Survey: Most Physicians Earning More and Are More Satisfied Than Last Year

Upheavals among payers, an unsure future for a national health plan, and evolving payment models have not dampened physicians’ enthusiasm for what they do for a living—in fact, most are happier than ever with their choice of profession, and are making more money at the same time, according the 2017 Medscape Physician Compensation Report. The data put average physician compensation at $294,000 annually, taking into account both the full array of specialties and primary care. Except for oncologists and cardiologists, which remained even compared with the last survey period, and pediatricians, who are earning 1% less, all specialties and primary care are on the rise. Doctors tend to be a happy bunch with they consider their career choices, too; over 75% say they would still choose a career in medicine if they were just starting out; that’s 13 points higher than in the 2016 survey. Interestingly, they’re also spending more time with patients compared with the time they spend on other tasks (up a whopping 22% since 2012). While the report did not separate out urgent care as its own category, it shows primary care physicians earning $217,000, on average.