外科医 外科医
What 外科医 do
An English description is being prepared. Japanese description:
外科医の中でも脳神経外科、心臓血管外科、消化器外科、整形外科等様々に分かれておりそれぞれの専門に応じた知識、技術が求められるが、ここでは共通した主な仕事の内容について記述する。
まず、患者や家族からの症状やけがの状況の聞き取り、各種検査等（X線やCT、MRIなどの画像診断や血液検査など）の結果から総合的に判断して傷病名を診断する。その上で、どのような治療を行うか、手術を適用するか否かを検討する。患者が手術に耐えられる状態かどうかも吟味する。手術計画を立て、患者と家族に内容を正確、丁寧に説明するのも重要な仕事である。
業務は患部の洗浄、切開、縫合などの簡易な処置から、複数の医師や看護師と協力して数時間かけて行う大手術まである。手術では患者の体にメスを入れて、患部を取り除いたり、外傷部位を修復したりする。この他に、人工物を使用したり、内視鏡を用いた検査、患部の切除及び治療、がんなどの悪性腫瘍に対する抗がん剤治療等を行う業務もある。
手術後は、経過や回復状況を観察、確認した上で、必要な対応を図る。それについて本人、家族に伝えることも必要である。また、抜糸をしたり、リハビリの指示等も行う。
◇ よく使う道具、機材、情報技術等
内視鏡、医療機器（聴診器、注射器、CT、MRI等）、パソコン
Employment type of workers
外科医 salary
The average annual pay for 外科医 in Japan is ¥15.12M (≈ $96,169; Basic Survey on Wage Structure (2025), national). The estimated median is ¥14.06M, the typical range is ¥7.86M–¥31.45M and the top 10% earn about ¥26.01M.
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The distribution is estimated from Japan's national wage statistics, including pay differences by age.
Pay by ageest.
Estimated from the average pay and average age (45.7) using the age-wage curve of the Basic Survey on Wage Structure.
Pay by experienceest.
Pay by employment typeest.
The average hourly wage of ¥7,120 is 6.0× Japan's national average minimum wage of ¥1,177 (fiscal 2026). Minimum wage by prefecture →
Japanese pay is shown in yen (¥5.57M = 5.57 million yen ≈ 557万円). Dollar figures use the current rate of 157.25 yen per dollar and are for reference only; purchasing power differs.
Pay over time
| Year | Average pay | Employment | Openings ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ¥13.78M | — | — |
| 2022 | ¥14.29M | — | — |
| 2023 | ¥14.36M | — | 2.18x |
| 2024 | ¥13.38M | — | 2.21x |
| 2025 | ¥15.12M | — | 1.95x |
Projected pay for 外科医 (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today ¥15.12M → in 3 years ¥16.34M → in 5 years ¥17.20M → in 10 years ¥19.56M (10-year range ¥16.82M–¥22.71M). The model assumes pay growth of +2.6% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (the job-openings-to-applicants ratio), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for 外科医
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace 外科医? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using the MHLW job tag survey on work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for 外科医
A ratio above 1.0 means there are more job openings than applicants (a labor shortage). The 5- and 10-year figures are estimates from the openings ratio, wage momentum and AI replacement risk.
The same job in the United States
| 外科医 Japan | Surgeons, All Other United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | ¥15.12M ≈ $96,169 | $414,010 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | ¥19.56M | $570,700 |
| Outlook score | 71 | 65 |
| AI replacement risk | 30% Low | 15% Very low |
| Workers | — | 25K |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for 外科医
Key skills
Skill levels from the MHLW job tag worker survey.
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Licenses and certifications (Japan)
- 医師 National license
Related qualifications listed on job tag (names in Japanese). Some are mandatory, others recommended.
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Difficulty of entry: ★★★★★ Hard to enter (from education, training, experience, licenses)
How to become 外科医
The typical path in Japan is shown by the education, training and experience of current workers above and in the Japanese guidance below. A detailed English guide for this occupation is being prepared.
Guidance from job tag (Japanese)
臨床研修後には、病院などに勤務医として勤め、多くの経験を積んでいく。勤務先の病院で診療科長になるケースや、独立して開業医となるケースがある。診療所の開業は外科単科の開業というよりも、総合的に幅広く患者を診る外科医が多い。大学で研究を続けながら講師や教授になることもある。
医学の知識や治療技術の進歩は急速であり、外科医にとって不断の技術トレーニングが必須である。患者の命を預かる責任は重く、急患の処置における迅速な判断力や長時間にわたる診療、手術等に耐えられる精神力や忍耐力、体力も必要とされる。また、手術を中心とした医療行為を行うには、看護師や麻酔科医、放射線技師など、他の診療科や他の職種の人たちと良好な関係を保つことが求められる。
Career path and how to earn more as 外科医
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by experience is shown in the Pay section.