When do student doctors start getting paid?

Student doctors, also known as medical students, do not typically receive a salary during their medical education. Instead, they are enrolled in a medical school program and are responsible for paying tuition and other educational expenses. In some cases, medical students may receive scholarships or grants to help cover the costs of their education, but these do not typically amount to a salary.

After completing medical school, students must complete a residency program, which typically lasts for three to seven years. During residency, doctors-in-training receive a salary from the hospital or healthcare system where they are working. This salary increases as they progress through their residency program. Upon completing residency, doctors are fully licensed and can begin practicing medicine independently, at which point they will receive a salary from their employer.

The starting salary for a newly licensed doctor can vary depending on the specialty they choose, the location where they work, and the type of practice they enter. According to data from Medscape, the average starting salary for a physician in the United States in 2019 was $208,000.