Doctor's Salary—How Much Does A Doctor Get Paid?

Author: kimberly valerio

If people were to be honest about it, we could easily see how many of us wonder how much their doctor gets paid, especially after they shell out hundreds of dollars for a session with them. Now, not all doctors get paid as in a salary format—they take fees from their clients—but still the meaning is the same. When doctors work with bigger organizations, they do get their salaries, while those in private practice seek fees. Whatever be the case, we know that the figure is stupendous. So, what does a normal doctor's salary or, rather, doctor's income look like?

The typical doctor's earnings depend on the kind of specialization they are in. If the doctor deals with a more sophisticated part of the body or bodily system, then they make more money. But, even a general physician, which most people consider is the easiest of all doctor professions, makes a significant amount of money.

The general physician, who is usually called as a family doctor, may earn in the vicinity of $150,000 a year. On the distaff side, there's the doctor who deals with something more sophisticated—the cancer specialist, also known as oncologist. Understandably, the oncologist makes a huge income, which is around $270,000 a year. You could consider that these are the lowest and highest doctor's salaries. All other doctors make somewhere within this range.

Doctors who dispense internal medicine earn somewhat higher than the family doctor, around $160,000. An endocrinologist, who looks into hormonal problems, earns a little higher than this too, around $170,000. Next in line is a neurologist who earns about $200,000. However, there are many other kinds of doctors who earn somewhere around these ballpark figures.

Then there are doctors who look at specific types of people. A doctor specializing in children's ailments, i.e. a pediatrician would earn around $165,000 a year, while a gynecologist could earn around $175,000. This is also the usual salary of a doctor who deals with geriatric problems. Rheumatologists also fall in the same line.

Some specialized doctors make better incomes than these. A pulmonary specialist, i.e. a doctor who deals with lung and respiratory problems earns around $220,000.

However, these doctor's salaries are mostly indicative figure and not specific. There are many factors that can influence a doctor's salary. The time that a doctor puts in working is an important factor. The figures mentioned here assume that the doctor works for 80 hours a week. For a doctor who is into private practice, the number of hours put in won't really matter. What becomes more important there is the number of patients that the doctor is able to attend to in a day.

The doctor's qualification and experience are also of significance. If the doctor has better qualifications and has been working for a long number of years, people trust them more and they can also demand better payment from their patients. In some cases, the methods that the doctor uses also influence their salary. For instance, an eye doctor who uses traditional methods of eye surgery will make lesser money than a doctor who uses new laser techniques for painless treatment.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-opportunities-articles/doctor039s-salaryhow-much-does-a-doctor-get-paid-1923112.html
About the Author

Oliver Kwok is the author of http://www.nurse-practitioner-programs.net and also writes about Nurse Practitioner Programs