Pediatric Surgeons
Diagnose and perform surgery to treat fetal abnormalities and birth defects, diseases, and injuries in fetuses, premature and newborn infants, children, and adolescents. Includes all pediatric surgical specialties and subspecialties.
- Median annual earnings
- $548,477
- Projected change
- +9.3%
- Typical education
- Doctoral degree or more
- Employment
- 1.72K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
91.8% of the workforce
Growing to 1.88K by 2035
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Build the skills
ASU learning related to this career
These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.
The work
What pediatric surgeons do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Analyze patient's medical history, medication allergies, physical condition, and examination results to verify operation's necessity and to determine best procedure.
- Conduct research to develop and test surgical techniques that can improve operating procedures and outcomes.
- Consult with patient's other medical care specialists, such as cardiologist and endocrinologist, to determine if surgery is necessary.
- Describe preoperative and postoperative treatments and procedures, such as sedatives, diets, antibiotics, or preparation and treatment of the patient's operative area, to parents or guardians of the patient.
- Direct and coordinate activities of nurses, assistants, specialists, residents, and other medical staff.
- Examine fetuses, infants, children, and adolescents, and diagnose health issues to determine need for intervention, such as surgery.
- Examine instruments, equipment, and operating room to ensure sterility.
- Examine patient to obtain information on medical condition and surgical risk.
- Follow established surgical techniques during the operation.
- Inform parents and guardians of child's health problems and surgical procedures through various channels, such as in-person and telecommunication systems.
- Interpret results of preoperative tests and physical examinations.
- Manage surgery services, including planning, scheduling and coordination, determination of procedures, or procurement of supplies and equipment.
- Monitor patient's recovery, making follow-up visits and using postoperative assessment techniques, such as blood and imaging tests.
- Operate on fetuses, infants, children, and adolescents to correct deformities, repair injuries, prevent and treat diseases, or improve or restore patients' functions.
- Perform transplantation operations, such as organ transplants, on fetuses, infants, children, and adolescents.
- Prepare case histories.
- Provide consultation and surgical assistance to other physicians and surgeons.
- Refer patient to medical specialist or other practitioners when necessary.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $209,277
- 25th percentile
- $331,239
- 50th percentile
- $548,477
- 75th percentile
- $578,296
- 90th percentile
- $724,345
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $548,477 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
160 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- Doctoral degree or more
- 91.8%
- Master's or Professional degree
- 6.8%
- Bachelor's degree
- 1.4%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Locum Tenens General Surgeons700 postings
- 02Pediatric Surgery Physicians588 postings
- 03Locum Tenens Anesthesiologists350 postings
- 04Pediatric Surgeons314 postings
- 05General Surgeons250 postings
- 06Locum Tenens Cardiothoracic Surgery Physicians195 postings
- 07Anesthesiologists176 postings
- 08Locums Tenens135 postings
- 09Advanced Practice Providers124 postings
- 10Cardiothoracic Surgery Physicians109 postings
- 11Locum Tenens Cardiovascular Surgery Physicians101 postings
- 12Cardiovascular Surgery Physicians92 postings
- 13Pediatric Anesthesiologists86 postings
- 14Vascular Surgeons75 postings
- 15Pediatric Pulmonologists69 postings
- 16OB/GYNs68 postings
- 17Locum Tenens Pediatricians67 postings
- 18Neurosurgery Physicians65 postings
- 19Pediatric Neurosurgeons63 postings
- 20Locum Tenens Urgent Care Physicians60 postings
Top employers
- 01Weatherby Healthcare1,957 postings
- 02CompHealth639 postings
- 03Jackson Physician Search332 postings
- 04Hayman Daugherty Associates199 postings
- 05Global Medical Staffing197 postings
- 06All Star HealthCare179 postings
- 07The Medicus Firm76 postings
- 08Nemours66 postings
- 09Hayes Locums65 postings
- 10AMN Healthcare62 postings
- 11Pacific Companies58 postings
- 12LocumTenens.com52 postings
- 13Medicus Healthcare Solutions52 postings
- 14The University of Texas at Austin51 postings
- 15Archway Physician Recruitment47 postings
- 16HCA Healthcare44 postings
- 17Practicematch41 postings
- 18Britt Medical Search39 postings
- 19Tenet Healthcare37 postings
- 20Loma Linda University36 postings
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