Physician Salaries

Any premed, who frequents the Student Doctor Network, will know that the future financial security of physicians is a hugely debated topic. Although not all premeds are motivated by money to pursue medicine, I suspect many would rethink the enormous commitment of time and energy that it takes to become a doctor, if they knew that the fiscal rewards were not there at the end. Pursuant to this fact--that I wholeheartedly purport to be true--I am starting my first post about physician salaries. 

Many have lamented the deplorable pay of primary care physicians (those physicians who specialize in Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Pediatrics, and OB/GYNs) in comparison to their more highly compensated specialists colleagues. A quick cursory glance, however, reveals that the alarm is principally and foremost groundless. Using a quick google search, I found that the average salary for Internal Medicine physicians was: $176,000, according to the source below, which seems more than ample to meet anyone’s needs--certainly mine. 

U.S. Physician Salaries - Ongoing Salary Survey

*Survey includes base salaries, net income or hospital guarantees minus expenses       June, 2003 - Present        SPECIALTY Years 1-2 >3 Max Allergy/ Immunology $158,000 $221,000 $487,000 Ambulatory $  80,000 $112,000 $152,000 Anesthesiology: Pediatrics $ 283,000 $311,000 $378,000 Anesthesiology: General $207,000 $275,000 $448,000 Anesthesiology: Pain Management $315,000 $370,000 $651,000 Cardiology: Invasive $258,000 $395,000 $647,000 Cardiology: Interventional $290,000 $468,000 $811,000 Cardiology: Noninvasive $268,000 $403,000 $599,000 Critical Care $187,000 $215,000 $320,000 Dermatology $ 195,000 $308,000 $452,000 Emergency Medicine $192,000 $216,000 $295,000 Endocrinology $171,000 $187,000 $260,000 FP (with OB) $182,000 $204,000 $241,000 FP (w/o OB) $161,000 $135,000 $239,000 FP - Sports Medicine $ 152,000 $208,000 $363,000 FP - Urgent Care $ 128,000 $198,000 $299,000 Gastroenterology $265,000 $349,000 $590,000 Hematology/Oncology $181,348 $245,000 $685,000 Infectious Disease $154,000 $178,000 $271,000 Internal Medicine $154,000 $176,000 $238,000 IM (Hospitalist) $161,000 $172,000 $245,000 Medicine/Pediatrics $139,000 $168,000 $271,000 Medical Oncology $198,000 $257,000 $455,000 Neonatal Medicine $286,000 $310,000 $381,000 Nephrology $191,000 $269,000 $447,000 Neurology $180,000 $228,000 $345,000 Obstetrics/Gynecology $211,000 $261,000 $417,000 Gynecology $159,000 $213,000 $358,000 Maternal/Fetal Medicine $286,000 $322,000 $610,000 Occupational Medicine $139,000 $185,000 $290,000 Ophthalmology $138,000 $314,000 $511,000 Ophthalmology Retina $280,000 $469,000 $716,000 Orthopedic Surgery $256,000 $342,000 $670,000 ORS - Foot & Ankle $228,000 $392,000 $791,000 ORS - Hand & Upper Extremities $288,000 $459,000 $770,000 ORS - Hip & Joint Replacement $330,000 $491,000 $715,000 ORS - Spine Surgery $398,000 $670,000 $1,352,000 ORS - Sports Medicine $266,000 $479,000 $762,000 Otolaryngology $194,000 $311,000 $516,000 Pathology $169,000 $321,000 $610,000 Pediatrics $135,000 $175,000 $271,000 Pediatrics - Cardiology $145,000 $282,000 $607,000 Pediatrics - Critical Care $196,000 $259,000 $398,000 Pediatrics - Hematology/Oncology    $182,000 $217,000 $251,000 Pediatrics - Neurology $175,000 $189,000 $362,000 Physiatry $169,000 $244,000 $313,000 Podiatry $128,000 $168,000 $292,000 Psychiatry $149,000 $169,000 $238,000 Psychiatry - Child and Adolescent $158,000 $189,000 $265,000 Pulmonary Medicine + Critical Care $215,000 $288,000 $417,000 Radiation Oncology $241,000 $385,000 $787,000 Radiology $201,000 $354,000 $911,000 Rheumatology $179,000 $229,000 $378,000 Surgery - General $226,000 $291,000 $520,000 Surgery - Cardiovascular $336,000 $515,000 $811,000 Surgery - Neurological $354,000 $541,000 $936,000 Surgery - Plastic $237,000 $412,000 $820,000 Surgery - Vascular $270,000 $329,000 $525,000 Urology $261,000 $358,000 $619,000         SOURCE: Allied Physicians, Inc.,  Los Angeles Times and Rand McNally           *Updated  June 11, 2006