Trauma surgeon vs cardiothoracic surgeon

The differences between trauma surgeons and cardiothoracic 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 trauma surgeon and a cardiothoracic surgeon. Additionally, a cardiothoracic surgeon has an average salary of $409,035, which is higher than the $406,184 average annual salary of a trauma surgeon.

The top three skills for a trauma surgeon include critical care, patient care and trauma surgery. The most important skills for a cardiothoracic surgeon are private practice, surgical procedures, and MRI.

Trauma surgeon vs cardiothoracic surgeon overview

	Trauma Surgeon	Cardiothoracic Surgeon
Yearly salary	$406,184	$409,035
Hourly rate	$195.28	$196.65
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	3,750	3,612
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 25%	Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	6	6

What does a trauma surgeon do?

Trauma surgeons attend to ER patients who fall into certain categories of medical conditions such as low blood pressure following a car accident or if emergency surgery is needed to prevent permanent damage or save their lives. They will assume responsibility for the patient's care if hospital admission is needed as well as follow-up care. Other duties of a trauma surgeon include evaluating, diagnosing, and stabilizing a patient with traumatic physical injury, treating patients with cuts, internal injuries, and bone fractures, and evaluating which injuries need medical intervention first.

What does a cardiothoracic surgeon do?

A cardiothoracic surgeon specializes in performing surgeries on the heart, esophagus, lungs, and other organs within the chest to treat different health conditions, some even life-threatening. A cardiothoracic surgeon is responsible for studying the patients' medical records and histories, conducting extensive tests and examinations, coordinating with physicians and other experts, and helping patients understand the extent and risks of the operations. They are also responsible for monitoring the patients' conditions after surgeries, conducting tests as necessary. Moreover, they maintain an open and transparent communication line with nurses and other staff for a smooth and efficient workflow.

Trauma surgeon vs cardiothoracic surgeon salary

Trauma surgeons and cardiothoracic surgeons have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Trauma Surgeon	Cardiothoracic Surgeon
Average salary	$406,184	$409,035
Salary range	Between $204,000 And $806,000	Between $205,000 And $813,000
Highest paying City	Grand Forks, ND	Minneapolis, MN
Highest paying state	Minnesota	Michigan
Best paying company	Trinity Health	Allina Health
Best paying industry	Professional	Health Care

Differences between trauma surgeon and cardiothoracic surgeon education

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

	Trauma Surgeon	Cardiothoracic Surgeon
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 25%	Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Most common major	Medicine	Nursing
Most common college	Duke University	University of Pennsylvania

Trauma surgeon vs cardiothoracic surgeon demographics

Here are the differences between trauma surgeons' and cardiothoracic surgeons' demographics:

	Trauma Surgeon	Cardiothoracic Surgeon
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 55.6% Female, 44.4%	Male, 58.1% Female, 41.9%
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 trauma surgeon and cardiothoracic surgeon duties and responsibilities

Trauma surgeon example responsibilities.

Manage all incoming medical records requests (ensuring office is within HIPPA guidelines).
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.

Cardiothoracic surgeon example responsibilities.

Manage all incoming medical records requests (ensuring office is within HIPPA guidelines).
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.

Trauma surgeon vs cardiothoracic surgeon skills

Common trauma surgeon skills

Critical Care, 44%
Patient Care, 29%
Trauma Surgery, 20%
Emergency Medicine, 3%
Private Practice, 2%
IV, 1%

Common cardiothoracic surgeon skills

Private Practice, 38%
Surgical Procedures, 28%
MRI, 19%
Post-Operative Care, 7%
Chest Tubes, 7%
Direct Care, 2%

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Trauma Surgeon
Trauma Surgeon vs Cardiothoracic Surgeon

Updated January 8, 2025

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