Demand Draws Higher Pay
Compensation offers steadily climb for the
most-recruited physicians
Specialists in cardiology, radiology, and
orthopaedic surgery continue to be the physicians most in
demand, according to Merritt, Hawkins & Associates’ 2005
Review of Physician Recruitment Incentives, and the compensation offers they receive
reflect that demand. However, internal medicine and family
practice physicians also are in greater demand recently than
the previous several years. The review is based on the 2,687
physician search and consulting assignments Merritt, Hawkins & Associates (MHA) represented from April 1, 2004 to March
31, 2005. The number of psychiatry searches MHA conducted
increased from 54 in 2003/04 to 80 in 2004/05, a growth rate of
48 percent. In contrast, demand for both
obstetrician/gynecologists and anesthesiologists showed
declines in this year’s review, and pediatrics dropped
out of the top 15 recruited specialties for the first time
since MHA has conducted the review. g
|
|
2001
|
2002
|
2003
|
2004
|
|
Cardiology
|
$ 273,000
|
$ 280,000
|
$ 292,000
|
$ 320,000
|
|
Radiology
|
286,000
|
317,000
|
336,000
|
355,000
|
|
Orthopaedic Surgery
|
295,000
|
315,000
|
330,000
|
361,000
|
|
Internal Medicine
|
148,000
|
150,000
|
152,000
|
161,000
|
|
Family Practice
|
144,000
|
146,000
|
146,000
|
150,000
|
|
General Surgery
|
221,000
|
242,000
|
248,000
|
255,000
|
|
Gastroenterology
|
226,000
|
240,000
|
250,000
|
298,000
|
|
OB/GYN
|
219,000
|
237,000
|
242,000
|
247,000
|
|
Psychiatry
|
153,000
|
162,000
|
164,000
|
176,000
|
|
Anesthesiology
|
278,000
|
290,000
|
300,000
|
303,000
|
Average
Income
Offered
Income
Offered
To top 10
recruited
recruited
specialties
|
|
Northeast
|
Southeast
|
Midwest
|
West
|
|
Cardiology
|
$ 310,000
|
$ 330,000
|
$ 330,000
|
$ 312,000
|
|
Radiology
|
340,000
|
360,000
|
362,000
|
310,000
|
|
Orthopaedic Surgery
|
351,000
|
370,000
|
370,000
|
345,000
|
|
Internal Medicine
|
155,000
|
164,000
|
164,000
|
164,000
|
|
Family Practice
|
145,000
|
152,000
|
151,000
|
144,000
|
|
General Surgery
|
245,000
|
260,000
|
262,000
|
248,000
|
|
Gastroenterology
|
290,000
|
300,000
|
302,000
|
285,000
|
|
OB/GYN
|
245,000
|
250,000
|
250,000
|
240,000
|
|
Psychiatry
|
170,000
|
178,000
|
178,000
|
172,000
|
|
Anesthesiology
|
295,000
|
310,000
|
305,000
|
294,000
|
|
Hospitalist
|
165,000
|
175,000
|
174,000
|
165,000
|
|
Neurosurgery
|
470,000
|
478,000
|
478,000
|
472,000
|
|
Urology
|
320,000
|
334,000
|
335,000
|
320,000
|
|
Neurology
|
202,000
|
212,000
|
215,000
|
200,000
|
|
Otolaryngology
|
280,000
|
295,000
|
290,000
|
280,000
|
Average
Income
Offered by
Income
Offered by
Geographic
Region
For top 15
specialties
specialties
