Which specialties lead to a 275k+ salary?

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ToKingdomCome said:
not sure if this was mentioned, but anyone see rads or gas be a 275k+ speciality? i know its a bit early to see how things will play out
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Early in what way? Both can earn well into the 300s
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Dont hold your breath. Predicting reimbursement changes is less than a piss in the wind
 
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ToKingdomCome said:
Both are expected to take significant hits in reimbursement if you've followed the specialties in the past 3-4 years
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They already have been taking hits since the mid 2000s. The salaries have not decreased that much because these physicians have increased their workload (while reimbursements have been decreasing). It shouldn't be thought of as the amount of hours put in, but more specifically the amount of cases handled.
 
user3 said:
Reading in the anesthesia forum, there is fear that the ACA will eventually lead to a single-payer type system where anesthesiologists will earn FP (or even sub FP) salaries. (Apparently, Medicare/Medicaid reimbursements for anesthesia are lower than almost any other specialty.)
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Yes, all speculation. I'm talking what happens now.
 
user3 said:
Reading in the anesthesia forum, there is fear that the ACA will eventually lead to a single-payer type system where anesthesiologists will earn FP (or even sub FP) salaries. (Apparently, Medicare/Medicaid reimbursements for anesthesia are lower than almost any other specialty.)
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Yeah might as well delete this post too man. It's just as much garbage as the last one you deleted.
 
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Everyone on the Gas forum makes 400k+ and get 8+ weeks off per year.
 
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W19 said:
Why the sky is falling in anesthesia then?
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The sky has been falling ever since medicine started paying the big bucks.

I don't deny the fundamental problems Anesthesia is facing today (CRNA's and increase in residency graduates), but I think these issues are blown out of proportion.

Historically, Anesthesia never generated the same level of income it does today. I've looked at numerous salary surveys of past years, and a friend of mine told me that his father said that anesthesiologists were paid in mid 100s back in the 1990s. Therefore, I wouldn't be surprised if anesthesia once again becomes a low paying specialty. However, to say that CRNA's will take over and anesthesiologist go unemployed, that's something that will never happen in our career life.
 
kirbymiester said:
Why did this thread devolve into a political sh*tposting fest?
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W19 said:
Why the sky is falling in anesthesia then? They can't make 500k+/year with 16 weeks vacation anymore!:p
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The sky is falling in every speciality forum that isn't a surgical sub speciality or derm on this website. It's the Internet. Grain of salt baby!
 
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ChiTownBHawks said:
The sky is falling in every speciality forum that isn't a surgical sub speciality or derm on this website. It's the Internet. Grain of salt baby!
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its not limited to SDN, the Seattle Seahawks forum blew up for the next month when Pete decided to pass instead of run.

you still partying over the Blackhawks' win? 3 Cups in 6 years - dayyyummmm!
 
Ibn Alnafis MD said:
However, to say that CRNA's will take over and anesthesiologist go unemployed, that's something that will never happen in our career life.
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I'm afraid that you are incorrect. Take a look at this thread -- http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/a-depressing-job-posting.1142231/

1 MD to cover for 4 CRNA. Those 4 CRNA positions could've been given to 4 Anesthesiologists. On page 1, 1 MD posted that she is being replaced by a CNRA and now she's thinking of doing a CCM fellowship.
 
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kenjixshadow said:
I'm afraid that you are incorrect. Take a look at this thread -- http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/a-depressing-job-posting.1142231/

1 MD to cover for 4 CRNA. Those 4 CRNA positions could've been given to 4 Anesthesiologists. On page 1, 1 MD posted that she is being replaced by a CNRA and now she's thinking of doing a CCM fellowship.
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Yeah, but if push comes to shove and anesthesiologists find themselves between the option of being paid CRNA-level salary (~200k) or go unemployed, most will choose to bite the bullet and take the pay cut.

For the same pay, every employer will hire an anesthesiologist over a CRNA.
 
Ibn Alnafis MD said:
Yeah, but if push comes to shove and anesthesiologists find themselves between the option of being paid CRNA-level salary (~200k) or go unemployed, most will choose to bite the bullet and take the pay cut.

For the same pay, every employer will hire an anesthesiologist over a CRNA.
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Tell me why should anesthesiologists get CRNA's salary? Do you know how absurd that sounds? Anesthesiologists spend 4 yrs in med school and another 4 yrs of residency. Anesthesiologist's basic science & clinical knowledge >>>> CRNA's and you want MD/DO to be there when **** hit the fan, not CRNA. Anesthesiologists are required to supervised CRNA, take calls, manage ICU patients - do lines, run epi/IVs, cover OB, trauma, endo, airway backup, etc., and be reliable for med mal. In another word, they have way more responsibilities than nurses so why should they get paid like a nurse?

Also you're wrong. The majorities won't bite the bullet. They will leave the profession because they won't take **** from anyone or being taken advantage of. The whole profession should stick up for our colleagues against mid-levels or you will find them one day taking your job too.
 
kenjixshadow said:
Tell me why should anesthesiologists get CRNA's salary? Do you know how absurd that sounds? Anesthesiologists spend 4 yrs in med school and another 4 yrs of residency. Anesthesiologist's basic science & clinical knowledge >>>> CRNA's and you want MD/DO to be there when **** hit the fan, not CRNA. Anesthesiologists are required to supervised CRNA, take calls, manage ICU patients - do lines, run epi/IVs, cover OB, trauma, endo, airway backup, etc., and be reliable for med mal. In another word, they have way more responsibilities than nurses so why should they get paid like a nurse?

Also you're wrong. The majorities won't bite the bullet. They will leave the profession because they won't take **** from anyone or being taken advantage of. The whole profession should stick up for our colleagues against mid-levels or you will find them one day taking your job too.
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The different specialties are somewhat disconnected because the AMA is so out of touch, so each specialty has its own organization so they can fend for themselves...

I think derm will be next in that whole encroachment thing... NP are not stupid. They go where the money is.
 
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kenjixshadow said:
Tell me why should anesthesiologists get CRNA's salary? Do you know how absurd that sounds? Anesthesiologists spend 4 yrs in med school and another 4 yrs of residency. Anesthesiologist's basic science & clinical knowledge >>>> CRNA's and you want MD/DO to be there when **** hit the fan, not CRNA. Anesthesiologists are required to supervised CRNA, take calls, manage ICU patients - do lines, run epi/IVs, cover OB, trauma, endo, airway backup, etc., and be reliable for med mal. In another word, they have way more responsibilities than nurses so why should they get paid like a nurse?

Also you're wrong. The majorities won't bite the bullet. They will leave the profession because they won't take **** from anyone or being taken advantage of. The whole profession should stick up for our colleagues against mid-levels or you will find them one day taking your job too.
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Leave the profession to do what? How will they repay their astronomical school debt? That's al pride talking. Get real.

Another aspect of the profession many people fail to see is that unlike other physicians (ex. FM), anesthesiologists are completely under the mercy of the hospital admins. Plus they don't have "ownership" of the patients. For these two reasons, anesthesiology is very vulnerable to political changes.
 
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Ibn Alnafis MD said:
Leave the profession to do what? How will they repay their astronomical school debt? That's al pride talking. Get real.

Another aspect of the profession many people fail to see is that unlike other physicians (ex. FM), anesthesiologists are completely under the mercy of the hospital admins. Plus they don't have "ownership" of the patients. For these two reasons, anesthesiology is very vulnerable to political changes.
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R.A.P.E.
Radiology, Anesthesia, Pathology, Emergency Med.
I had an old PP surgeon tell me to avoid these specialties since you are at hospitals mercy (more or less). I don't really agree since ED seems to be thriving from a salary standpoint and anesthesiology averages similar to more pay then gen surge. However to some extent, you aren't bringing patients to the hospital and theoretically can be marginalized or replaced by a group that contracts for less.

Will never forget him telling me to avoid rape, lol.
 
Derm doesn't make any money for hospitals either...but they also are not at the hospital's mercy for the most part. However, as ACAs continue for form, the primary care docs will likely be limited to referring in system. So derms will start to join the hospital associated ACAs to get those referrals and then be under control (at least in part) of the hospital.

On a positive note (I can't speak for other specialties), I think Derm has the highest percentage of practitioners actively involved in the AAD (American Academy of Dermatology). The AAD is super proactive in defending the best interests in Dermatology to maintain the profession. Right now one of the big things is:

http://www.changeboardrecert.com/AAD-lets-change-MOC.html

Several practitioners started the movement (especially a few around NYC), and the AAD listened and is actually doing something about it. This is the type of stuff all fields need to be doing. As physicians, we are the only ones who will defend our profession (I'm sure other specialty groups are doing important things also, not just Dermatology).

Anyway, I'll step down off my soapbox now.
 
Ibn Alnafis MD said:
Leave the profession to do what? How will they repay their astronomical school debt? That's al pride talking. Get real.
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The established anesthesiologists will be the first to leave or do fellowship. Why would they work much harder for 50% less salaries? You tend to forget that physicians are competent enough that they can go to any other field as they please or have their own business. Medicine isn't the only thing in life. The young residents & newly graduated attendings will get hit the hardest, but then again they can still do fellowships. Medical students see the sinking boat and avoid it -- the same way radiology become less competitive. This is as real as it will get. Heck, if it is that bad, ppl can just match to FM and be done with it.
 
kenjixshadow said:
The established anesthesiologists will be the first to leave or do fellowship. Why would they work much harder for 50% less salaries? You tend to forget that physicians are competent enough that they can go to any other field as they please or have their own business. Medicine isn't the only thing in life. The young residents & newly graduated attendings will get hit the hardest, but then again they can still do fellowships. Medical students see the sinking boat and avoid it -- the same way radiology become less competitive. This is as real as it will get. Heck, if it is that bad, ppl can just match to FM and be done with it.
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You're right, physicians are such great businessmen that they... wait for it... got waxed by businessmen to be in this position.

I mean, seriously, how else do you think physicians lost their firm grip on medicine?
 
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kenjixshadow said:
The established anesthesiologists will be the first to leave or do fellowship. Why would they work much harder for 50% less salaries? You tend to forget that physicians are competent enough that they can go to any other field as they please or have their own business. Medicine isn't the only thing in life. The young residents & newly graduated attendings will get hit the hardest, but then again they can still do fellowships. Medical students see the sinking boat and avoid it -- the same way radiology become less competitive. This is as real as it will get. Heck, if it is that bad, ppl can just match to FM and be done with it.
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Even with a 50% pay cut, anesthesiologists will still make more money than 90% of the public. Therefore, I don't see any viable exit strategy, should they decide to leave their profession.

In regards to business, it's much easier said than done. The vast majority of business majors are working for low salaries and making other the other small minority richer. Suggesting that doctors, who have no business education/exposure whatsoever, can succeed in business is delusional. The ability to earn the grades to get you into med school is not the same skill set that is required to become a successful businessman.

Believe me, I'd love to believe that you are right, but the truth is that doctors are only good at doing the thing they trained for more than a decade to do, medicine.
 
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OP, google MGMA salary and poke around a little ( they sell the data so it's not instantly apparent but...). The numbers are on the low end for my specialty.
 
W19 said:
The worst part of anesthesia is working with surgeons... :(
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Several do great in pain management. Not the surgeons bitch, but good outcomes are scarce.
 
Gastrapathy said:
OP, google MGMA salary and poke around a little ( they sell the data so it's not instantly apparent but...). The numbers are on the low end for my specialty.
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Too bad your specialty has become so competitive that only a couple dozens of DOs get into it every year.
 
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