The Wages & Benefits of an OB-GYN
An Ob/Gyn is a medical doctor that specializes in pregnancy and childbirth. An Ob/Gyn may also practice in subspecialty areas such as infertility, cancer or deal primarily with patients who have high-risk pregnancies. Ob/Gyns provide women with reproductive health care. Pay varies for an Ob/Gyn but generally stays in a particular range.
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Residency Pay and Average Salaries
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Before an Ob/Gyn can practice as a licensed physician she must attend a residency. Resident salaries for Ob/Gyns are typically in the $35,000 to $64,000 range, according to Glassdoor. The salary of the resident should increase with each passing year and also varies based on the hospital in which the Ob/Gyn is completing their residency. For example, medical residents at Lutheran Hospital earn up to $64,000 while residents at Kern Medical Center only make up to $43,000. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average wage of an Ob/Gyn is $204,470. In May 2009, the average hourly wage was $98.31.
Ob/Gyn Employers
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Ob/Gyns may choose to work in a hospital or private physician's office. Two popular employers of Ob/Gyns include the Methodist Hospital and Kaiser Permanente. However, some may decide to set up their own private medical practice.
The Ob/Gyn has the potential to increase her income by gaining experience or transitioning to a higher-paying employer. For example, chief obstetricians can have salaries in the $240,000 range, according to the BLS. Changing locations can also affect the salary of the Ob/Gyn. High-paying states for the Ob/Gyn include Wisconsin, South Dakota, Iowa, Idaho, and Alabama.
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Benefits
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In addition to salary, the Ob/Gyn should expect to receive other benefits, such as medical care, holiday pay, and paid vacations. Approximately 86 percent of Ob/Gyns have at least medical care. A relatively small percentage of Ob/Gyns (13 percent) do not have any health benefits at all according to the PayScale website.
Considerations
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Salary is not always the motivating factor for individuals that choose to become an Ob/Gyn. Although the salary for an Ob/Gyn is relatively high, once considerations such as medical school cost, length of education required and insurance premiums are factored in, many Ob/Gyns have other motivating factors for entering the profession. Those who choose to work as an Ob/Gyn often have a passion for helping patients through pregnancy and childbirth.
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References
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