Trauma surgeon vs reconstructive surgeon

The differences between trauma surgeons and reconstructive 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 reconstructive surgeon. Additionally, a trauma surgeon has an average salary of $406,184, which is higher than the $321,483 average annual salary of a reconstructive surgeon.

The top three skills for a trauma surgeon include critical care, patient care and trauma surgery. The most important skills for a reconstructive surgeon are cosmetic surgery, EMR, and exam rooms.

Trauma surgeon vs reconstructive surgeon overview

	Trauma Surgeon	Reconstructive Surgeon
Yearly salary	$406,184	$321,483
Hourly rate	$195.28	$154.56
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	3,750	3,458
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 25%	Bachelor's Degree, 31%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	6	6

Trauma surgeon vs reconstructive surgeon salary

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

	Trauma Surgeon	Reconstructive Surgeon
Average salary	$406,184	$321,483
Salary range	Between $204,000 And $806,000	Between $168,000 And $613,000
Highest paying City	Grand Forks, ND	Saint Paul, MN
Highest paying state	Minnesota	Minnesota
Best paying company	Trinity Health	Allina Health
Best paying industry	Professional	-

Differences between trauma surgeon and reconstructive surgeon education

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

	Trauma Surgeon	Reconstructive Surgeon
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 25%	Bachelor's Degree, 31%
Most common major	Medicine	Nursing
Most common college	Duke University	Case Western Reserve University

Trauma surgeon vs reconstructive surgeon demographics

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

	Trauma Surgeon	Reconstructive Surgeon
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 55.6% Female, 44.4%	Male, 25.0% Female, 75.0%
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 reconstructive 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.

Reconstructive surgeon example responsibilities.

Manage insurance authorization and hospital bookings for surgery.
Perform administrative tasks regarding origination paperwork for patients, preoperative paperwork, medical clearance, financing and payment.
Manage insurance authorization and hospital bookings for surgery.

Trauma surgeon vs reconstructive surgeon skills

Common trauma surgeon skills

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

Common reconstructive surgeon skills

Cosmetic Surgery, 62%
EMR, 12%
Exam Rooms, 12%
Front Desk, 7%
Hand Surgery, 3%
Post-Operative Care, 2%

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Trauma Surgeon
Trauma Surgeon vs Reconstructive Surgeon

Updated January 8, 2025

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