Optho Salary Info--the Facts

[medstud721]

Here are the facts presented at this years American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting.

All salaries you are hearing are "base" salaries--that's only part of the story for the field of ophthalmology. Because it is very rare to "hang a shingle" in this field, many people join preexisting practices and are paid base salary(guarantee) + bonus(relatively easily to obtain based on production)

Average BASE starting salary for general ophthalmologist:
$150,000 stand dev. $41,000
Average bonus for 1st year ophthalmologist
$30,000 stand dev $10,000

Thus, a "decent" general ophthalmologist can make $180,000 to $200,000 first year out no sweat.

Average salary at five years(general ophthalmology)

$272,000 standard dev. $100,000

Retina specialist

$547,000 standard dev $220,000

Most ophthalmologists I've talked to have confidence that optho will continue to be a great field in the years to come--baby boomers, refractive, etc and are happy folks(my brother is one of them).

Also, remember the average ophthalmologist has almost no call and works 4 and a half days a week

I'll take $300,000 for that!

[eye_2_eye]

Almost no call.....yeah right.....not that I have seen!

[volvulus]

The highest starting salaries are for radiologists. avg starting salary last year was 260K.