Average annual compensation for anesthesiology specialists is $398,000, making them the ninth highest-paid specialty, according to Medscape's "Physician Compensation Report 2020."
Medscape surveyed 17,461 U.S. physicians across 30-plus specialties from Oct. 4, 2019, to Feb. 10. Anesthesiologists represented 4 percent of respondents.
Six takeaways:
1. The average incentive bonus for anesthesiologists was $57,000. In comparison, orthopedic specialists reported the highest average incentive bonus, at $96,000.
2. Sixty percent of anesthesiologists said they believe their compensation is fair, and 89 percent would choose the same specialty if they could do it over again.
3. Anesthesiologists' earnings were up about 1 percent from Medscape's prior survey.
4. Twenty-two percent of anesthesiologists were women.
5. Anesthesiologists spent 10 hours a week on paperwork and administrative duties, on average. That was less than the time spent by all other specialists except ophthalmologists.
6. Anesthesiologists reported that 19 percent of their claims are denied or must be resubmitted.