Orthopedic surgeons ranked in the top three highest compensated specialties, according to the 2018 Physician Compensation Report from Doximity.
Here are four things to know:
1. Orthopedic surgeons reported average annual compensation at $537,568, just below thoracic surgeons who reported $602,745 on average and neurosurgeons who reported $662,755.
2. The report also outlined a wage gap between male and female orthopedic surgeons, with female orthopedic surgeons reporting 19 percent lower compensation:
• Male orthopedic surgeons: $543,000
• Female orthopedic surgeons: $442,000
3. Orthopedic surgery was among the five specialties with the largest wage gap, tied with gastroenterology and behind hematology, occupational medicine and urology, all of which reported a 20 percent wage gap.
4. The average physician compensation also varied by employment type. In general, solo practitioners earned $354,624 on average, compared to single-specialty group physicians who reported $373,240 and multispecialty group practitioners whose compensation reached $355,972 on average. Hospital-based physicians reported average compensation at $355,094.