Thoracic surgeons and their surgical practice.

The work characteristics of thoracic surgeons were studied as part of a national study of surgeon manpower. Thoracic surgeons were found to have the greatest operative work loads, longest workweeks, and equivalent median incomes compared with all other surgical specialties. The major conclusion that the number of thoracic surgeons was adequate concurs with the findings of the National Thoracic Surgery Manpower Study on number of practitioners.