Physician Starting Salaries by Country and Specialty: 2024 Overview

Physician starting salaries vary dramatically by country, specialty, practice model, and healthcare system structure. Figures below represent early-career (0–3 years post-training) annual compensation in USD equivalents based on recent surveys (Medscape, Merritt Hawkins, OECD, national medical associations).

United States (2023–2024 Data)

Other Countries (USD Approximate, PPP-Adjusted Where Noted)

Specialty Category	Typical Starting Range	Median Start
Primary Care (FM, IM, Peds)	$180,000–$250,000	$220,000
Hospitalist	$220,000–$280,000	$250,000
Emergency Medicine	$250,000–$330,000	$290,000
General Surgery	$260,000–$340,000	$300,000
Medical Subspecialties (Cards, GI, Hem/Onc)	$280,000–$380,000	$330,000
Surgical Subspecialties (Ortho, Neuro, Plastics)	$320,000–$450,000	$380,000
Radiology, Anesthesiology, Dermatology	$330,000–$420,000	$375,000

Country	System	Junior/Starting Range	Notes
Canada	Single-payer	$150K–$250K CAD (~$110K–$185K USD)	Varies by province; fee-for-service vs. salary
United Kingdom	NHS	£32K–£45K (~$40K–$57K USD)	Foundation Y1–Y2; consultant start ~£90K
Australia	Mixed	A$85K–A$130K (~$55K–$85K USD)	Intern → Registrar; private billing supplements
Germany	Social insurance	€60K–€85K (~$65K–$92K USD)	Assistenzarzt; rises with Facharzt certification
Singapore	Mixed	S$100K–S$150K (~$74K–$111K USD)	Public restructuring; private sector higher
Switzerland	Mandatory insurance	CHF 120K–180K (~$135K–$200K USD)	High cost of living; assistant physician level

Critical Context

• Training length: US (11–15+ years post-high school) vs. UK/Germany (10–12 years) affects lifetime earnings.
• Debt burden: US median medical school debt ~$200K; many countries have low/no tuition.
• Work hours: US physicians average 50–60 hrs/week; European contracts often cap at 48 hrs.
• Benefits: Malpractice, retirement, CME, leave vary widely.
• Purchasing power: PPP adjustment essential for real comparison.

Reliable Sources for Current Data

• Medscape Physician Compensation Report (annual)
• Merritt Hawkins Review of Physician Recruiting Incentives
• AMGA Medical Group Compensation Survey
• OECD Health Statistics (international)
• National medical association surveys (CMA, BMA, AMA, etc.)

Always verify with current, specialty-specific, and location-specific data when making career decisions.