According to the 2015 Medscape Physician Compensation Report, the top three earners among medical specialists this year are orthopaedists ($421,000 average annual compensation for patient care, including salary, bonus, and profit-sharing), cardiologists ($376,000), and gastroenterologists ($370,000). Orthopedists also topped the list for annual compensation from non–patient care activities ($29,000). Non–patient care activities include expert-witness duties, product sales, and speaking engagements.
More than 19,500 physicians in 25 specialties responded to this year’s Medscape compensation survey. (See related OrthoBuzz article on orthopaedist compensation.)