Physicians practicing orthopedics have the highest average incentive bonus among specialties, according to Medscape's "Physician Compensation Report 2021."
To identify physicians' average incentive bonus, Medscape researchers surveyed about 18,000 U.S. physicians in more than 29 specialties. Data was collected from Oct. 6, 2020, through Feb. 11, 2021, after the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Researchers said the average incentive bonus (among physicians who received a bonus) was 15 percent of total salary last year and remained about the same this year.
Here is this year's average incentive bonus by specialty, for specialties with sufficient sample sizes. The list, released April 16, includes ties at Nos. 3 and 17.
1. Orthopedics and orthopedic surgery: $116,000
2. Ophthalmology: $87,000
3. Otolaryngology: $72,000
3. Urology: $72,000
5. Cardiology: $71,000
6. Radiology: $69,000
7. Gastroenterology: $60,000
8. Anesthesiology: $55,000
9. OB/GYN and women's health: $48,000
10. Surgery, general: $47,000
11. Emergency medicine: $44,000
12. Pathology: $42,000
13. Critical care: $41,000
14. Neurology: $39,000
15. Physical medicine and rehabilitation: $37,000
16. Family medicine: $27,000
17. Internal medicine: $26,000
17. Pediatrics: $26,000
19. Psychiatry: $24,000
Read more about the report and methodology here.