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The differences between transplant 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 transplant surgeon and a thoracic surgeon. Additionally, a thoracic surgeon has an average salary of $437,281, which is higher than the $405,796 average annual salary of a transplant surgeon.
The top three skills for a transplant surgeon include private practice, and . The most important skills for a thoracic surgeon are patient care, CME, and lung cancer.
| Transplant Surgeon | Thoracic Surgeon | |
| Yearly salary | $405,796 | $437,281 |
| Hourly rate | $195.09 | $210.23 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 3,688 | 3,460 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 49 | 49 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
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.
Transplant surgeons and thoracic surgeons have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Transplant Surgeon | Thoracic Surgeon | |
| Average salary | $405,796 | $437,281 |
| Salary range | Between $204,000 And $803,000 | Between $217,000 And $880,000 |
| Highest paying City | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis, MN |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Minnesota |
| Best paying company | University of Maryland, Baltimore | Allina Health |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a transplant surgeon and a thoracic surgeon in terms of educational background:
| Transplant Surgeon | Thoracic Surgeon | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Medicine | Nursing |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | New York University |
Here are the differences between transplant surgeons' and thoracic surgeons' demographics:
| Transplant Surgeon | Thoracic Surgeon | |
| Average age | 49 | 49 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.8% Female, 18.2% | 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% |