Transplant surgeon vs plastic surgeon

The differences between transplant surgeons and plastic 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 transplant surgeon and a plastic surgeon. Additionally, a transplant surgeon has an average salary of $405,796, which is higher than the $172,467 average annual salary of a plastic surgeon.

The top three skills for a transplant surgeon include private practice, and . The most important skills for a plastic surgeon are patients, patient care, and hand surgery.

Transplant surgeon vs plastic surgeon overview

	Transplant Surgeon	Plastic Surgeon
Yearly salary	$405,796	$172,467
Hourly rate	$195.09	$82.92
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	3,688	3,906
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Doctoral Degree, 38%	Bachelor's Degree, 34%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	6	6

What does a transplant surgeon do?

A transplant surgeon is a medical expert who specializes in organ transplants, such as heart, kidney, liver, and lung. Besides performing life-saving surgeries, they also study the patients' and donors' medical histories, conduct extensive research and analysis to ensure the compatibility of patients and donors, coordinate with fellow experts from planning to execution, and provide care to patients before and after surgeries. Moreover, a transplant surgeon may also share their expertise and participate in research studies.

What does a plastic surgeon do?

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.

Transplant surgeon vs plastic surgeon salary

Transplant surgeons and plastic surgeons have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Transplant Surgeon	Plastic Surgeon
Average salary	$405,796	$172,467
Salary range	Between $204,000 And $803,000	Between $87,000 And $339,000
Highest paying City	Minneapolis, MN	Rockville Centre, NY
Highest paying state	Alaska	Maine
Best paying company	University of Maryland, Baltimore	MaineGeneral Health
Best paying industry	-	Professional

Differences between transplant surgeon and plastic surgeon education

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

	Transplant Surgeon	Plastic Surgeon
Most common degree	Doctoral Degree, 38%	Bachelor's Degree, 34%
Most common major	Medicine	Nursing
Most common college	Northwestern University	Case Western Reserve University

Transplant surgeon vs plastic surgeon demographics

Here are the differences between transplant surgeons' and plastic surgeons' demographics:

	Transplant Surgeon	Plastic Surgeon
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 81.8% Female, 18.2%	Male, 23.6% Female, 76.4%
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 transplant surgeon and plastic surgeon duties and responsibilities

Transplant surgeon example responsibilities.

Coordinate with patients and medical staff at civilian and military treatment facilities to schedule medical appointments and retrieve medical documentation.
Handle confidential and sensitive information with accuracy and according to HIPAA policies.

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.

Transplant surgeon vs plastic surgeon skills

Common transplant surgeon skills

Private Practice, 100%

Common plastic surgeon skills

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

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Transplant Surgeon
Transplant Surgeon vs Plastic Surgeon

Updated January 8, 2025

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