The number of physicians who would choose the same specialty again was down in 2023 as compared to 2022 on average, according to data from Medscape's 2022 and 2023 physician compensation reports.
Meanwhile, wages for the majority of specialties were on the rise in 2023 as compared to a year earlier.
However, rising wages do not seem to be correlated with higher satisfaction rates.
For gastroenterology, the specialty with the largest rise in wages, satisfaction still shrunk by 3 percentage points. Three specialties that saw a drop in wages also saw a drop in satisfaction.
Ten specialties' wage, satisfaction changes from 2022 to 2023:
Gastroenterologists
Wage change: +11 percent
Change in percentage of specialists who would choose the same specialty again: -3 percentage points
Anesthesiologists
Wage change: +10 percent
Change in percentage of specialists who would choose the same specialty again: +1 percentage points
Neurologists
Wage change: + 4 percent
Change in percentage of specialists who would choose the same specialty again: -8 percentage points
Cardiologists
Wage change: +4 percent
Change in percentage of specialists who would choose the same specialty again: +5 percentage points
Orthopedic surgeons
Wage change: +3 percent
Change in percentage of specialists who would choose the same specialty again: -2 percentage points
General surgeons
Wage change: +2 percent
Change in percentage of specialists who would choose the same specialty again: -4 percentage points
Dermatologists
Wage change: +1 percent
Change in percentage of specialists who would choose the same specialty again: -9 percentage points
Rheumatologists
Wage change: -3 percent
Change in percentage of specialists who would choose the same specialty again: -8 percentage points
Immunologists
Wage change: -5 percent
Change in percentage of specialists who would choose the same specialty again: -7 percentage points
Ophthalmologists
Wage change: -7 percent
Change in percentage of specialists who would choose the same specialty again: -2 percentage points