Here are three numbers that may give physicians something to smile about:
1. Male primary care physicians made 19 percent more than their female counterparts, down from the average of 25 percent more over the past few years. This is the first time in five years that the salary gap between male and female physicians has narrowed, according to Medscape's "Physician Compensation Report" for 2023.
2. The average annual salary for physicians and surgeons is greater than or equal to $208,000, according to 2021 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, making it the highest-paying healthcare job in the U.S.
3. Physician pay in a solo practice jumped 3 percent in the last year, according to 2023 data from online networking service Doximity.