Should I Choose Emergency Medicine? Real Physician Decision Guide (2026) | SalaryDr
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  3. Emergency Medicine
  4. Should I Choose?

Should I Choose Emergency Medicine?

Real decision-making data from 17 verified Emergency Medicine physicians. Here is what they actually think.

3.6/5
Avg Satisfaction
71%
Would Choose Again
51
Avg Hours/Week
$442K
Avg Compensation

The Verdict

71%
of Emergency Medicine physicians would choose the specialty again

A solid 71% of Emergency Medicine physicians say they would choose the specialty again.

What Physicians Love About Emergency Medicine

“Unfortunately, Emergency Medicine now was driven by patient’s satisfaction scores, and many times you don’t do what best for the patient but what they want and that’s not good medicine. Many times patients request a specific test or have a very high expectation from a ER visit and if you don’t order it, they will give a 1 star review on google write your name on it.”
— Emergency Medicine Physician

Work-Life Balance Reality in Emergency Medicine

51
average hours per week reported by Emergency Medicine physicians
“I don't have a life I'm only 27 I'm more focused on making money rn I take any shifts that come up to me I work 14-15 hr per day but i have a 150k malpractice insurance ”
— Emergency Medicine Physician
“12 shifts. Great work life balance ”
— Emergency Medicine Physician
“I typically work between 17 to 20 shifts month which is consider a lot in Emergency Medicine, I work 10 to 12 hour shifts in a mix of days and nights and approximately 20 to 30% of the shit overnight. Sometimes I also work Locums where I charge $400 an hour and when I do that, I just cut some shit for my primary job.”
— Emergency Medicine Physician

How Emergency Medicine Compares

See how Emergency Medicine stacks up against other popular specialties.

Emergency MedicineCurrent
Satisfaction:3.6/5
Choose Again:71%
Hours:51
Comp:$442K
Pediatrics
Satisfaction:4/5
Choose Again:86%
Internal Medicine
Satisfaction:3.7/5
Choose Again:75%
General Dentist
Satisfaction:3.5/5
Choose Again:84%
SpecialtySatisfaction

Negotiation Tips From Emergency Medicine Physicians

“I have to pay my malpractice insurance myself I wish I would've asked my employer for it instead of incentive based bonus”
— Emergency Medicine Physician

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Emergency Medicine worth it?

Based on 17 verified physician responses, Emergency Medicine physicians report 3.6/5 average satisfaction and 71% say they would choose the specialty again. Average total compensation is $442K. Whether it is worth it depends on your priorities, but the data suggests most physicians are satisfied with their choice.

What's the work-life balance like in Emergency Medicine?

Emergency Medicine physicians work an average of 51 hours per week. One physician shared: "I don't have a life I'm only 27 I'm more focused on making money rn I take any shifts that come up to me I work 14-15 hr per day but i have a 150k mal..."

How much do Emergency Medicine physicians make?

Based on SalaryDr data, Emergency Medicine physicians earn an average total compensation of $442K. With an average of 51 hours per week, that translates to roughly $166/hour.

Still deciding? Hear from more Emergency Medicine physicians

Explore detailed lifestyle insights or contribute your own experience to help others make their decision.

View Full Emergency Medicine InsightsShare Your Experience

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Specialties
  • All Physician Salaries
  • Salaries by City
  • General Surgery
  • Orthopedic Surgery
  • Cardiology
  • Salaries by State
  • Residency Salaries
For Dentists
  • All Dentist Salaries
  • Dental Salary Database
  • Dentist Salary by State
  • Submit Dental Salary
  • Dental Calculator
Tools
  • Salary Comparison
  • Financial Calculators
  • Take Home Calculator
  • Offer Analyzer
  • Compare Specialties
  • Salary Negotiation
Salary Data
  • Physician Careers
  • Salary Benchmarks
  • Salary Trends
  • Compensation Analysis
  • Lifestyle Insights
  • Compensation Components
  • Annual Report
  • Benchmark Reports
Community
  • SalaryDen
  • Latest Discussions
  • Submit Your Salary
  • Share Feedback
  • Salary FAQ
  • Physician Resources
Company
  • About
  • Methodology
  • Contact
  • Partner with Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Community Guidelines
  • DMCA Policy
  • Data Retention
  • Cookie Policy
  • Safe Harbor
  • Data Requests

Follow Us

  • TikTok (@salarydr)
  • Instagram (@salarydr_)
  • X (Twitter) (@salarydr)

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Would Choose Again
Avg Hours
Avg Comp
Emergency MedicineCurrent3.6/571%51$442K
Pediatrics4/586%46$345K
Internal Medicine3.7/575%53$290K
General Dentist3.5/584%37$359K