There are more than 28,000 orthopedists practicing in the U.S., according to the
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Salaries for orthopedists are at the top of the physician pay scale, as they were last year. They also earn the most for non-patient care activities including expert witness testimonies, product sales and speaking engagements.
All current data is found in Medscape’s
Orthopedist Compensation Report 2015. Here are a few of the hightlights:
- Salary: Orthopedists earned an average of $421,000 in 2015, an increase of two percent from 2014.
- Setting: The difference in salary between orthopedists that are self-employed and employed by an outside organization is substantial. Those that are self-employed earned $441,000 compared to those that are employed earning $402,000.
- Time spent with patients: 76 percent of orthopedists spend 16 minutes or less per patient.
- Discussing cost of treatment with patients: 83 percent of orthopedists say they discuss cost of treatment with their patients, although only a quarter of them do it regularly.
Paperwork and Administration — Since the Affordable Care Act was put into place, physicians have noticed an increase in the time they spend doing paperwork. This is also the case for orthopedists. Fifty-seven percent of those who work for themselves spend 10 or more hours per week on administrative tasks compared to 61 percent who work for others.
The Gender Gap — Compensation between male and female orthopedists is the same as it has been in past years. The difference in salary between self-employed male and female orthopedists is 29 percent and slightly larger than those who are employed (20 percent). Although there is a disparity in incomes, more female orthopedists are satisfied with the money they make.
Compensation by Geographical Area — The Northwest and Great Lakes areas reported the highest earners, at $460,000 and $457,000 respectively. At $330,000, the West reported the lowest earners. The Southwest and South Central areas came in right around $450,000.
Do It All Over Again — Fifty percent of orthopedists say they would choose a career in medicine if they had to do it all over again. Sixty-seven percent say they would choose the same specialty and 22 percent would choose the same setting. Although these numbers are down from the 2011 report, 53 percent of orthopedists say they are satisfied with their careers — up two percent from last year.
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There are more than 28,000 orthopedists practicing in the U.S., according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Salaries for orthopedists are at the top of the physician pay scale, as they were last year. They also earn the most for non-patient care activities including expert witness testimonies, product sales and speaking engagements.
All current data is found in Medscape’s Orthopedist Compensation Report 2015. Here are a few of the hightlights: