Orthopedics is among one of the wealthiest specialties, according to Medscape’s “Physician Wealth & Debt Report 2026.”
The report, published April 24, included data from a survey of 5,916 respondents across more than 29 specialties.
Five things to know:
1. Orthopedics and radiology were among the richest specialties with 39% of physicians in the $5 million or more wealth tier. Cardiology (35%), anesthesiology (31%) and plastic surgery (29%) were also in the top five wealthiest specialties.
2. Of all physicians, 45% expect their portfolios to grow, and 33% expect them to be stable. Only 22% expect their portfolio will decline over the next year.
3. Wealth rates for male and female physicians rose since 2024, but the wealth gap still remains.
4. Retirement accounts (38%), homes and real estate (27%) and financial investments (14%) were the most common sources of physicians’ net worth.
5. The top sources of physician debt include mortgage (59%), car loans (30%), credit card debt (28%) and student loans (22%).
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