1. There were 633,000 physicians employed in the United States in 2006.
2. The projected number of physicians employed in the United States in 2016 is 723,000, an increase of 14 percent.
3. Here is a list of the median compensation of physicians in 2005 by specialty and years of experience, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 citing the Medical Group Management Association, Physician Compensation and Production Report, 2005.
| Specialty | Less than two years in specialty | More than two years in specialty |
| Anesthesiology | $259,948 | $321,686 |
| General surgery | $228,839 | $282,504 |
| Obstetrics and gynecology | $203,270 | $247,348 |
| Psychiatry | $173,922 | $180,000 |
| Internal medicine | $141,912 | $166,420 |
| Pediatrics | $132,953 | $161,331 |
| Family practice | $137,119 | $156,010 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09.
