As an industry, health care keeps on growing. Demand for services of all kinds is increasing and that means medical professionals are needed to fill these positions. For women, breaking into certain medical careers can be a challenge, but the monetary benefits might make it worthwhile.

The following are the best paying clinical and non-clinical careers for women. It should be noted that the wage gap between male and female clinicians still persists.

Non-Surgical Specialties

• Gastroenterologist: This specialty sees a median salary of $357,000 for women. If you enjoy both cognitive puzzles, this is your specialty. Gastroenterologists get to work directly with patients, study pathology, and do lab work related to diseases and conditions of the digestive system and its many organs. With more recent advancements in biotechnology, you are also more likely to get a chance to work with cool new virtual devices.
• Cardiologist: Everybody loves cardiology! Although, the median salary is approximately 76% of what men in the profession make, it is a reasonable $353,000. Cardiologists are always needed, given that heart disease is the foremost cause of death in the United States.
• Oncologist: The median income for female oncologists is $330,000. Oncology can be a very rewarding career for those who can manage it. Although working with cancer patients can be heart wrenching at times, getting a chance to beat back cancer always makes it worth it; oncology is top-ranked annually as one of the most rewarding specialties.

Surgical Specialties

• Anesthesiologist: At a median of salary of $350,000, this is the best-paid surgical career for women. Anesthesiology is a great choice for individuals who are secretly chemistry wizzes, enjoy collaborating with, but not necessarily being surgeons, and who are able to stay alert for long periods of time to monitor patient awareness and pain.
• Orthopedic surgeon: As of 2013, at a median income of over $400,000 annually, orthopedic surgeons are the highest paid physicians on average. Unfortunately, women in orthopedics have a median income of about $300,000—a staggering $100,000 wage gap. If you enjoy complex joint diseases or sports injuries, this specialty is yours for the taking.
• Ophthalmologist: Ophthalmologists have a median annual income of $312,800. People gravitate toward this career because of its perfected admixture of surgical skills and clinical work. If you thought the technology in other specialties was unique, wait until you see what is in store for you as an ophthalmologist.

Non-Clinical Careers

• Pharmacist: Named the best-paying job for women in 2013 by Forbes, 52% of pharmacists are women and their earnings have 100% parity with that of men in the profession. The median yearly salary for pharmacists is $97,000. Relatively predictable hours and growing demand makes this career very attractive.
• Medical and Health Services Manager: If this term doesn’t sound familiar, you may have heard it called a health care executive or administrator. This is a good career option for people who like making an organization run more efficiently and who know a little bit of everything when it comes to health care. The median earnings in this profession are about $62,000. Women dominate this field, making up nearly three-quarters of health care administrators; however they only make 77% of what men in this field do.
• Health educator: If you like helping people understand how to be healthier, but don’t necessarily want to be a physician, this career is a good choice. Like many other non-clinical careers, health educators are predominantly women; they make around $65,000 annually. This can be a personally rewarding career as you directly support individuals in meeting their health-related goals.

Whether you are a woman considering a medical career in surgery, another clinical specialty or simply considering a career in the vast health care ecosystem, take some time to determine if one of these is right for you.

Maxime Rieman is a writer for NerdWallet, a financial literacy website that helps consumers make informed choices whether it relates to career choices or finding the best car insurance.

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Pain is a complex beast.  People can have chronic pain from cancer, arthritis, injuries, or just plain back pain.  The Institute of Medicine issued a report stating that about 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain.  That’s more than heart disease, cancer, and diabetes combined!

Pain management comprises of a multi-disciplinary approach to the treatment of chronic pain.  Meaning it’s usually a team of pain doctors, psychologists, and therapists all working together towards reducing the amount of pain a patient has.  There are 2 major ways to become a pain management doctor.  They are both high in salary but there is a significant difference.

Just how much do pain medicine doctors make?

A reported median is $340,506 with the most common ranging from $273,297 to $398,304.  These numbers align more with pain management doctors who do not practice anesthesiology.  Doctors who do practice pain medicine with anesthesiology report an average of $502,024 per year!  If you are just starting out, anesthesiology pain doctors might make $315,000.  The maximum reported salary is $651,000!

Here are a couple pain doctors and their salaries :

• Dr. Desmond Henry, anesthesiology and pain management, pediatrics – $558,250
• Dr. Dhanalakshmi Koyyalagunta, medical director, pain management – $364,400

Keep in mind the difference that there is a difference between doctors who incorporate anesthesiology into their practice and doctor’s that don’t.

To become a pain management doctor, you can go one of two ways:

• Anesthesiology –> Pain Medicine Fellowship
• Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation –> Pain Medicine Fellowship

Click here for more information about Anesthesiology.
Click here for more information about Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.

With over 100 million Americans suffering from chronic pain, the call for Pain Management doctors is still strong.  It’s a field of medicine that can truly bring relief to many patients.  The salary and lifestyle are also pretty great.  If you like doing procedures in an office or practicing integrative medicine, this could be the field for you.

Sources
Salary.com, Physician – Pain Medicine Salary
Allied Physicians, Physician Salary Survey
Texas Tribune, University of Texas Southwestern Anesthesiology and Pain Management
Texas Tribune, Texas MD Cancer Center
Becker’s Spine Review, Pain Management Physician Compensation

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Baby boomers are defined as those born during the post World War II baby boom between 1946 and 1964.  2011 minus 1946 equals 65 years old.  We are at that time period where the baby boomers are retiring, when their bodies are needing medical care akin to their age level.

Geriatricians are specialists in diseases of the elderly.  76 million baby boomers are retiring within the next  18 years.  There is definitely a demand for these physicians.

Salary.com

Because geriatrics is essentially a focused part of primary care, the salary is similar to other primary care physicians.  The median expected salary is $171,323 with the majority making between $158,222 and $193,847.

There’s a concern that the salary may be less given that medicare’s reimbursement rate is so low.  It’s possible.  Though, there are some physicians who charge a retainer fee like the Concierge Medicine model.  This would give you a higher income.

In order to become a geriatrician, you can do a fellowship after a family medicine residency or an internal medicine residency.  This will make you eligible to sit for the geriatrics board exam.  If you pass, you’ll receive a Certificate of Added Qualification in Geriatrics.

Currently there are 105 geriatrics fellowships by way of internal medicine and 44 fellowships by way of family medicine.

With 76 million baby boomers retiring in the next 18 years, geriatricians will be in hot demand.  You don’t necessarily need to have the added fellowship to practice medicine for the elderly, but it does make you more knowledgeable and more credible.  If you’re interested in the diseases of the elderly, you should consider this position to see if it suits you.

Sources
Salary.com – Geriatrics Physician Salary

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Cancer is often approached by a multi-disciplinary team : medical oncologist, surgical oncologist, and radiation oncologist.  Radiation oncologists are different from radiologists and medical oncologists.  These are physicians trained in treating cancer with radiation.  Different residencies and skillsets needed.

Salary.com

Just how much do radiation oncologists make?

The median expected salary is $329,784 with the majority making between $255,706 and $408,520.  If you’re just starting out, you might make $241,000 to start but quickly rise to the median after a couple years.  The maximum reported salary is $787,000!

The total residency training required to become a radiation oncologist is 5 years.  The first year is usually a preliminary or transitional year in adult medicine followed by 4 years of training in radiation oncology.  There are a couple fellowships available for further experience in the field.

The field is competitive as there are only 87 residency programs offering about 200 spots.

Patients with cancer need compassionate and caring physicians helping them.  Radiation oncologists receive this training on top of their training in using radiation to treat cancer.  There’s a lot of physics involved but if you enjoy learning about it and helping others with some of the most devastating, life-altering diseases, you should consider this field.

Sources
ACGME
Allied Physicians – Physician Salary Survey
Salary.com, Physician – Radiation Therapy Salary

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A urologist is a physician who specializes in the reproductive system for males and the urinary tracts of both sexes.  When I was a resident (not too long ago), I had a kidney stone during my emergency medicine rotation.  It was terrible.  But a urologist quickly put a stent in my ureter and later on, blasted the stone.  That was done at the hospital.  The removal of the stent was done at the urologist’s office.

Urology is a medical and surgical specialty so there is usually both outpatient and inpatient responsibility.  Because of this, the salary is very good.

Salary.com

Just how much do urologists make?

The median expected salary is $295,206 with the majority making between $261,434 and $355,392.  That’s based on Salary.com’s reports.  Medscape has roughly the same median salary figure but their report shows that over 50% of urologists make over $300,000.  14% of these physicians make more than $500,000!

If you’re just starting out of residency, you might make $261,000 but quickly rise to $358,000 with a few years of experience.  The maximum reported salary is $619,000.

To become a urologist, you need to do 5 years of residency training.  The first year is usually a preliminary year in general surgery followed by four years of training specifically in urology.

If you want to subspecialize, there are a few fellowships you can do :

• pediatric urology
• urologic oncology
• female pelvic & reconstructive surgery

There are currently 122 urology residency programs offering roughly 200 spots, so it’s pretty competitive.

Urinary tracts, prostates, penises, and testicles.  Those are the domains of a urologist.  I’ve referred many of my patients to these physicians for suspected prostate cancer, kidney stones, and vasectomies.  Their specialty is both medically and surgically oriented.  Some procedures can be done in the office like vasectomies, prostate biopsies, and bladder cystoscopies but stent placements, laser stone blasting, and the like will require an operating room.

Because of it’s procedural and surgically oriented nature, urology is one of the 5 highest paid specialties.  If you enjoy hands-on kind of medicine, urinary and reproductive systems, you should consider this field to see if it suits you.

Sources
ACGME
Medscape Compensation Survey
Salary.com, Urology Physician Salary
Allied Physicians – Physician Salary Survey

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Medical genetics, different from human genetics, is a recognized primary medical specialty by the American Board of Medical Specialties.  It comprises the practice of medicine with a particular focus in hereditary disorders.  These physicians are specialists at evaluating, diagnosing, managing, and counseling patients and their families with genetic disorders.

Salary

There wasn’t much information on the median and starting salaries for genetics doctors.  But I did find some sources and will list them here.  If you have any more info, please share them in the comments.

• Commentor on Eye on DNA – $90,000 to $125,000
• Salary Expert – $90,000 to $165,000
• PayScale – $40,268 to $170,697
• eHow – $56,000 to $162,800

The Texas Tribune lists real salary figures of geneticists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.  The chair makes $336,029.  Dr. Louise Strong makes $281,681 as a genetics professor.  Dr. Hope Northrup makes $167,300 as a pediatrics geneticist.  Dr. Michael Gambello makes $143,000 as a pediatric geneticist.

To become a medical genetics physician, you must complete 2 years of residency in any recognized medical specialty.  Then you need to do 2 years of a genetics residency for a total of 4 years of training.  If you want to subspecialize, you can do 1-2 more years of training in fellowships.

Currently, there are 50 genetic residencies offering about 100 spots.

Medical genetics is an interesting field that focuses on hereditary disorders.  Think Huntingtons, Neurofibromatosis, metabolic disorders, mitochondrial disorders.  Remember the pedigrees?   If you are interested in genetics and enjoy the clinical side of medicine, you might like this field!

Sources
Eye on DNA, Salaries for Jobs in Genetics
Salary Expert, Specialist in Medical Genetics
The Texas Tribune, Search Genetics
eHow, What is a clinical geneticist’s salary range?
PayScale, Clinical Genetics
ACGME

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Surgery is about using manual and instrumental techniques in the operating room to diagnose and treat medical disorders.  It’s extremely hands on with long hours.  You could be in the operating room, standing, sweating, your brain contiously engaged without room for a 3 second break, requiring the utmost in dexterity and precision with your hands for hours upon hours.

Surgeons love it.

salary.com

Just how much do surgeons make?

The median salary for all surgeons is $304,150 with the majority making between $266,532 to $361,745. If you are just starting out of residency, you might see figures more in the $226,000s.  But a few years of experience will quickly bring you to the median.  Medscape reports the majority of their surgeons had an income between $200,000 to over $500,000!

To become a surgeon, you need to do 5 years of a Surgery Residency.  There are currently 247 residency programs offering over 1,100 spots!  With that many spots though, it’s still pretty competitive.  Last year, only 50% of applicants matched.

If you want to subspecialize (and earn a higher income), there are many fellowships you can choose from:

• abdominal organ transplant surgery
• mechanical circulatory support and cardiac transplantation
• cardiovascular surgery
• colon & rectal surgery
• endocrine surgery
• general thoracic surgery
• hepato-pancreatico-biliary
• minimally invasive surgical
• multidisciplinary breast surgery
• peripheral nerve surgery
• surgical critical care
• transplantation surgery
• urogynecology & pelvic reconstructive surgery
• vascular surgery
• pediatric surgery

Surgeons are masters at operating on your insides.  Think about it, these doctors are cutting people open, moving things about, slicing and dicing, and then sealing them up thousands of times a year.  It’s truly amazing.

But it’s also very time consuming and grueling.  I’ve met surgeons who sometimes can’t make it home till late at night.  It depends on the case or the backup of cases behind you.  It’s not like you can say, “Sorry, my shift’s over, time to go!” when you’ve been walking the bowels in search for a perforation.  So think about it, do an audition rotation, and if you love it, go for it.

Sources
Allied Physicians – Physician Salary Survey
Medscape Compensation Survey
Salary.com – Surgeon Salary
NRMP Match Statistics
ACGME

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Did you know there are over 100 forms of arthritis?  Rheumatologists do.  They are the specialists of non-surgical joint disease, soft tissue disorders, vasculitis’, and autoimmune diseases.

Their practice is mainly office based and there is few, if any, call responsibilities.  The only on-call rheumatologists I knew of were in academic hospitals for pediatrics.

salary.com

Just how much do rheumatologists make?

Not as much as other specialists but more than primary care physicians.  The median salary for rheumatologists is $185,209.

Allied physicians reports that with a few years of experience, you can make $229,000 dollars per year.  Medscape says about 6% of rheumatologists are making over $500,000!  The majority of these physicians make $150,000 to $300,000.

To become a rheumatologist, you need to do a residency in either internal medicine or pediatrics.  Afterwards, you need to do a fellowship in rheumatology.  This usually lasts 2 years extra, but Mayo requires a 3 year program.  That means, in total, you will need to do 5 to 6 years of on-the-job training.

Currently, there are 112 programs offering less than 200 spots.  Half were US graduates, and half were foreign graduates.  During last year’s match, only 83% of programs filled, so this may not be a very competitive field.  That’s something to think about (in both good and bad ways)

Rheumatologists deal with interesting disorders of the body and help a ton of people deal with their disfiguring, debilitating pain.  Their lifestyle is pretty good with little to no call, a good salary, and shift-work.  If you like learning about these kinds of disorders, look into this field to see if it suits you.

Sources
Salary.com, Rheumatology Salary
Allied Physicians – Physician Salary Survey
Medscape Compensation Survey
NRMP Fellowship Match Statistics
ACGME

Image Credit
Benmoon

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Radiologists are often touted as the best lifestyle job of all the medical specialties.  You sit in a dark room and look at images all day long.  There are no late hours or call to do because many hospitals use what’s called a NightHawk service where diagnostic images taken at night are sent across the globe to radiologists in Australia, for example, where it’s daylight.

Not only that but this specialty is among the highest paid of all the specialties.

salary.com

Just how much do radiologists make?  A lot !

The median expected salary is $405,950 dollars!  If you are just starting out of residency, you might need to start out at $200,000 but after a couple years, you quickly rise to the median level.

The highest reported salary for a radiologist is $911,000!!  But it’s unclear if this number was reported by a radiologist or a radiologist who does interventional procedures.

Yesterday, I posted about Psychiatry Salaries and we saw that the graphical trend was very pronounced towards the left with lower salaries.  Well, the trend for Radiologist salaries is the exact opposite.  It’s quite interesting.

Because it’s one of the best lifestyle fields to go into, it’s also very competitive.  If you make it in, expect to do five total years of training.

First, you need to a preliminary year in adult medicine.  Many family medicine and internal medicine residency programs offer that one year spot.  Afterwards, you do four years of training in diagnostic radiology.

There are many fellowships you can do to sub-specialize even further.  Here are some of them:

• mammography
• musculoskeletal
• neuroradiology
• nuclear radiology
• radiology informatics
• interventional radiology
• cardiothoracic
• PET/CT

Radiologists diagnose disorders based on what they see in a medical image.  Often times, there is no patient contact.  It is a pretty lucrative position with set hours and no call.  If you enjoy being a medical sleuth but not necessarily patient contact, look into this field to see if it suits you.

Image Credit
Cedar Park Regional Medical Center

Sources
Salary.com – Radiologist Salary
Medscape Compensation Survey
Allied Physicians – Physician Salary Survey
ACGME

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Psychiatrists are physicians specializing in the treatment of mental disorders.  It’s a huge field.  Have you seen how big the DSM-IV book is?  Can you believe there is finally a DSM-V on the way?  (17 years after the first DSM-IV edition came out)  They’re huge!

But I digress.

Although psychiatrists are not among the highest-earning specialists, from what I hear, it’s one of the most rewarding fields.

salary.com

Just how much do psychiatrists make?

The median expected salary is $192,768 with the majority making between $172k and $211k.  Surprisingly, 15% of the psychiatrists that reported their salary on Medscape said they make less than $100,000 annually.  But I wonder if those physicians were just part-timers.

In fact, the whole Medscape psychiatrist salary graph is more prominent on the left side (less money) than it is on the right.

But let’s not forget that there are some psychiatrists who make more than $300,000.  Remember my post about Dr. William Wood?

How can you beef up your salary?  By covering calls at the psychiatry hospital, being an expert witness, and doing depositions (legal mumbo jumbo).

[ update Nov 6, 2011 ]
A psychiatry resident on the SDN forums shared their experience about psychiatry salaries.  Listen up because it’s great info of what’s possible out there.  It goes to show that you should always check your local hospitals for current market trends to get an idea of the salary ranges for your particular geographical area.

The average starting salary in academics is about $145,000. This is usually for a pretty relaxing gig supervising residents and having “administrative time”.

State gigs in Texas average about $185,000 with no call, no holidays, and vacation time.

The average starting salary in private practice is about $215,000 (your 75%ile). Many of our residents start higher than this while only working 45 hours/week with little call.

If you are willing to take call, work longer than 45 hours/week, run a clinic, have PA’s, be fellowship trained, or any number of other opportunities, you can blow well past $350k/year.

Adult Psychiatry is generally a 4 year endeavor.  It’s one of the few specialties that do not require a preliminary year of internal medicine at a different residency program.  Meaning, most psychiatry residency programs integrate adult medicine into their 1st year of training.  The last 3 years are specialized in psychiatry.

You can also do a residency in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry but you are required to do an internship year plus 2 years of general psychiatry first.

There are also a few fellowships you can do :

• addiction psychiatry
• geriatric psychiatry
• psychosomatic medicine

Psychiatry is about listening to patients and helping them live their life with a mental disorder via medications and psychotherapy.  A Beautiful Mind, Fight Club, Shutter Island, Rain Man.  All excellent movies right?  Well, they’re all about psychiatry.

It’s a very interesting field and very people oriented.  You need excellent listening skills and a big heart.  Got what it takes?

Sources
Salary.com, Psychiatry Salary
Medscape Compensation Survey
Allied Physicians – Physician Salary Survey
ACGME

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