Heart Surgeon Job Description

Heart surgeons perform delicate surgeries on a vital organ.

Heart surgeons, also known as cardiothoracic surgeons, treat diseases and malfunctions of the heart. They perform a variety of surgical interventions and procedures. Years of rigorous of training, finely honed motor skills and nerves of steel are necessary traits. Expertise and self-confidence to perform life-threatening surgical procedures are essential qualities of this profession.

Function

A heart surgeon's work requires precision with no room for error.

Thoracic surgeons perform operations, procedures and transplants on the heart. They install stents, insert balloon catheters, repair defective valves and perform bypass procedures and heart transplants.
They use drills, forceps, scalpels and other specialized instruments. Their work takes place in hospitals, university research centers and private surgical facilities. They supervise surgical assistants, operating nurses and surgical interns.

Job Requirements

Heart surgeons undergo rigorous training.

A bachelor's degree, usually with a concentration in the sciences, is a requisite for entrance into an American medical school. After four years of study to earn a medical degree, surgical residencies and internships may last up to eight years. Surgeons who practice in the United States must pass the United States Medical Licensing Examination.
Thoracic surgeons must stand for long hours in stressful environments. Heart surgeons have to explain dangerous interventions in reassuring tones to patients and their families.

Anticipated Salaries

Heart surgeons had median yearly salaries of $427,139 in 2009.

According to Salary.com, the median annual salary for heart surgeons was $427,139 as of November 2009. They had annual salary ranges of $319,366 to $534,681.
For comparative purposes, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual salary for all other surgeons was $165,000 as of May 2008.

Future Prospects

The future is promising for surgeons.

Future employment opportunities are excellent for medical doctors such as heart surgeons. According to the BLS, the projected job growth rate is 22 percent through 2018. This rate is faster than average compared with all other occupations. Contributing factors will be increased heart procedures as the overall American population ages and the need to replace retiring surgeons.

Expert Insight

Dr. Mehmet Oz is a noted expert and published author.

At the Society of Thoracic Surgery website, noted cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz describes a heart transplant: "The first five minutes are the most critical. If the heart turns from cream to pink, the color of a juicy steak, we're optimistic. There's this incredible feeling of bliss, like we've just reached our Zen moment. The high fives come out. But if it turns dark red and looks bruised, it's damaged, sometimes irreversibly. Then we close the skin up with number-two nylon, and I go out to tell the family I'm sorry."

References

• BLS.gov: Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010 - 2011 Edition: Physicians and Surgeons
• Salary.com: Average Heart Transplant Surgeon Salary
• BLS.gov: Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2008: Physicians and Surgeons, All Other
• Society of Thoracic Surgery: "What it Feels Like to Perform a Heart Transplant"; Peter Martin as told by Dr. Mehmet Oz

Resources

• Association of American Medical Colleges, Section for Student Services