Do military surgeons make as much as civilian doctors?

Question

im thinking about going into the navy to become a doctor. ive done some research and have read about it on the navy website. and i know that if you qualify, they pay for all of your college and med school and your residency and such. and then you come into the navy as like an O-5 ( i talked to the navy guy, and thats what he said) but after your residency and all of that you come into the navy as a practicing physician correct? ive read alot of questions on here and they all say you only get paid the same as any other O-5, but on their website, it says this:

Practicing Professionals

Practicing physicians can receive a sign-on bonus of $220,000 to $400,000* when you qualify.

sooooo doesnt that mean you get paid just as much as a civilian doctor????? and i know that the navy pays for malpractice insurance, and supplies and everything.
i want to be an orthopedic surgeon, so is that a good field?
and im aware that i have to serve in the navy for a while since they pay for school, but im okay with that:) haha soooo my question is, that, do navy orthopedic surgeons make as much as civilian doctors???

thank you:)

Answer 1

1: WRONG. one they will NOT pay for EVERYTHING. and it is easily a ten year program from undergrad through internship/attending.



2: newly board certified doctors will max out at O3. the only ones who come in higher are those with a decade or more experience as a civilian practitioner.



3: bonuses are tied to need and not always available or as high as listed. that is the max allowed to be offered. in most cases if any is even offered at all, it is much lower.



4: pay is based on paygrade and time in service. so NO you will NOT be bringing home as much as any civilian with the same credentials. but as you point out that is offset by other considerations such as not having to pay for malpractice insurance or having a tax free housing allowance paid to you.

Answer 2

If you plan to be an orthopedic surgeon, and this is a realistic goal for you (i.e. you're very good in math and the natural sciences with exceptional grades and can ace the MCAT and get into medical school)...and if you want to make big bucks...then apply for private scholarships and student loans and fund your medical education on your own. The military may seem like a good option because "they pay for school" but, actually, they don't. YOU pay! You will be obliged to give years of service for every year of financial assistance that they provide---at a lower rate of pay than you would be earning in the civilian world even with those bonuses (which are heavily taxed btw). Nothing in life is free. Where this really makes a huge difference is if you go through specialty training (such as orthopedic surgery). The military is not going to pay you the type of money that you could make in the civilian world as an orthopedic surgeon. Trust me, the military is going to get the better deal out of this. I've worked with many docs who went the military route but now said they would have done things differently if they had to do it over again.

Answer 3

Military Doctor Pay

Answer 4

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RE:

Do military surgeons make as much as civilian doctors?

im thinking about going into the navy to become a doctor. ive done some research and have read about it on the navy website. and i know that if you qualify, they pay for all of your college and med school and your residency and such. and then you come into the navy as like an O-5 ( i talked to the...

Answer 5

Here is the pay scale for Canadian military doctors at the rank of Captain (the normal working rank):

10178 11664 12250 12865 13821 14226 14632



That is monthly pay, with the yearly increments. 10178 is $122,136 per year, and 14632 is 175,584 per year, which you would make after 7 years as a Captain.



The Major (specialist) range is:

14226 14632 15036 15440 15846, or $170,712 - 185,280 per year.



Most civilian doctors here make about $250,000. But, out of that, they have to pay staff, and offices etc., where the military doctors don't. So, all in all, it would be pretty similar.



The top doctor (a Brigadier General) makes $255,756 per year. I have no idea what military doctors in the USN make though.

Answer 6

They get paid according to rank and time in service, just like every one else in the military. Health professionals may be entitled to some "special pay" on top of base pay. There are probably sign on bonuses they also qualify for, but I don't know how easy it will be to find specifics on random military websites.



The ONLY way you could come into the military as an O5 is if you were already an EXPERIENCED physician with a specialty that is in great need....like neurosurgeon. Otherwise, if you get into the Navy just out of med school and/or completed your residency, then you more than likely will come in as an O3.



See this website for the military's pay scale, and page 8 of 14 for health professions "special pay"

Answer 7

How Much Do Surgeons Make

Answer 8

I have a friend who is an MD GP and a anesthesiologist. He is an O-5 so his base pay is about $95K. He receives an annual bonus of about $180K. More importantly than that, he does not have to pay for all the expenses of being a doctor. We were talking about this one day and he said on top of the medical insurance you have consider the costs of being in private practice. Doctors don't know how to run a business, so your first expense is to pay an office manager $80K a year to run the business. It only gets tougher from there.

Answer 9

A bonus is just a one time deal, they give it to you after you start, but I've never heard of a bonus being so high. The military has a limit on how large of a signing bonus they can give people. Other then the bonus thing you'll be paid according to your rank, an O-5 will be paid the same as all the other O-5s.

Answer 10

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1. No, can't sure them for the referral. 2. Sue the operating Dr, the Military will not do it for you. 3. Sad to see a good career ended that way. 4. Good luck to the both of you.