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T HE RANKINGS TOOK into account factors such as salary, expected job openings in the next 10 years and career fulfillment. Even in the face of increased legislation and litigation, varied fi nancial and intangible considerations continue to make the profession an attractive career choice. Earning It According to U.S. News & World Report, physicians earned an average annual salary of $188,440 in 2013. Dentists, who average approximately $165,000 annually, fi nished fi rst overall on the Best Jobs list, owing to factors including high pay and a desirable work-life balance. Also ahead of physician were nurse practitioner and software developer — in the second and third spots, respectively. EARNINGS By Michael Ferguson DESPITE CONSTANT UNCERTAINTY SURROUNDING THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY, U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT RANKS PHYSICIAN AS THE FOURTH-BEST PROFESSION IN THE UNITED STATES ON ITS BEST JOBS 2015 LIST. Help Make Physician a Top Career Choice LO C ATI O N , LO C ATI O N , LO C ATI O N PHYSICIAN SALARIES ARE signifi cantly affected by location. According to U.S. News & World Report, some fi nancially advantageous areas in which to practice medicine are: + Wichita, Kansas + Tallahassee, Florida + Wilmington, North Carolina + Scranton, Pennsylvania + Sioux Falls, South Dakota HIGH A 2015 Medscape survey regarding compensation fi nds average salaries for specialists and primary care physicians are $284,000 and $195,000, respectively. The highest-paying specia lties in 2015 are orthopedics ($421,000), cardiology ($376,000) and gastro- enterology ($370,000). W hile sa la r y has significa nt appeal, other factors are crucial in drawing physicians to the profession, experts say. "Medica l students understa nd which specialties are the most lucra- tive, but we rarely see them select a specialty based solely on the financial rewards it may offer," says Kurt Mosley, Vice President of Strategic Alliances at Texas-based recruitment firm Merritt Hawkins. "[Some] specialties pay well, but money is the cart, not the horse, when it comes to what drives doctors to choose a specialty." Opportunities Knock T he most f u l f i l ling a spec t of t he profession is the patient/physicia n relationship, according to a 2014 sur- vey conducted by Merritt Hawkins on behalf of The Physicians Foundation. Seventy-nine percent of respondents indicated they derived the greatest professional satisfaction from patient relationships, compared with 15 percent who cited financial compensation. The rising level of care the U.S. popu- lation is expected to need in coming years is another reason the profession is ranked highly on the Best Jobs list. Physician employment is projected to grow significantly to accommodate greater numbers of patients over the next decade. "An aging population with increasing health concerns and health reform that will lead more Americans to health care services is driving this demand," the U.S. News & World Report article states. "For these reasons, this occupation ranks well on our Best Jobs list." By 2022, the influx of patients will cre- ate an estimated 123,300 job openings for physicians, 37,100 nurse practi- tioner positions and 33,300 openings for physician assistants (the 10th-best profession), according to t he U.S. D epa r t ment of L abor's Bu reau of Labor Statistics. ■ M D N E W S . C O M /// M D N E W S L O N G I S L A N D ■ 2 016 2 3 P H Y S I C I A N R E C R U I T M E N T ❰❰❰❰❰ 2 3