A vast majority of job seekers today exclaim that salary is the key factor when considering employment options, according to a survey. We have collated a list of highest paying medical jobs in America, and the list includes the median annual income of each job, per salary reports and the number of job openings that are generally available nationwide. The rationale behind why do workers in these occupations earn the most may be explained by the same logic behind demand and supply.
Employers in countries around the world pay or compensate workers based on the supply of and demand for the labor that they provide and the training and expertise that are required to do a particular job. Here is a list of some of the top 10 highest paying jobs for medical students in the US.
1. Anesthesiologists
The US. Bureau of Labor Statistics has defined anesthesiologists as a Physician who administers anesthetics before or after surgery or other medical procedures. Anesthesiologists were ranked in the top 5 highest paying jobs in the US in the previous year and this year too they have retained their position. There are approximately 31,000 anesthesiologists in the US as per the recent data. Anesthesiologists will typically require a four-year residency, following four years of medical school. The mean annual wage is $267,020.
2. Surgeons
Bureau of Labor Statistics defined this occupation as physicians who treat injuries, and disfigurements by invasive or minimally invasive, surgical methods such as using instruments, appliances or manual manipulation. Currently, there are around 34,390 surgeons in the country. The median wages per year is around $255,110.
3. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
Oral and Maxillofacial surgeons perform surgery and related procedures on the hard and soft tissues of the oral region and the related head and neck structures to execute difficult and multiple extractions of teeth, to remove tumors and other abnormal growth, to correct abnormal jaw relations by mandibular or maxillary revision.
Typically, a maxillofacial surgeon will be responsible for administering general and local anesthetics, evaluate the position of the wisdom teeth to check whether the problems exist currently or might occur in the future. Maxillofacial surgeons also have to perform surgery to prepare the mouth for dental implants and help in the regeneration of deficient bone and gum tissues, treat infections of the oral cavity, salivary glands, jaws, and neck. They are required to provide emergency treatment of facial injuries including facial lacerations, intraoral lacerations, and fractured facial bones. These are just a few of the roles and responsibilities of oral and maxillofacial surgeons. As pet BLS the mean annual wage is around $242,370.
4. Obstetricians/Gynecologists (OB/GYN)
An obstetrician-gynecologist or OB/GYN, in short, is a healthcare professional that specializes in female reproductive health. Obstetrics involves working with pregnant women, including delivering babies, while gynecology deals with issues related to female reproductive organs, treating a wide range of conditions of the female reproductive system. OB/GYN can perform a wide range of procedures including
(a) cesarean sections, (b) hysterectomy (c) removing growths such as ovarian cysts and uterine fibroids, (d) surgery to repair pelvic organ injuries, (e) instrumental deliveries during childbirth (f) breast exams and breast health management, including mammograms and other breast cancer screenings, (g) treating common problems like anemia (h) infertility treatment and counseling, etc. An OB/GYN can earn approximately $238,320 per year.
5. Orthodontists
Orthodontists are specialized dentists who work to correct their patient’s teeth alignment and guide proper facial development. Orthodontists are responsible for locating problems with the positioning of patient’s teeth, and their oral development. These specialists are involved in straightening teeth and correcting bites. They normally use dental braces, retainers and space maintainers to rectify the problems for the purpose of providing better function, appearance, and facial development. As per the reports published this year the average wages per year is around $225,760.
6. Psychiatrists
Psychiatrists are trained medical doctors who deal with the origin, diagnosis, prevention, management of mental disorders and the emotional and behavioral disturbances. The roles and responsibilities of a psychiatrist include planning and delivering efficient services within the available resources. They fall under the MD category. There has been a significant hike in wages as the median annual salary rose by 33% compared to 2018. The current average annual wages are hovering at around $220,380.
7. General Practitioners
General practitioners are physicians who diagnose, treat and help prevention of diseases and injuries that commonly occur in general population. They do not specialize in one particular field of medicine, instead, they have knowledge of a broad range of illness and diagnose and treat patients of all ages. GPs provide routine health care like immunization, physical examinations and treat many different conditions including illness and injuries. The mean annual wages as per the 2019 report is $211,780.
8. Pediatricians
Remember visiting a doctor when you were a small kid? They are pediatricians, they are doctors who diagnose and treat medical issues specific to infants, children, and teenagers. Interaction with pediatricians starts in infancy far before a child develops communication skills. Since pediatricians are concerned with the physical, social and emotional welfare of children from infancy to young adulthood, there is always a good demand for such kind of specialists. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 15.4 percent employment growth in this sector. Median Salary of pediatricians is around $172,650 per year.
9. Nurse Anesthetists
Nurse Anesthetists are the highest paid nurses in the category of nurses. The responsibilities of a nurse anesthetist include administration of anesthesia, monitoring the patient’s vital signs, and observing how patients recover from anesthesia. You need to be a registered nurse with specialized graduate education to pursue this career. There is huge growth potential in this field and the average annual wages are growing every year. Compared to the previous year, this year has reported a good jump in salary and is currently around $174,790 per year.
10. Prosthodontist
Prosthodontists are dental specialists who fix and replace teeth to improve the function of your mouth or works towards improving your smile. If you have a problem with your bite or have missing teeth then you would visit a prosthodontist to take care of such dental problems. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 19.1 % employment growth for prosthodontist between 2016 and 2026, as clinical practice focuses on sophisticated concerns of patients there is a significant rise in the demand for prosthodontists in recent years. The median annual salary of a prosthodontist will be around $185,150.
The medical jobs mentioned on the highest paying list above, are currently in-demand positions and most of them require advanced education and specialized training. This list will help you the gauge the jobs which are not only in demand but also are providing high compensations. We hope you will find this article useful to help you choose the right specialization.
