Average Salary of a doctor or physician in Australia

How much does a doctor earn in Australia: In Australia, most GPs aka General Practitioners are actually not salaried, they are independent contractors. This means the income they earn comes down to how many patients they see and the percentage of their billings which, the average doctor salary, Australia means between 65 to 75%. During periods when you are not working, when you take a holiday, at the weekend, or when you are sick, you do not generate earnings.

 

Independent contractor earnings

The average doctor salary is based on working a 40-hour week, with a working year consisting of 48 weeks. It falls between $250,000 to $350,000 before taxes are taken away. The percentage they receive on billings as well as the number of patients is what impacts that figure. It also depends on whether they have private billing patients or whether they do bulk billing. A GP just starting who is not familiar with how the system works may get a bit less for the first year or so.

 

About mixed and bulk billing practices

When a GP works with a bulk billing practice this means the physician salary is more being paid consultant fees by Medicare, fees that are priced by Medicare too. This payment is based on the type of services the patient receives and the length of the appointment. Some practices are private billing. This means the patients pay the practice whatever the practice decides to charge. Then some practices are mixed billing. They accept some Medicare patients but also have some privately billed patients. Most patients under 16 or who hold their pension cards are bulk billed. The average billing for an appointment with a GP for a bulk billing practice is $55. For a mixed practice, it is $65. Private consultations average at $75.

 

Average patients per hour seen

There is no rule or expectation when it comes to how many patients a GP sees in a day or hour. But with the average doctor salary, Australia being partly dictated by how patients they see, it averages at 4 an hour or 32 to 40 a day.

 

What about the less common salaried GP positions in the country?

Unlike in many other countries, it is not common for a GP position to be a salaried one in Australia. A physician salary can happen in certain situations. Most of those are when they seek a position with the Aboriginal Medical Services. They have a fixed base annual wage between $250,000 to $300,000 and also get 10.5 superannuation and 4 weeks paid holiday. Those working in remote areas sometimes also offer lodgings and a car.

 

Why do people choose to be a GP in Australia?

As well as the attractive doctor salary to look forward to when choosing to work as a GP in Australia there are a few other benefits to look forward to. There is a much better balance between work and home life. They have more time to enjoy their hobbies, explore the country, see their friends and family and so on. It gives a GP a lot more flexibility and independence than they see in many other countries too. A lot of Australian GPs also say the paperwork is less heavy.