Medscape tends to low-ball the numbers. Where I did residency, most of the cardiologists and ortho guys cleared 500k/year. I wouldn't be surprised to hear that radiology and neurosurgery did as well, but I'm not sure.
Personal preference, I suppose. FM isn't as sexy in most people's minds. I like the versatility of it in the end. You can mold your practice how you like it. I'm more of a fast and furious, surgery minded type. So I do locums - mostly walk-in's. I'm the relief help in rural places I do small ER, hosptialist, and urgent care because I like the unknown walking in the door, fix the problem now, get the person where they need to be without all the crash and burn trauma, people dying in front of you cases. That's too much adrenaline and responsibilty - that's why I didn't do ER. Or if you like the idea of seeing whole families forever, chronic medical management you can do that. Or if you want to deliver babies, do prenatal care, little kids then do that too. If you want to do scopes so you don't have to refer everyone for their screening colonoscopy then learn that. There are lots of minor procedures you can learn to do as well - I have FP friends who do minor liposuction, laser hair removal, dermabrasion, scopes, botox, vasectomies, etc.
Yes, but you have to have a certain volume to make getting the equipment/staff worth it. Doing 1 scope per week isn't going to really help out all that much.
Perhaps but it comes down to volume and equipment as VAdoc said. I learned to do scopes in residency but never did them in practice due to lack of time and no one to proctor. I didn't have a way to have a scheduled scope day. An FM friend of mine does scopes every Tuesday for 1/2 day 5-6 cases. Enough to keep up skills. Takes time to be proficient. It may not be practical. Of course you have to have staff that knows conscious sedations and IV's, etc too. Don't always have the right staffing in rural areas.
