Surgeons, Except Ophthalmologists
Operate on patients to treat injuries, diseases, and deformities. Includes general surgeons, orthopedic surgeons, cardiovascular surgeons, and other surgical specialists.
Surgeons, Except Ophthalmologists operate on patients to treat injuries, diseases, and deformities. Includes general surgeons, orthopedic surgeons, cardiovascular surgeons, and other surgical specialists. The role reports a median annual salary of $239,200 in the US with the middle 80% earning between $80,390 and $239,200 and is characterised as slower than average outlook. Entry typically requires a Doctoral or professional degree, and shows low AI exposure (0.23 on a 0-1 scale) — the role's core work resists automation. The most in-demand skills for the role include Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Active Learning, Active Listening.
Salary distribution (US)
Real salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The p10–p90 spread tells you more than the median alone.
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Surgeons, Except Ophthalmologists, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 2. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
How to get here in India
The usual route into this career in India. Each step links to the official page it comes from.
- 1 · Entrance exam NEET-UG for admission to MBBS[1][2]
- 2 · Qualification MBBS degree from an NMC-listed medical college[3]
- 3 · Registration Registration as a medical practitioner on the National Medical Register / with a State Medical Council[3][4]
- 4 · Qualification NEET-PG for a postgraduate seat, then MS in General Surgery[5][6]
Rules change: check the exam body's and regulator's current notice before you apply.
- NEET (UG) — National Testing Agency (read on 2026-09-27)
- MCC UG Medical Counselling — Medical Counselling Committee, MoHFW (read on 2026-09-27)
- National Medical Commission — home (read on 2026-09-27)
- NMC — Ethics & Medical Registration Board (read on 2026-09-27)
- MCC PG Medical Counselling — Medical Counselling Committee, MoHFW (read on 2026-09-27)
- NMC — PG Curriculum (competency-based PG programmes) (read on 2026-09-27)
Entrance exams on this route — Dates, eligibility and cut-offs for the exams on the way to this career:
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Biology
- Chemistry
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Psychology
- Education and Training
- Administration and Management
A day in the life
Your alarm goes off before dawn as you head to the hospital for pre-operative rounds, reviewing scans, lab work, and surgical plans with your team. The morning is spent in the operating room, making precise incisions, navigating delicate anatomy, and working in concert with anesthesiologists and scrub nurses through procedures that can last anywhere from thirty minutes to twelve hours. Between surgeries you check on post-op patients, dictate operative notes, and consult with other specialists about complex cases. The stakes are as high as they get in medicine—one steady hand can mean the difference between life and death—and the combination of physical skill and quick decision-making makes it one of the most demanding and rewarding careers.
Illustrative: one typical day. Real days vary by employer and seniority.
Frequently asked questions
What does Surgeons, Except Ophthalmologists do?
Operate on patients to treat injuries, diseases, and deformities. Includes general surgeons, orthopedic surgeons, cardiovascular surgeons, and other surgical specialists.
What does a typical day look like in Surgeons, Except Ophthalmologists?
Your alarm goes off before dawn as you head to the hospital for pre-operative rounds, reviewing scans, lab work, and surgical plans with your team. The morning is spent in the operating room, making precise incisions, navigating delicate anatomy, and working in concert with anesthesiologists and scrub nurses through procedures that can last anywhere from thirty minutes to twelve hours.
How much does Surgeons, Except Ophthalmologists earn?
The median annual salary for Surgeons, Except Ophthalmologists in the US is $239,200. The middle 80% of workers earn between $80,390 and $239,200 annually. Entry-to-mid-career earners typically fall between $170,900 and $239,200.
What is the job outlook for Surgeons, Except Ophthalmologists?
The role is characterised as slower than average outlook. Current US employment is approximately 36,600 workers.
How do I become surgeons, except ophthalmologists?
The typical entry education is a Doctoral or professional degree. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Surgeons, Except Ophthalmologists need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Active Learning, Active Listening, Speaking. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Surgeons, Except Ophthalmologists?
Our AI-durability model gives Surgeons, Except Ophthalmologists a score of 0.23 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at low AI exposure — the role's core work resists current-generation automation. It's a comparatively AI-durable choice within its field.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Surgeons, Except Ophthalmologists has very high barrier to entry — very highly gated — extended graduate education, licensure, or years of specialised training are required.