Trends in radiologist salary

[carter]

It is safe to say that a radiologist's salary for the past couple of years has reached levels that no one ever envisioned. As you know, currently radiologists are some of the highest paid physicians out there. I was curious as to what a radiologist salary was like back in the mid 90s when the demand was low and job opportunities were limited? What was the avg ballpark figure that a radiologist would make at that time? As with any job market, once supply catches up to demand, we start to see a dramatic fall in salaries. Since there really isnt a shortage of radiologists anymore, I think its important for any prospective radiologist to get an idea of what the worst possible situation would be if we end up having an oversupply of radiologists in the next 10 or so years.

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[hans19]

Are you kidding me? The volumes of all modalities performed have gone through the roof. Despite turf wars, IR is busier than ever. CT, MR, US, even Mammo volumes have gone apesheet. New modalities are coming on line such as breast MR, coronary CTA, virtual colonoscopy-- PET is now prime time. The number of residents being trained hasn't gone up by that much. There WILL be a need for radiologists for the forseeable future. What is likely is that reimbursement for ALL specialties will likely decrease. The unknown is HOW MUCH the decrease will be.

Even during the darkest days, even the newest rads were still making more than primary care, psych or peds, and in those days Rads actually was a LIFESTYLE specialty. Rads will never again be a lifestyle specialty, so really your question is irrelevant.

Furthermore no one can predict what will happen in 10 years. In 1996, medschool seniors were actively discouraged from going into radiology as the job outlook was projected to be dismal at graduation. The people that ended up doing rads residencies at that time were beneficiaries of the best radiology job market in history.

So let me ask you this, lets say the job market isn't going to be that great (and it probably won't ever be THAT good for a while)-- what are you going to do? NOT apply to radiology? If thats enough to dissuade you then maybe radiology really isn't right for you in the first place.

Even if salaries got slashed in half, the money will still be good. Do yourself a favor-- Don't do it for the money.

 

[OHMAN0125]

Are you kidding me? The volumes of all modalities performed have gone through the roof. Despite turf wars, IR is busier than ever. CT, MR, US, even Mammo volumes have gone apesheet. New modalities are coming on line such as breast MR, CTA, virtual colonoscopy-- PET is now prime time. The number of residents being trained hasn't gone up by that much.

Even during the darkest days, even the newest rads were still making more than primary care, psych or peds, and in those days Rads actually was a LIFESTYLE specialty. Rads will never again be a lifestyle specialty, so really your question is irrelevant.

Furthermore no one can predict what will happen in 10 years. In 1996, medschool seniors were actively discouraged from going into radiology as the job outlook was projected to be dismal at graduation. The people that ended up doing rads residencies at that time were beneficiaries of the best radiology job market in history.

So let me ask you this, lets say the job market isn't going to be that great (and it probably won't ever be THAT good for a while)-- what are you going to do? NOT apply to radiology? If thats enough to dissuade you then maybe radiology really isn't right for you in the first place.

Even if salaries got slashed in half, the money will still be good. Do yourself a favor-- Don't do it for the money.

Well said.

 

[peduncle]

"Rads will never again be a lifestyle specialty"

Really??? I thought it was one of the best lifestyle specialties...

 

[OHMAN0125]

"Rads will never again be a lifestyle specialty"

Really??? I thought it was one of the best lifestyle specialties...

I think Hans means the 9-4 days and Fri 10-3.

 

[peduncle]

so how do you think these days would change.. 9-6? still not bad

 

[hans19]

so how do you think these days would change.. 9-6? still not bad

Conference at 7 am, then back against the wall from 8-6, nonstop reading films, trying not to get too far behind, answering calls from clinicians offices, reviewing cases with clinicians, getting interrupted in midsentence during a dictation to review some other random study, protocoling things and doing QA for techs. There is no down time for most of the day.

"Still not bad"?

 

[MrBurns10]

Conference at 7 am, then back against the wall from 8-6, nonstop reading films, trying not to get too far behind, answering calls from clinicians offices, reviewing cases with clinicians, getting interrupted in midsentence during a dictation to review some other random study, protocoling things and doing QA for techs. There is no down time for most of the day.

"Still not bad"?

But that's as a resident...I don't know that any residents have sweet hours. I think rads still probably has a decent lifestyle once you become an attending or do private practice.

 

[(nicedream)]

From what I've seen, Hans' description applies to private practice too - other than the 7am conference, probably more like start reading at 7 or 8.

No job really begins at 9am anymore, except maybe some retail. 9-5 used to be the old saying, but 8-4 or 8-5 is more common now. Not that this matters, but just observing.

 

[FunkyR]

"Rads will never again be a lifestyle specialty"

Really??? I thought it was one of the best lifestyle specialties...

Lol that's the biggest misconception in medicine.... Radiology, sure you can choose not to work in a practice with after hours oncall or one that's quiet, but you'll be earning much less..... take the average radiologist and you'll be worked off your butt turning over studies - in prviate practice maybe 100 to 150 studies a day (including procedures)..... no where as quiet or lifestyleish I use to think it was before I got into rad (I'm a rad resident)....

eg if you take say 150 exams in a 9hr day (that's a busy day), that's 17 studies an hour... sure 17 xrays are fine, but think of 1 procedure (including scrubbing time/consenting etc), 10 xrays, 1 CT, 1 MRI, 4 ultrasounds (where you probably have to scan 1 yourself) on top of editing reports, calling clinicians with results etc..... bit like the misconception "30 inpatients is easy to look after, that's like 20 mins for each patient"

 

[OHMAN0125]

Lol that's the biggest misconception in medicine.... Radiology, sure you can choose not to work in a practice with after hours oncall or one that's quiet, but you'll be earning much less..... take the average radiologist and you'll be worked off your butt turning over studies - in prviate practice maybe 100 to 150 studies a day (including procedures)..... no where as quiet or lifestyleish I use to think it was before I got into rad (I'm a rad resident)....

eg if you take say 150 exams in a 9hr day (that's a busy day), that's 17 studies an hour... sure 17 xrays are fine, but think of 1 procedure (including scrubbing time/consenting etc), 10 xrays, 1 CT, 1 MRI, 4 ultrasounds (where you probably have to scan 1 yourself) on top of editing reports, calling clinicians with results etc..... bit like the misconception "30 inpatients is easy to look after, that's like 20 mins for each patient"

I agree with you totally. However, I think it is still considered a "lifestyle" specialty if compared to the other competitive fields such as surgical subspecialties, cardiology, etc. But that's what makes Rads so good, is that you do have some control of your life.

 

[Docxter]

So just to clarify what you or your acquaintances may have heard, seen, or experienced in a very limited and nongeneralizable fashion, here are the official stats on how much each specialty works out in practice, per the American Medical Association.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=101722

Yes, you may be surprised, or it may not fit with what your very limited and narrowed experience may lead you to believe, but it is what it is.

 

[IheartCaffeine]

So just to clarify what you or your acquaintances may have heard, seen, or experienced in a very limited and nongeneralizable fashion, here are the official stats on how much each specialty works out in practice, per the American Medical Association.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=101722

Yes, you may be surprised, or it may not fit with what your very limited and narrowed experience may lead you to believe, but it is what it is.

Well, it's certainly hard to argue with cold, hard stats.

Nevertheless, if you check recent radiology job listings, it isn't difficult to find employers hiring docs for 8-5 days, paying 300k+ with 10 weeks vacation and no call (or very little call). I wouldn't mind that lifestyle at all. (this is from radworking.com by the way, check it out).

Even if you get burned out working so much, it really isn't difficult to go locums for a few months out of the year and just chill out for the rest of the year, no? In fact, I've talked to a few docs who have done this. It's a lot tougher to do locums in medicine or surgery (I don't even know if it's possible).

Anyway, for the record, I would do rads even if the salary plummeted to FP/GP levels. There are too many positives in rads, even if you take away the supposed salary and work hours perks.