What is the most underpaid medical specialty?
Asked by: scraper | Last update: August 5, 2026Score: 0/5 (0 votes)
Medical Genetics and Pediatrics are generally considered the lowest-paying medical specialties, with average annual salaries hovering between $ 259 , 000 and $ 265 , 000. Pediatric subspecialties—such as Pediatric Endocrinology and Pediatric Rheumatology—often report even lower annual incomes.
What is the least paid medical specialty?
Medical Specialities with Lowest Reported Salaries
- Pediatric Endocrinology: $218,000.
- Pediatric Infectious Disease: $221,000.
- Pediatrics: $243,000.
- Family Medicine: $255,000.
- Geriatrics: $275,000.
- Preventive Medicine: $275,000.
- Endocrinology: $276,000.
- Infectious Disease: $288,000.
Which medical specialties work the least?
Most doctors, however, work 40-60 hours per week. Among them, according to a survey by Medscape, allergists and immunologists work the least number of hours at 44.1 hours per week, followed closely by dermatologists, emergency medicine doctors and psychiatrists.
Which medical field has the lowest salary?
Despite the scope and importance of the work, pediatrics remains one of the lowest-paid specialties. A major driver of this gap is reimbursement. Many pediatric patients are insured through Medicaid, which reimburses at lower rates than commercial insurance.
What job pays $400,000 a year without a degree?
Jobs that can pay $400K a year without a degree include commercial real estate brokers, successful YouTubers or influencers, self-employed software developers, high-stakes sales roles like enterprise tech sales, and business owners. These roles rely on skill, market demand, and performance rather than formal education.
6 HIGHEST Paid Doctor Specialties
What is the least desirable medical specialty?
Here is a list of the least competitive specialties in 2025:
- Emergency medicine. ...
- Internal medicine. ...
- Psychiatry. ...
- Neurology. ...
- Pathology. ...
- Radiation Oncology. ...
- Anesthesiology. ...
- Physical medicine and rehabilitation.
What is the chillest doctor specialty?
The "chillest" medical specialties typically offer predictable hours, zero to rare on-call duties, and low-stress patient environments. If your goal is maximizing work-life balance, these five fields consistently rank at the top:
What doctor has the highest burnout rate?
Emergency medicine, urological surgery, and hematology/oncology consistently report the highest burnout rates, alongside primary care fields like family medicine and OB/GYN. Administrative burdens, excessive charting, and demanding work-life balance are the primary drivers.
What specialty has the lowest burnout?
Medical Specialties with Good Work/Life Balance and Low Burnout Rates
- Orthopedics.
- Plastic Surgery.
- Psychiatry.
- Urology.
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.
- Ophthalmology.
- Dermatology.
- Allergy and Immunology.
Who do doctors mostly marry?
Doctors most frequently marry other doctors or healthcare professionals. Roughly 20% to 25% of physicians are married to another doctor, while nearly 40% marry someone in the broader medical field, such as nurses or other health professionals.
How rich is the average doctor?
Average salaries for doctors in metropolitan areas tend to be higher. Here are the top 10 metro areas where doctors are paid the highest average annual salary: San Jose, CA: $474,977. Los Angeles, CA: $448,121.
Which type of doctor is most in demand?
The most demanding doctor fields vary depending on whether you mean highest in hiring demand, toughest training, or most emotionally stressful.
What is the simplest type of doctor?
No medical specialty is easy, but "easiest" usually refers to specialties with less competitive residency entry, shorter training, or better work-life balance.
How old is the youngest doctor?
The youngest person to ever graduate from medical school is Dr. Balamurali Ambati, who became a licensed physician at the astonishing age of 17 years and 294 days. He graduated from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City on May 19, 1995, and officially set the Guinness World Record for the youngest physician.
Who makes more money, MD or DO?
Do MDs Make More Money Than DOs? Yes and no. On average, an MD and a DO practicing family medicine earn about the same. However, more MDs go into specialized fields, which make more, therefore raising the average salary for MDs.
What is the #1 happiest job?
There is no single universally agreed-upon #1 happiest job, as happiness depends on whether you value high pay, helping others, or working outdoors. However, surveys consistently highlight specific professions depending on the criteria:
Are most surgeons Republican or Democrat?
Despite these shifts, surgeons and other high-earning specialties not only maintain their alignment with the Republican party but also have become increasingly more partisan. For example, in 1992, surgeons contributed almost 33% more to Republicans than pediatricians, which increased to 48% in 2012.
How many doctors quit medicine?
While overall physician retirement rates hover around 3.5% to 5% annually, studies reveal a concerning spike in career exits driven by burnout. The average age for leaving clinical practice has dropped to 48.1 years—nearly a decade earlier than in previous generations.
Which medical specialty has the highest divorce rate?
Based on long-term data, psychiatry has historically been reported to have the highest divorce rate among medical specialties, with studies indicating a rate as high as 50%. While psychiatry often ranks highest in specific longitudinal studies, other high-stress fields such as surgery also show elevated divorce rates compared to other specialties.
What kind of doctor is the most stressful?
Emergency medicine (EM) is consistently ranked as the most stressful medical specialty, with 63% of emergency physicians reporting burnout due to high-stakes, life-or-death decisions. Other high-stress fields include critical care (ICU), obstetrics/gynecology, and surgical specialties, driven by long hours, high patient volume, and intense emotional demands.
What is the #1 most stressful job?
As of late 2025/early 2026, flight attendants are ranked as the #1 most stressful job, largely due to high-stakes safety responsibilities, demanding schedules, and passenger interaction. Other top contenders often cited for high stress include surgeons, police officers, and enlisted military personnel.
Which doctor is least likely to be sued?
Who Is Least Likely To Be Sued? Family general practice, pediatrics, and psychiatry are the specialties that are least likely to be sued for medical malpractice. Psychiatrists have the lowest risk, with only 2.6% facing claims. Why Are Certain Specialties Being Sued More Than Others?
At what age do most doctors retire?
Most doctors retire between 65 and 68 years old, which is slightly later than the average American (typically 62 to 65). However, the exact age varies significantly depending on physical demands, burnout, and specialty.
Are Gen Z becoming doctors?
In any case, Generation Z physicians are already here. We will have to adapt to their way of conceiving the profession, the health authorities have been warned.