Surgeon vs internist

The differences between surgeons and internists 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 an internist. Additionally, an internist has an average salary of $223,415, 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 an internist are patients, primary care, and EMR.

Surgeon vs internist overview

	Surgeon	Internist
Yearly salary	$155,553	$223,415
Hourly rate	$74.79	$107.41
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	37,918	31,659
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Average age	49	48
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 an internist do?

An internist is a physician of internal medicine whose primary duty is to diagnose and treat different illnesses and injuries. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting initial assessment and examination, reviewing medical records and histories, providing consultations, prescribing medicines, and coordinating with different health care workers to ensure optimal care and service to patients. Moreover, it is essential to discuss and explain conditions to patients or their families, monitor their condition, provide health care advice, and refer them to any specialists or support services as needed.

Surgeon vs internist salary

Surgeons and internists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Surgeon	Internist
Average salary	$155,553	$223,415
Salary range	Between $85,000 And $284,000	Between $120,000 And $415,000
Highest paying City	Lewiston, ME	Springfield, OH
Highest paying state	Maine	Alaska
Best paying company	MaineGeneral Health	Central Ohio Primary Care
Best paying industry	Professional	Health Care

Differences between surgeon and internist education

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

	Surgeon	Internist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Most common major	Medicine	Medicine
Most common college	Duke University	University of Virginia

Surgeon vs internist demographics

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

	Surgeon	Internist
Average age	49	48
Gender ratio	Male, 51.2% Female, 48.8%	Male, 37.3% Female, 62.7%
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, 5.3% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 10.0% Asian, 19.0% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	12%	13%

Differences between surgeon and internist 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.

Internist example responsibilities.

Train and manage new interns/ volunteers assisting with the evidence-based hypertension management program.
Implement EMR solely in a huge practice.
Evaluate health education needs of patients and provide necessary training and instruction.
Provide overall quality prenatal health care, gynecological services, patient triage, refer patients with complications, provide patient education service
Perform uncomplicated surgical extractions, bone grafting and suturing as needed independently.
Provide physiotherapy, rehabilitation and chiropractic treatment for various conditions and injuries.

Surgeon vs internist skills

Common surgeon skills

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

Common internist skills

Patients, 30%
Primary Care, 13%
EMR, 7%
Critical Care, 6%
Private Practice, 6%
Rehabilitation, 5%

Surgeon vs. similar jobs

Surgeon related careers

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Surgeon vs Internist

Updated January 8, 2025

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