during the surgery process to ensure all standards of care and safety are followed in the operating room. Surgeons must also address concerns that the patients have about their health and well-being.

What does a general surgeon do?

The General Surgeon's role is to perform operations to treat or prevent diseases, repair damage caused by injuries, and improve the functions of the human body through the use of different surgical instruments. They also assess patients and explain different diagnostic tests that are performed.

Surgeon vs general surgeon salary

Surgeons and general surgeons have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Surgeon	General Surgeon
Average salary	$155,553	$223,321
Salary range	Between $85,000 And $284,000	Between $121,000 And $411,000
Highest paying City	Lewiston, ME	Watertown, NY
Highest paying state	Maine	Connecticut
Best paying company	MaineGeneral Health	Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County
Best paying industry	Professional	Health Care

Differences between surgeon and general surgeon education

There are a few differences between a surgeon and a general surgeon in terms of educational background:

	Surgeon	General Surgeon
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 30%
Most common major	Medicine	Medicine
Most common college	Duke University	Duke University

Surgeon vs general surgeon demographics

Here are the differences between surgeons' and general surgeons' demographics:

	Surgeon	General Surgeon
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 51.2% Female, 48.8%	Male, 53.9% Female, 46.1%
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 surgeon and general surgeon duties and responsibilities

Surgeon example responsibilities.

Manage insurance authorization and hospital bookings for surgery.
Assist senior staff in dental treatment of several complex procedures including dental treatment of medically compromise patients.
Coordinate with patients and medical staff at civilian and military treatment facilities to schedule medical appointments and retrieve medical documentation.
Observe fracture plating, skin grafting, wind cleaning, amputation, and other Orthopaedic surgeries.

General surgeon example responsibilities.

Manage insurance authorization and hospital bookings for surgery.
Provide preoperative diagnosis of patients, perform the necessary emergency or elective surgery, and provide postoperative surgical care and treatment.
Provide patient ancillary testing such as EKG, NDX and NCV.
Wash and sterilize equipment, using germicides and sterilizers.
Assist the physician during angioplasty and endovenous laser ablation procedures.
Clean operating room and wash and sterilize equipment, using germicides and sterilizers.

Surgeon vs general surgeon skills

Common surgeon skills

Patients, 26%
General Surgery, 12%
Healthcare, 12%
Patient Care, 7%
Mohs, 5%
Private Practice, 4%

Common general surgeon skills

Patients, 34%
EMR, 14%
Medical Education, 9%
Patient Care, 8%
Endoscopy, 6%
Private Practice, 3%

Surgeon vs. similar jobs

Surgeon related careers

Surgeon related jobs

What similar roles do

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Surgeon
Surgeon vs General Surgeon

Updated January 8, 2025

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