Careers in Medicine: Specialty Information

Thoracic Surgery

Nature of the work

A thoracic surgeon provides the operative, perioperative care, and critical care of patients with acquired and congenital pathologic conditions within the chest. Included are the surgical repair of heart lesions, and congenital and acquired conditions of the heart, including the pericardium, coronary arteries, valves, and myocardium. It also includes pathologic conditions of the lung, esophagus, and chest wall, abnormailities of the great vessels, tumors of the mediastinum, and diseases of the diaphragm and pericardium. Management of the airway and injuries of the chest are within the scope of the specialty.¹

Thoracic surgeons can receive training in the following subspecialty:

• Congenital Cardiac Surgery - operative treatment of structural abnormalities involving the heart and major blood vessels.

Training/residency information

Residency training in thoracic surgery is six to eight years.

Salary information

The annual salary for thoracic surgeons ranges from $245,000 to $621.000 for full-time medical school faculty.²

For more information

• American Association for Thoracic Surgery
• American Board of Thoracic Surgery
• American College of Chest Physicians
• Society of Thoracic Surgeons

References
1 The American Board of Medical Specialties. Guide to Physician Specialties. Evanston, IL: American Board of Medical Specialties; February 2008.
2 Association of American Medical Colleges. Report on Medical School Faculty Salaries 2007-2008. Washington, DC: AAMC; January 2009.

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