The majority of UK doctors are happy to be doctors, and find their jobs rewarding, but the majority say working in the NHS is getting harder, with staffing levels and workloads being cited as the biggest challenges.

More than 800 UK doctors responded to questions about their salaries, levels of debt and net worth, and whether they were satisfied with their job and career choice. They were also questioned on the impact of Brexit, with three in ten saying it was affecting their plans and over a third saying they were considering moving to work abroad.

Additionally, the Medscape reports found that:

  • The average annual income is £114,600, and 3 out of 5 doctors say they aren’t paid enough.  Male doctors are more likely than female doctors to say they should be earning more. Pay dissatisfaction is also more common in younger doctors.
  • The salary survey found a gender gap in pay, with male doctors in the UK earning an average 56% more than their female counterparts.  Full-time female physicians earn an average £80,000 p.a. versus £126,400 for men.  By contrast, the NHS figures published earlier this year reported a gender pay gap of 21.2%
  • More than half of all doctors say being good at what they do and the gratitude from their patients makes the job rewarding, but 87% of doctors say increased workloads, lack of funding, waiting lists and resources have made their job more challenging in the past year.
  • The majority of doctors – 83% — are happy with their career choice, but less than half would want their children to be doctors.
  • Mortgages, car loans and children’s’ private school/university tuition represent the largest debts for physicians over age 45; for those younger, its mortgages and their student loans.

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Link to the full study can be found below: