How much do rookie doctors make? The latest scorecard

Physicians coming out of residencies last year reported increases in their starting salaries in many specialties, according to a survey by the Medical Group Management Association. The lowest starting salary in 2008 was for pediatricians at $132,500. The other lowest-paid specialties, in ascending order: family practice, geriatrics, urgent care, internal medicine, and infectious disease. The highest specialty salary was for those starting out in neurological surgery at $605,000.