A doctor who is under training to be a surgeon is called a surgical resident. Surgical residents do have a medical degree. But they are under a training period that can last from 3-7 years. A surgical resident gets paid during their training period. We are going to discuss that during this training period, How much do surgical residents make?
Duties of a surgical resident
- Taking care of patients: Taking good care of the patients is one of the main duties of a surgical resident. A surgical resident can attend to a patient if the surgeon is not present at the time. A surgical resident can also ask you to go through some physical exams and check the reports of those exams. They should keep a record of the patient’s previous surgery or surgeries to keep their patients safe.
- Taking part in the operation: A surgical resident takes part in a patient’s operation. They work under the supervision of the surgeon. They had practiced enough in labs before being a part of an operation because the patient’s health is the utmost priority to the doctors.
A surgical resident can handle scut work along with the medical works. Scut work is performed by nonmedical faculties. A surgical resident can handle those works as well like:
- Communicating with the patient parties.
- Getting signatures from the patient’s family.
- Collecting information of the patient.
- Conveying messages of the attending surgeons to the family of the patient.
- Helping them fill-up the form with required details.
Categories of surgical residents:
According to the experience, surgical residents are categorized into three categories. These three categories are:
- Junior resident.
- Senior resident.
- Chief resident.
- What is a junior resident?
A junior resident is someone who has completed MBBS and just joined as an intern under the supervision of a surgeon. They join this residency to be a specialist, like – pediatrician, cardiologist, audiologist, ENT specialist, gynecologist, orthopedic surgeon, psychiatrist, veterinarian, radiologist, pulmonologist, oncologist, neurologist, cardiothoracic surgeon, and so on. They have an undergraduate degree but not a post-graduate degree.
2. What is a senior resident?
A senior resident is a physician who has got a post-graduation degree after completing the junior residency program of 3 years.
3. What is a chief resident?
A chief resident is a physician and is the leader of a group of doctors. In terms of experience, they are superior. So, they lead others to grow.
How much do surgical residents make?
Every post of medical platform needs capable hands and dedication, but as a surgical resident is going to be a surgeon, so this post needs more capable hands. That is why surgical residents get paid a bit more during their training period than other physicians.
The average salary of a surgical resident was $57,200 in 2017, while a doctor who is already got paid an amount of $247,319.
The amount of salary may vary in a surgical resident’s specialty area. Suppose – there is a surgical resident who has specialized in hematology and there is another student who is trying to be an orthopedic surgeon, their salary will be different. The one who is going to be a hematology specialist will earn more than the orthopedic specialist. The former earns $69,000 and the latter earns $60,000. A general surgery resident’s annual salary is $61,000, a plastic surgery resident earns $65,600 yearly, while the annual income of a specialized surgery resident is $65,700.
Their earning also vary based on their experience in their particular field. It is quite obvious that a senior resident’s salary is higher than a junior resident’s salary and a chief resident’s salary is even higher than a senior resident’s salary. A surgical resident’s salary gets increased per year. When a surgical resident starts as an intern, his salary is $53,100. Next year this salary amount will be $54,300. In the year after that it will be around $56,700, then $59,300, in the fifth year of residency the amount will be $61,000, in the sixth to seventh year it can be around $63,800. This projection of increasing salary amount will not be the same for every surgical resident. This is presented just to give you a clear idea about how a surgical resident’s salary amount gets increased based on their experience.
Once a surgical resident completes their residency program and gets a job as a surgeon, this salary amount will be around $247,309 or more.
Other facilities of a surgical resident:
We have discussed the salary amount of a surgical resident on the above part. But we need to know, a surgical resident does not only get paid during their training period, but they also enjoy certain facilities. Some schools are introducing the facilities provided by them.
Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine –
- Resident physician 1: $57,221
- Resident physician 2: $58,802
- Resident physician 3: $60,278
- Resident physician 4: $61,714
- Resident physician 5: $64,147
- Resident physician 6: $66,498
Other benefits-
- Educational leave. (5 days)
- Annual vacation. (21 days)
- Personal loan of $1,000.
- Chief resident development.
- Health and dental insurance.
Official website
– https://medicine.wright.edu.
UC San Diego School of Medicine-
- Resident physician 1: $57,233
- Resident physician 2: $59,130
- Resident physician 3: $61,453
- Resident physician 4: $63,879
- Resident physician 5: $66,493
- Resident physician 6: $68,964
Other benefits-
- Educational and housing stipend of $4,800
- Paid vacation (28 days)
- Life insurance.
- On-call meals
- Library resources.
Official website – https://www.medschoolinsiders.com.
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine-
- Medical and dental care.
- Life insurance.
- Liability insurance.
- Lab coats.
- Annual book fund.
- Paid vacation. (28 days)
Official website – https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org.
FAQ
- What is the highest-paid surgical specialty?
Plastic surgery specialist is the highest-paid surgical specialty. A plastic surgery specialist earns nearly an amount of $526,000 in a year.
- Which surgical residents are the highest-paid?
A surgical resident who is going to be a specialist in hematology is the highest-paid among all. Their annual salary is $69,500.
- What is the average medical residency salary?
The average salary of a surgical resident who has just joined the residency program is $58,921.
- Does a fellow earn more than a surgical resident?
A fellow can earn more than a specialist resident. But they do not enjoy the facilities as the surgical residents do.
- Is fellowship harder than residency?
One can’t say which one is harder. But in fellowship, the workload is heavier than it is in the residency.
