Physician compensation is an important factor that affects the decision to enter into the medical profession, choice of medical specialty, practice location, and it can drive productivity. The American Medical Group Association’s 2009 (AMGA), compensation survey (based on 2008 data) compares physician compensation by geographic region.
As expected, specialists earn more than physicians in family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics. Orthopedic surgery, radiation therapy, and obstetrics and gynecology rate among the highest-paid specialties.
Physicians practicing family medicine earn an average annual compensation of $197,655, while neurological surgeons are on top, earning an average of $548,186 annually. Earnings can vary according to number of years in practice, the number of hours worked, and professional reputation. Survey data shows that earnings can also vary regionally from a low of $480,676 in the East to a high of $570,076 in the West in a specialty such as cardiac and thoracic surgery.
To order the full report shown here, visit the AMGA website at www.amga.org. AMGA has been conducting the annual survey since 1986. The group represents the interests of medical groups nationwide.
September 1, 2012
Jim Silver
