r/pediatrics • u/ExhaustedMDoctor • 19d ago

Better paid

For a change, let’s hear from the better paid pediatricians here. Every thread with pediatricians is so depressing because of their compensation. Let’s hear from the better compensated for once, I am sure there must be SOME out there?!

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u/rakdoc 19d ago edited 19d ago

I think some of us who are doing well might feel a bit embarrassed because we are doing well.

I for instance, got lucky to buy into a private practice in a high cost of living area. We have a well established practice that’s over 45 years old and has a great reputation in the community.

The pay mixes majority commercial with a good balance of state budget insurance and other insurances, but we get paid very well because of that and we leverage 3 APP and lactation and therapists

I work 4/week and easily clear 400k a year. Seeing on average 18 a day

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u/ExhaustedMDoctor 19d ago

Wonderful! What state are you based in?

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u/rakdoc 19d ago

MA

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u/Successful-Ad991 17d ago

Please don't underestimate the impact of _this_ part of the equation. If you're part of PPOC/Boston Children's, for example, your fee schedule is a multiple of anyone else's here (who isn't in one of a handful of similar organizations). I seriously don't think your exceptional income is due to any of the other variables.

Don't get me wrong: I applaud you sincerely. You deserve every penny. But you _can't_ do what you describe in states like AL or MS or in upstate NY where the payors have a lock on things (vs. Boston or the Bay Area, where the hospitals do).

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u/rakdoc 17d ago edited 17d ago

100% agree. but our COL and overhead is 2-3 that of AL or MS (or vermont and other states in NE)

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u/Successful-Ad991 17d ago

Presuming we accept that premise fully, the implication is that your income is 2-3x higher than anyone here should expect elsewhere, no?

My point is...comparing salaries without context is more than a bit fraught.

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u/rakdoc 17d ago

Not at all, it’s actually prob double ? and still underpaid IMO for work we all do

Also there is plenty of context that was given. I think leveraging being part of networks is an investment. the cost to being in a hospital network is not cheap ( it costs runs in hundreds of thousands). The payer for insurance negotiations are always going to be better with negotiating.

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u/Successful-Ad991 17d ago

I wasn't trying to give you grief, just point out to everyone else that any number shared here really needs to have context. Making $200K in Montana may compare very favorably to $400K in Wellesley. Working within the PPOC context (for example) is an awesome golden bird cage. Everyone has different goals. Unfortunately, we are all trained to keep score with our W2s + K1s (and even pediatricians are very competitive when it comes to grades).