Physician (MD/DO) salaries: $90.09/hr median.
Physicians provide medical diagnosis, treatment, and care coordination across primary care and every specialty.
Showing 39 titles (35 with pay data) across 27 tracks and 84 states. Latest data as of April 30, 2026.
Compare the tracks that make up Physician (MD/DO).
The titles paying most in Physician (MD/DO).
The biggest job pools in Physician (MD/DO).
| Role | Category · Track | Median /hr | P25–P75 | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Physician | Physician (MD/DO) · Physician | $125.00 | $40.00–$150.00 | 1,152 |
| Pathologist | Physician (MD/DO) · Clinical | $55.00 | $46.50–$62.50 | 699 |
| Obstetrician Gynecologist | Physician (MD/DO) · Clinical | $28.00 | $23.00–$43.00 | 583 |
| Hospitalist | Physician (MD/DO) · Clinical | $102.75 | $62.50–$162.38 | 182 |
| Radiologist | Physician (MD/DO) · Clinical | $42.00 | $31.00–$139.50 | 39 |
| Dermatologist | Physician (MD/DO) · Dermatology Physician | $259.25 | $194.38–$264.00 | 18 |
| Intensivist | Physician (MD/DO) · Critical Care Physician | $170.00 | $68.00–$208.50 | 13 |
| Vascular Surgeon | Physician (MD/DO) · Surgery Physician | $276.00 | $276.00–$288.50 | 13 |
| Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist | Physician (MD/DO) · Psychiatry Physician | $192.50 | $176.13–$220.00 | 12 |
| Pediatric Hospitalist | Physician (MD/DO) · Hospital Medicine Physician | $90.00 | $73.50–$119.50 | 9 |
Physician (MD/DO) pay across every state with live data.
Showing all 39 states with live data. Bars scale to the highest-paying state.
How to become a Physician (MD/DO).
Physicians diagnose, treat, prescribe, and lead the medical decision-making for patients across every specialty in healthcare. US physicians hold either an MD (Doctor of Medicine) or DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) — the two degrees are equivalent for licensure, residency, and practice. The pathway is the longest in clinical medicine: four years of medical school plus 3-7+ years of residency training before independent practice.
The full US pathway: 4-year bachelor's (with premed prerequisites) → MCAT → 4 years of medical school → USMLE Step 1 (P/F) and Step 2 CK → residency match → 3-7 years of residency → board certification → optional fellowship (1-3 years). Total time from college to independent practice ranges from 11 years (family medicine, internal medicine) to 15+ years (surgical sub-specialties, interventional radiology).
| Degree | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Doctor of MedicineMD | 4 years post-bachelor | Allopathic medical degree. Schools accredited by the LCME. Year 1-2 preclinical, year 3-4 clinical clerkships. USMLE Steps 1-2 taken during med school. |
| Doctor of Osteopathic MedicineDO | 4 years post-bachelor | Osteopathic medical degree. Schools accredited by the COCA. Equivalent clinical training plus osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM). Take USMLE or COMLEX (or both). |
| Combined MD/PhDMD/PhD | 7-8 years | Physician-scientist track. Common in academic-medicine careers. Most US MD/PhD spots are funded MSTP programs. |
| International medical graduate routeIMG | Variable | Foreign-trained physicians pursue ECFMG certification (USMLE Steps 1-2, OET/clinical skills) before applying to US residency through ERAS. |
Required in every state to practice medicine independently. Eligibility requires completing USMLE/COMLEX Steps 1-3, at least one year of accredited residency (usually three), and a background check.
Required to prescribe controlled substances. Standard for any patient-facing role.
Technically optional but required by virtually every hospital and payer to credential. Maintained by completing CME and recertification (MOC/OCC) every 7-10 years.
Set varies by specialty. Hospital medicine and EM typically require BLS + ACLS; pediatrics adds PALS; trauma/EM adds ATLS.
| Credential | Issued by | Pay impact |
|---|---|---|
| ABMS / AOABOS board certification Specialty board certification Taken after residency. Required in practice by virtually all employers and payers. Examples: ABIM (internal medicine), ABEM (EM), ABS (surgery), ABFM (family medicine). | ABMS or AOABOS member board | Effectively required |
| Fellowship sub-specialty certification Subspecialty board certification Completed after a 1-3 year fellowship in a sub-specialty (e.g. cardiology, GI, hem/onc, interventional radiology, surgical sub-specialties). Sub-specialty pay is typically materially higher than the parent specialty. | ABMS member board | +30-100% |
- Year 1 of residencyIntern (PGY-1)
First post-graduate year. Highly supervised inpatient and outpatient rotations. Eligible to take USMLE Step 3 mid-year.
- Years 2-3 (or 2-7 for surgical/long programs)Resident (PGY-2 to PGY-3+)
Progressive clinical autonomy. Chief resident year in some programs. Residency length varies: 3 years (IM, FM, peds), 4 years (EM, OB, anesthesiology), 5+ years (general surgery and surgical sub-specialties).
- 1-3 years post-residencyFellow (optional)
Sub-specialty training in fields like cardiology, GI, ICU, hem/onc, interventional radiology, surgical sub-specialties. Adds materially to lifetime earning potential.
- 0-5 years post-trainingAttending physician (early career)
Independent practicing physician. Often a mix of clinical work, supervising trainees, and (in academic centers) teaching/research.
- 5-12 yearsSenior attending / specialty lead
Owns a clinical service line or sub-specialty within a department. Mentors junior attendings. Common point at which partnership or buy-in happens in private practice.
- 12+ yearsDepartment chair / Chief Medical Officer
Department leadership in academic or community systems. CMOs own clinical strategy, quality, and physician workforce for a hospital or system.
Schedule. Highly specialty-dependent. Outpatient specialties (derm, FM, primary care IM) run business hours. Hospital-based (hospitalists, EM, ICU) work 7-on/7-off or shift work including nights and weekends. Surgical specialties carry call. Procedural specialties (cardiology, GI, IR) split between scheduled procedure days and call.
Physical demands. Cognitively demanding above all. Procedural and surgical specialties add long stretches standing, sterile-field positioning, and lead aprons in fluoroscopy. Call burden is a major lifestyle factor in surgical and hospital-based specialties.
Aggregate physician growth looks modest, but specialty-level demand is uneven. Primary care, psychiatry, hospital medicine, EM, and rural specialties all face persistent shortages. Surgical sub-specialty and procedural roles continue to command the highest pay. AI-augmented diagnostics and APP expansion are reshaping the workload mix but have not reduced demand for trained physicians.