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After several years of sharp increases in compensation, industry experts say anesthesiology pay rates may be nodding off. Although the American Medical Group Association (AMGA) and Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) 2005 physician compensation surveys show this specialty still on an upward pay climb, marginal increases in 2005 suggest salaries may be stabilizing. Anesthesiologist compensation hit the high-water mark two years ago, rising 8.22% from 2002 to 2003, according to the MGMA 2005 Physician Compensation and Production Survey . The field registered a smaller increase the following year of only 5.38%, and from 2004 to 2005, anesthesiology pay stalled, increasing only 0.78%.