Private Practice vs. Hospital Employment for Surgeons: Pros & Cons

Surgeons have the opportunity to work in different types of settings. Many surgeons choose to open or work for a private practice. Other surgeons are hospital employed and work solely for one hospital or health care system.

Types

• Oftentimes surgeons in private practice serve a specialized set of patients and perform only specific surgeries. For example, plastic surgeons in private practice may focus on breast augmentation and liposuction, whereas a hospital-employed plastic surgeon will see a variety of patients with a variety of problems.

Function

• Surgeons who have a private practice have the ability to choose their patients, work during scheduled business and surgical hours, and may perform surgeries in surgery centers. Surgeons who are hospital employed often must see any patient who presents to the hospital, work long and on-call shifts, and perform operations in a hospital operating room.

Considerations

• The pay scale or salary is oftentimes very different for surgeons in a private practice and those who are employed by a hospital. Private practice surgeons have the ability to make more money, but also have more responsibilities such as medical malpractice insurance, practice management costs, and business taxes.