Medscape Physician Compensation Report Shows Salaries Held Steady, Despite Pandemic Telemedicine, recovery programs and post-lockdown demand helped practices rebound News provided by Share this article Share this article NEW YORK, April 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Defying predictions, physician salaries held steady in 2020, a combination of pivoting to telehealth, leveraging government programs and reducing staff to minimize the impact of office closures and restrictions on elective procedures during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the findings of the 2021 Medscape Physician Compensation Report: The Recovery Begins. Based on responses from more than 18,000 U.S. physicians across 29 specialties, the survey – conducted October 6, 2020 to February 11, 2021 -- found that average salaries for primary care physicians held steady at $242,000 from $243,000 the previous year. Similarly, specialists' average salaries dropped $2,000 to $344,000.