Physicians' Income Drops
The average net income for physicians dropped by about 7% from 1995 to 2003 after adjusting for inflation, even as incomes for other professionals increased, according to a survey conducted by the Center for Studying Health System Change. Primary care physicians have experienced the biggest decline, with average net incomes dropping 10.2% after adjusting for inflation. Surgical specialists also saw a significant decrease in inflation-adjusted earnings, with an 8.2% drop in net income from 1995 to 2003. Medical specialists had a 2.1% decrease, but this change was not statistically significant.