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The differences between 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 surgeon and a thoracic surgeon. Additionally, a thoracic surgeon has an average salary of $437,281, 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 thoracic surgeon are patient care, CME, and lung cancer.
| Surgeon | Thoracic Surgeon | |
| Yearly salary | $155,553 | $437,281 |
| Hourly rate | $74.79 | $210.23 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 37,918 | 3,460 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 49 | 49 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
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.
Surgeons and thoracic surgeons have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Surgeon | Thoracic Surgeon | |
| Average salary | $155,553 | $437,281 |
| Salary range | Between $85,000 And $284,000 | Between $217,000 And $880,000 |
| Highest paying City | Lewiston, ME | 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 surgeon and a thoracic surgeon in terms of educational background:
| Surgeon | Thoracic Surgeon | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Medicine | Nursing |
| Most common college | Duke University | New York University |
Here are the differences between surgeons' and thoracic surgeons' demographics:
| Surgeon | Thoracic Surgeon | |
| Average age | 49 | 49 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.2% Female, 48.8% | 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% |