Medical Doctor Salary in South African Rands

A person who specializes in the field of medicine and practices is known as a medical doctor in South Asia. An average medical doctor or physician in the country makes around R73 200 per month. If you want to know more about the medical doctor’s salary in South Africa, here is a complete guide for you to read.

Medical Doctor Salary in South Africa

Private medical doctors’ salaries in South Africa range from R38 000 (lowest) to R323 800 (highest). Apart from this, they also get access to fringe benefits like housing allowance, transport benefits, and medical insurance. In contrast, public-sector medical physicians are known to make money in the country.

On the contrary, a general physician or primary doctor in the US makes up to $178078 per year, which is definitely more than those in SA. That said, the numbers have increased for South African medical doctors, especially after Covid-19, because of high demand in the country. As of 2023, the minimum wage of a general physician is around R38 000, which was earlier limited to R27 000.

That said, the doctor’s salary also comes down to what type of physician you are. For instance, a renal specialist earns different from a surgeon or general physician, and so on. Here is a breakdown of different types of doctors and their salaries within South Africa.

Job Title	Salary
Family Medicine Doctor	R67 200
Internal Medicine Physician	R106 000
Trauma Surgeon	R213 573
Cardiologist	R218 400
Anaesthesiologist	R218 048
Pediatric Surgeon	R239 002
Plastic Surgeon	R246 240
Transplant Surgeon	R253 665
Orthopedic Surgeon	R262 822
Chief of Surgery	R323 639

Professional Responsibilities of a Medical Doctor

On a base level, a physician or medical doctor is the one that diagnoses, treats and evaluates a patient’s illness. However, there is so much to it, from the field you have chosen to specialization and practice. Here is a breakdown of what to expect from different types of physicians in the country.

Type of Doctor	Job Responsibilities
Family Medicine Doctor	Responsible for basic health maintenance and prevention of diseases. They specialize in treating and diagnosing people of all ages.
Internal Medicine Physician	Responsible for training in basic health maintenance, but only for adults. They specialize in family medicine.
Dermatologist	Responsible for diagnosing skin, hair, and nail issues and offering treatments.
Cardiologist	Responsible for evaluating, accessing, and diagnosing heart and blood vessel issues.
Anaesthesiologist	Responsible for providing pain-blocking alternatives, especially when the patient is undergoing surgery.
Pediatric Surgeon	Responsible for providing care and treatment to children. They also perform operations on infants, kids, and young adults.
Plastic Surgeon	Responsible for doing cosmetic procedures on your body. They further specialize in the repair of injuries and defects.
Transplant Surgeon	Responsible for performing transplant procedures. They specialize in replacing patients’ organs because of accidents or natural abnormalities.
Orthopedic Surgeon	Responsible for preventing, accessing, and treating diseases related to bones, tendons, and ligaments.
Chief of Surgery	Responsible for overseeing surgical operations. They specialize in administering other physicians in carrying out operations (while maintaining quality and service).

Factors that Influence the Medical Doctor Salary in South Africa

There are a number of factors that come into play when it comes to determining the medical doctor’s salary in South Africa. Here is a list of all these factors, so you have an idea.

• The first thing that matters is your experience level. According to the latest stats by the National Health Department, a physician with five years of experience earns 36% more than those with less experience.
• Similarly, gender plays a vital role in determining the medical doctor’s salary in SA. Here, male doctors are almost 8% more likely to get posted and earn higher positions than female physicians.
• Moreover, the field of expertise can also make a huge difference in contributing to the medical doctor’s salary. For instance, chiefs of surgery and surgeons are expected to earn more than a family doctor, pediatrician, or primary physician.

Finally, medicine is a well-reputed profession across the globe, and South Africa is no different. Many people from across the country aspire to study and practice medicine. And if you are someone like this and want to know about the finances of the field, I hope this guide has been helpful.