We surveyed 632 surgeons to learn what personality traits and interests make them unique. Here are the results.


Holland Codes

Surgeons are investigative and realistic

Surgeons tend to be predominantly investigative individuals, which means that they are quite inquisitive and curious people that often like to spend time alone with their thoughts. They also tend to be realistic, which means that they often enjoy working outdoors or applying themselves to a hands-on project.

If you are one or both of these archetypes, you may be well suited to be a surgeon. However, if you are artistic, this is probably not a good career for you. Unsure of where you fit in? Take the career test now.

Here’s how the Holland codes of the average surgeon break down:


Big Five

The top personality traits of surgeons are conscientiousness and social responsibility

Surgeons score highly on conscientiousness, which means that they are methodical, reliable, and generally plan out things in advance. They also tend to be high on the measure of social responsibility, indicating that they desire fair outcomes and have a general concern for others.

Once again, let’s break down the components of the personality of an average surgeon: