How to become a Cardiothoracic Surgeon

Performs heart and lung surgery.

Main tasks

• Assesses patients' medical conditions and determines the need for cardiothoracic surgery
• Utilises diagnostic tools such as imaging tests, electrocardiograms and blood tests to assess patients' conditions and determine appropriate treatment plans
• Performs surgical procedures on the heart and lungs, including bypass surgery, valve repair or replacement, and oesophagus, trachea and lung transplantation
• Advises and counsels patients and families about patients' conditions, treatment options and recovery

Ways in

• University: Medicine & Dentistry degrees, Offered by 34 universities in Australia
• Licence or registration: Registration or licensing is required.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Typical full-time pay: $203,060 a year
• About 10,500 people work in this job group now, and about 13,900 are projected by 2035. (+33.1%)
• AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.

Related jobs

• Neurosurgeon
• Orthopaedic Surgeon
• General Surgeon
• Otolaryngologist
• Paediatric Surgeon
• Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Cardiothoracic Surgeon?

Ways in include: Medicine & Dentistry degrees.

How much does a Cardiothoracic Surgeon earn in Australia?

Median full-time pay is $203,060 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Is a Cardiothoracic Surgeon a growing career in Australia?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 33% by 2035, from about 10,500 to about 13,900 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Do you need a degree to become a Cardiothoracic Surgeon?

Usually. 99% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Cardiothoracic Surgeon?

AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.

Sources

• Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04

Updated 2026-10-04