Leaving for permanent residence in America, a man expects to improve his living conditions. In the United States, this is indeed better than in many developed countries. The country offers many social benefits, including visitors to immigrants, and decent earnings in many areas. A good salary is America's main advantage. It is because of her that thousands of emigrants come to the country every year. The salary of a doctor in the USA is quite high, and the profession itself is considered prestigious. According to statistics, every fifth doctor in the country is a foreigner.
How to confirm a medical qualification in the USA?
To begin with, it should be noted that diplomas issued by other states are not recognized in America. For the document to have official force, it must be confirmed. To do this, in the United States there is an organization called ECFMG. It produces confirmation of qualification of a foreign specialist.
An emigrant doctor must pass a special exam, which consists of two stages. After that, he will have the opportunity to get to the clinic to begin an internship with experienced doctors. The duration of training is from 3 to 6 years, depending on the chosen specialization.
At the end of the internship, the emigrant doctor must pass another exam, consisting of theoretical and practical parts. In case of successful completion of the last stage, the specialist receives a document giving him the right to practice (visa “H”). Also, if desired, you can continue to study in graduate school.
At the internship stage, the income of emigrant doctors is not very high. But after passing it, it increases significantly. The salary of a doctor in the USA is really high, and the profession is prestigious.
USMLE Exam
It consists of two stages: Step 1 and Step 2.
The first is a computer test, with the help of which the level of knowledge of local specialists and emigrant doctors in the following areas is checked:
- pathology;
- anatomy;
- biochemistry;
- physiology;
- microbiology;
- psychiatry;
- pharmacology.
It takes 7 hours to pass the theoretical exam. The number of questions is 350. According to statistics, the examinees answer only 50% of the tasks correctly. But this is enough to earn the minimum passing points. Some candidates show very good results. This is taken into account by the examination committee. The better the test result, the greater the chance for a young specialist to get a good job.
Those who successfully passed the first stage of the exam go to its second level. It includes theoretical and practical parts. The first consists of nine blocks, each of which contains 46 questions. The second part, Clinical skills, is a simulation. Subjects must provide medical advice to ten "patients."
Knowledge of English at the time of delivery is not a prerequisite. But without it, the test subjects may not be able to cope with all the tasks of the test.
Salary of an American doctor
Every year, the medical portal Medscape publishes data reflecting the dynamics of the income of doctors. According to the latest data, the average salary of a doctor in the USA is about $ 295,000 for 12 months of work. At the same time, narrow specialists receive more than therapists and pediatricians. And a private practitioner earns several times more than his colleague working in a public institution.
Accrual Features
The salary of a doctor in the United States is inferior to few specialties. The level of income for healthcare providers varies by state. Sometimes this difference is significant (from 2,000 to 5,000 USD). That is, in general, the salary of a doctor in the USA per month is about 20,000-25,000 dollars. But usually statistics on income are collected for the year. The amount of cash reward directly depends on the number of hours worked: how much time a specialist spent on labor, so much he received. In the USA there is no concept of salary, fixed rate. The salary of the American doctor is piece-rate.
As a rule, statistics reflect the salary of doctors without taxes. Therefore, the amount of money received on the bank card of the specialist is less than the indicated figures.
Profit level by specialties
The American medical portal Medscape in 2017 published interesting research results. It turned out that the income of doctors also varies depending on their race. So, African-American specialists earn 15% less per year than their counterparts in Europe.
Gender differences were also taken into account. Male doctors continue to receive more than their female counterparts (30% difference).
The salaries of doctors in the USA by specialty are presented below:
- Neurosurgeons receive the most in American healthcare - more than $ 570,000 a year.
- Orthopedic surgeons take the second place - about 500 000 USD.
- Heads of departments are in third position in terms of income - about 465,000 USD annually.
- Cardiologists earn about $ 420,000.
- Plastic surgeons in America receive about 410,000 USD per year.
- Gastroenterologists can earn $ 400,000 a year.
- The income of surgeons and urologists is 395,000 USD.
- The salary of an anesthetist in the United States is $ 370,000.
- The radiologist receives about 360,000 USD.
- A dentist is very much appreciated in America, because he can “give” a famous Hollywood smile to many. But his income, compared with other specialists, is relatively small - about 195,000 dollars a year.
- American family doctors and pediatricians receive $ 200,000.
Highest paid doctors
From the above data it can be seen that orthopedists, surgeons, cardiologists, anesthetists earn the most in the United States. The salary of a doctor in the USA who practices in a specific area will always be higher. In other words, narrow specialists receive more than doctors of wide specialization. The income level is affected by the staff of the medical institution and its type: public or private. Private clinics offer higher salaries.
According to statistics, about 55% of American doctors are satisfied with the size of their income. And 47% of therapists believe that their salaries should be higher.
The costs of American doctors
From economic journals you can find out what the salaries of doctors in the USA are. But periodicals do not always indicate their costs. And they also deserve attention. For American doctors set high taxes and insurance premiums. A specialist who made a medical mistake automatically becomes a defendant in court. The amount of payment to the victim in this case, the patient reaches a very large amount. Therefore, American doctors themselves enter insurance organizations and monthly deduct significant amounts of their salaries there. But, despite this, they belong to the wealthy strata of society.
The profession of a doctor in America requires good theoretical training, long-term training with an internship. Practitioners have a huge responsibility for the results of their work. But for this they receive a substantial monetary reward, which provides them with material wealth and good living conditions.