What Is The Percentage Of Physicians That Are Satisfied With Their Careers And Incomes?

Fewer than half of PCPs (47%) and half of specialists (50%) believe that they are fairly compensated. PCPs have not changed their opinion since the 2011 Medscape compensation survey. On the other hand, fewer specialists feel fairly compensated this year, down from about 52% in 2011.






Although fewer than half of primary care physicians—family physicians at 48% and internists at 45%—believe that they are fairly compensated, they are not the most dissatisfied physicians. Those who feel most underpaid are ophthalmologists (40%) and allergists and general surgeons (both 41%). Those most likely to believe that they are paid fairly are dermatologists (61%) and emergency medicine physicians and pathologists (both 60%). Of interest, the two latter groups reported a 12% rise in compensation this year, which was among the top four increases.





To determine the level of general career satisfaction, Medscape averaged the percentage of physicians who again would choose medicine (slide 29), those who again would choose their specialty (slide 30), and those who thought they were fairly compensated (slide 16). According to the calculation, the most satisfied physicians this year are dermatologists (63%), followed by pathologists and psychiatrists at 57%. The least satisfied, from the bottom up, are internists (47%) and then nephrologists and general surgeons (48% and 49%, respectively). In 2011, the specialties that reported the highest career satisfaction were dermatologists (80%); radiologists (72%), and oncologists (70%). Those who felt the least career satisfaction were primary care physicians (54%).

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