Have you ever wondered how much surgeons make? Wondered what type of career it is, how difficult the job is, and if you’re cut out for it? Well, wonder no more. In today’s post on how much do surgeons make, we’ll be answering all of those questions and more including whether or not surgeons have good work-life balance.
How much do surgeons make? This is a question that should be asked by anyone becoming a surgeon, or someone thinking about becoming a surgeon. As with all professions, the incomes and salaries of surgeons vary widely depending on experience, location, and company.
Doctors are often thought to be one of the highest-paid professionals in Australia. This assumption is not wrong at all. Surgeons, in particular, have one of the highest taxable salaries. In this article, we will take a look at how much surgeons make; as well as the factors that affect their earning potential.
What Does a Surgeon Do?
A surgeon is a licensed medical doctor who performs surgery. We often see them in the media portrayed working in the operating room. This is true as most of their job description entails performing surgeries or operations. However, their expertise even goes beyond the surgical table. Surgeons also conduct consultations for a variety of problems. This includes wounds, cysts, tumors, and other surgical concerns.
Surgeons also oversee their patients prior to their surgery. They make sure everything is going well with the patient before they enter the operating room (unless it’s an emergency case). Even after the surgery, surgeons see to it that the patients are stable to go home.
What Are the Types of Surgeons?
Surgery is a field of medicine that focuses on the treatment of diseases and injury by incision and manipulation. After training to be a surgeon, doctors still have the option to subspecialize in the following fields: plastic surgery, orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, cardiothoracic surgery, trauma surgery, transplant surgery, gastric surgery, cosmetic surgery, etc.
What Affects How Much They Make?
We can safely say that, in general, surgeons make a lot of money. But what dictates how much they make depends on a wide range of factors. This includes years of experience, type of specialization, training, hospital affiliation, and of course, the number of patients.
Specialty
Specialty is the biggest factor that influences a surgeon’s earning capability. In theory, the more in demand or rare a surgeon is, the more he or she makes. Thus, neurosurgeons, transplant surgeons, and plastic surgeons ̨make more than general surgeons. The length of surgery also comes into play. Although it’s not a general rule, the length of the surgery also influences how much it will cost as this limits how many cases a surgeon can handle per day.
Training & Experience
One of the biggest determining factors of how much a surgeon can make is his or her years of training and experience. A mid-career surgeon will certainly earn less than a veteran surgeon who has been in the field for decades. Oftentimes, people tend to seek the help of surgeons who have more years of experience.
Moreover, a surgeon’s place of training also affects his or her professional fee. A surgeon who trained at a prestigious teaching hospital tends to have a higher salary. If he or she earned certifications and additional training, this will also influence the salary.
Surgeons can also do laparoscopic or robotic surgery. Those who do tend to earn a higher salary compared to others.
Popularity
There are obviously well-known surgeons that are more in-demand compared to others. For instance, celebrity surgeons are always in-demand. It will take weeks, sometimes months, to even book a consultation with them. Popularity also affects how much surgeons are paid. If more people desire their expertise and care, the tendency is that they can charge more. Thus, even if a surgeon doesn’t have as many years of training as others, if more people choose him or her, the surgeon will end up making more than the others.
How Much Do They Make?
Surgeons’ salary in Australia depends on which state they are in. According to MedRecruit.com, surgeons practicing in Western Australia have the highest average salary at $475,058, followed by those in Northern Territory, averaging at $449,330. Tasmanian surgeons make $431,332, while Queensland surgeons make $427,543. Meanwhile, surgeons from Victoria make about $362,863. Those from South Australia get an average of $363,964 in salary. Australian Capital Territory surgeons take home about $331,793, and those from New South Wales get just about $304,398.
Now that is just an average of what Australian surgeons make depending on where they practice. However, we know that the value varies depending on a lot of factors; most especially the surgeon’s field of specialty. In Australia, transplant surgeons tend to earn higher than the rest, reaching as high as $600,000. Meanwhile, neurosurgeons also make a lot of money with an annual salary reaching as high as $500,000. Plastic surgeons also average around $500,000. Orthopedic surgeons are next in line, earning as high as $450,000. General surgeons earn $150,000 to 200,000.
Why Do They Make a Lot of Money?
So why exactly do surgeons make a bunch of money? It all boils down to the level of expertise they possess. Surgeons have undergone rigorous years of training before they are able to operate on a patient by themselves. After graduating from medical school, they still need to undergo at least five more years of training just to become a general surgeon. If they wish to subspecialize, it will take them no less than 1-2 years to do so.
You will notice that as the level of expertise goes up, a surgeon’s average salary also goes up. For instance, neurosurgeons make the most money per surgery (in general) because of the nature of the surgery. Neurosurgeons handle the brain which is arguably the most complex organ of the body. There is simply no room for error in neurosurgery which is why neurosurgeons are paid so much for their skill and expertise.
Lastly, surgeons, and other doctors, have invested a lot of money (not just time) in training to become a surgeon. Medical school in Australia costs a lot. Moreover, surgeons don’t start earning money way later than the rest of other professions.
The Surgical Specialties with Highest pay in AU
According to the Australian Medical Council, there are over 100 different medical specialties. As a medical student, you may be wondering which medical specialty is best for you, and what the financial rewards are.
To help you decide, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 highest-paying surgical specialties in Australia.
Surgery is one of the most rewarding career paths in medicine. It’s also one of the most challenging — not only because of its physical demands but also because of the intense responsibility that surgeons take on when they’re operating on someone’s life.
The surgical specialties with the highest mean annual compensation are:
Neurosurgery – $747,000
Plastic surgery – $687,000
Orthopedic surgery – $663,000
General surgery – $639,000
Urology – $603,000
Ophthalmology – $567,000
Dermatology – $566,000
Conclusion
Overall, we can expect surgeons in Australia to make a substantial amount of money in their practice. The final amount always varies depending on their specialty and other factors. However, we can’t deny that they are some of the highest-earning professionals in the country.
Even though surgeons have a great salary, they have some of the most demanding hours in all of medicine. With life-and-death situations every day, surgeons work in demanding and intense environments. Most people do not understand how much work goes into a career in medicine, but hopefully we will shed some light on the intricacies within this industry.
Being a general surgeon can be a rewarding profession. You’ll spend your days helping to heal people who desperately need it. While surgeons have a lot of responsibility, still earn a fair amount of money and have the opportunity to receive six-figure salaries in some cases. The most important thing is that you love what you do.
FAQs
- How much do surgeons make in Australia?
The average salary for surgeons in Australia is around $145,000 per year. However, this can vary depending on experience, location, and specialty.
- How do surgeon salaries compare to other medical professionals in Australia?
Surgeons generally earn more than other medical professionals in Australia, such as GPs and hospital doctors. However, specialists such as orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons can earn significantly more.
- What factors can affect a surgeon’s salary in Australia?
Factors that can affect a surgeon’s salary in Australia include experience, location, and specialty. For example, surgeons who work in major cities or in private practice tend to earn more than those who work in smaller towns or in the public sector.
- What is the job outlook for surgeons in Australia?
The job outlook for surgeons in Australia is positive. The number of jobs is expected to grow significantly over the next decade, and there will be plenty of opportunities for experienced surgeons.
- What are the benefits of being a surgeon in Australia?
Surgeons in Australia enjoy a high level of job satisfaction and a good work-life balance. They also have the opportunity to earn a high salary and to work in a variety of interesting and challenging environments.