A primary care physician is a medical doctor who provides medical services primarily to individuals with acute or chronic health issues. Primary care physicians are responsible for long-term disease management, and they work closely with patients to promote maintenance of good health through preventive measures. This type of physician may specialize in areas such as family medicine, internal medicine or pediatrics, among others
The typical starting salary for a primary care physician is $200,000 to $300,000, but there are variations depending on the region of the country. This salary is based on a 40-hour work week; an average primary care physician works an additional seven hours per week in addition to his or her 40-hour workweek.
Starting Salary For Primary Care Physician Overview
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who is a Primary Care Physician
Primary care physicians provide basic medical care to their patients. They provide efficient and effective primary care services of the highest quality. They treat an entire spectrum of conditions and provide both medical and emotional assistance to coworkers, customers, and patients. They earn a nice average salary of $212,000 per year or $102 per hour.
Primary care physicians are the first line of contact for patients and they develop a strong bond together. They are a patient’s point of entry to medical treatment, managing conditions, ranging from headaches to hypertension to mental health issues. They are considered a jack-of-all-trades and, as such, they have a vast level of knowledge in the field of medicine.
Primary care physicians are highly regarded and sought after. It is an ever-growing job and, as a result, it is very competitive. They have to earn a bachelor’s degree before heading to medical school. Residency is the next step after graduating from medical school and the duration varies in length, depending on some factors. After residency, they are required to pass the national licensing exam to be certified.
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a primary care physician. For example, did you know that they make an average of $103.29 an hour? That’s $214,843 a year!
What influences a salary?
The salary of a Primary Care Physician is determined by a number of factors, including education, experience, and job location. In this article, we will take a closer look at how these factors impact salary.
Years of experience
Salary increases are generally tied to your experience level. In general, the more years you spend working as a primary care physician, the more you can expect to earn. Here’s how experience can impact your primary care physician salary, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Compensation Survey.
| Level of experience | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry-level (less than 1 year) | $86,617 |
| Early career (1 to 4 years) | $130,371 |
| Mid career (5 to 9 years) | $157,268 |
| Experienced (10 to 19 years) | $205,845 |
| Late career (20+ years) | $289,610 |
Location
Where you live can also impact how much you can make as a primary care physician. Typically, working in a large metropolitan area correlates to a higher salary, as well as a higher cost of living.
Here is a list of some major cities with their corresponding average primary care physician salary according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | $233,821 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $205,210 |
| Seattle, WA | $201,934 |
| Tampa Bay, FL | $201,770 |
| Boston, MA | $200,530 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $162,158 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $159,375 |
| Columbus, OH | $158,767 |
| Detroit, MI | $156,165 |
| Miami, FL | $141,527 |
Type of Practice
Before becoming a primary care provider, you need to decide which type of practice you will work in. If your main goal is to earn the highest possible income, you should know this data.
Private Practice
According to Medscape, self-employed family physicians made about $30,000 more per year than those working in another setting.
There are many different types of private practice. One area that has seen tremendous growth is telehealth, especially for patients with a chronic or infectious disease.
According to ZipRecruiter, the top 90th percentile of physicians in telehealth can earn up to $315,000 per year.
Hospital
Hospitals have the biggest demand for primary care physicians, which equates to easier placement, especially for those new to the practice.
You can earn a higher-than-average hospital income by taking locum tenens positions. Specialties, such as radiology or cardiology tend to make the most in these positions. However, there are plenty of opportunities for primary care physicians, as well.
You can learn more about the opportunities in locum tenens in our comprehensive Locum Tenens Guide.
Related: What to Expect from the Hospital Credentialing Process
Outpatient Clinic
The urgent care field has proven to be one of the fastest-growing and best-paying areas in healthcare.
You may be working hand in hand with critical care physicians to treat patients in need of urgent care.
According to MGMA, physicians were earning $277,393 on average in 2019. AMGA lists the median salary for urgent care even higher at $295,605 per year.
Academic
As with all specialties in the medical field, primary care physicians working in academia earn the lowest salaries.
This article claims that academic physicians make 13% less than their non-academic peers on average.
