Any opinions on Family Practice doctors?

[drmoon]

I'm wondering if this specialty is considered the "lower rung" of medical specialties. Like, if you couldn't get any other residency you would end up getting this one.

I keep hearing that it's more difficult to make ends meet as an FP. Does anyone know what kind of average salary an FP can expect after finishing a residency? Are there enough jobs? Do they need more money after residency to start up their own practice??

Thanks

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[Dr JPH]

Difficult making ends meet?

Maybe if you try to live in a $2,000,000 home!

Average salary for FP docs vary based on practice setup, experience, and state.

You should expect to make $100,000 or more in most areas of the country with a steady patient load. And by steady, I mean alot.

I have seen national averages around $125,000-$145,000

Sure, less that other areas of medicine maybe, but if family medicine if really what you want to do, $125,000 is more than enough.

Good luck and take the focus off the dollar and put it where it should be.

 

[drmoon]

Trust me. My focus is not on the dollar, but I'm a podiatrist and the dollar is much more of an issue for us. This is part of the reason that I wanted to ask this question. I get a lot of flack from my colleagues about wanting to "retool" and go back to medical school. Part of their argument is that it isn't much better on the other side (and I keep hearing about FP's and the encroachment of other health pro's like Nurse Practitioners, etc.).

100k is plenty for me especially if I don't have to explain to everyone that I AM a real doctor!

 

[Freeeedom!]

I think recently there has been a premium placed on DO's in the Family Practice setting...they really seem to be recruited HEAVILY into allopathic resicencies. THe Osteopath is seen as having extra tools to use in FP, a quality some program directors look for in creating resident diversity.
I am doing EM, but I was told by a HUGE allopathic institution that they were looking for a DO in their program to perform manipulation. Why? They have seen the benefit, and it adds to the program!

my 2 cents
(by the way, I have worked with some FP docs that made >200,000k EASILY...and only 5-10 years out of residency, in a major city...yep, DO's.)