Dermatology · Evidence depth: moderate
Mohs Micrographic Surgery
Ownership-sensitivity model
The 10 vectors of a physician career.
Every path is scored 0-100 across 10 critical dimensions using public-data signals, modeled assumptions, and verification prompts. Modeled estimate. Not a salary survey. See methodology.
95/100
Income ceiling
Income ceiling
One of the absolute highest ceilings in all of clinical medicine.
The reality
Mohs surgery billing is incredibly lucrative because you legally bill for both the surgical excision and the pathology reading.
The signal
The throughput is massive; a highly efficient Mohs surgeon does 6-10 cases (often multiple stages each) a day.
The catch
In-house lab ownership acts as a massive multiplier on the professional fees.
The verdict
An absolute money-printing machine, provided the internal referral network is ironclad.
90/100
Lifestyle control
Lifestyle control
Exceptional control; highly predictable surgical days.
The reality
The practice is 100% outpatient, elective, and scheduled weeks in advance.
The signal
You have immense power to control the pace of your clinic and the number of cases you book.
The catch
There are absolutely no hospital rounds and no emergent surgeries to disrupt your evening.
The verdict
The most lucrative pure-lifestyle surgical specialty available.
Premium analysis
8 more dimensions scored, with the reasoning behind each
The scores are below. Premium adds what sits behind each one: the claim, the signal supporting it, the limitation that weakens it, and what it should change about your decision.
- Sleep / call burdenLower is better5/100
- Ownership / facility upsideHigher is better85/100
- Geography flexibilityHigher is better75/100
- Innovation / industry adjacencyHigher is better20/100
- Training opportunity costLower is better50/100
- Job-market densityHigher is better75/100
- Malpractice / litigation pressureLower is better40/100
- Burnout-mismatch riskLower is better30/100
Scores are modeled from the specialty module's evidence and are estimates, not measurements. Confidence and data depth are labeled inside every premium card.
DoctorCalculator modeled income structure
Derived model. DirectionalModeled base range
$560k - $710k
Derm's flagship procedure lane; biopsy-to-closure economics under one roof.
Production upside
$765k - $955k
Biopsy-to-closure under one roof: high fixed lab overhead, exceptional per-case margin at volume.
Ownership upside
Very high
Mohs lab ownership (slides read in-house), ASC/office suites, and referral-network equity.
Salary-only gap
High
A salaried Mohs surgeon gives up the lab technical component and same-roof closure economics.
Modeled estimate. Not a salary survey. Derived model. Directional only. Verify against real offers, contracts, and local mentors. Income scales with payer mix, ownership, and geography. See methodology.
Want the code-level view behind numbers like these? Open the RVU calculator for this specialty's procedures, CMS times, and locality-adjusted Medicare rates.
External benchmark reference
Verify independently~$600k
External benchmark reference - verify independently. Not ingested DoctorCalculator source data.
Best fit
- The Procedure-Heavy Wealth Builder. Top-tier income through volume, procedures, production, and ownership.
- The Lifestyle-First Clinician. A good life on sane hours, and the math actually works.
Poor fit
- The Acute-Care Identity Seeker. Energized by intensity, emergencies, and high-stakes work.
This path is described at validated confidence (Evidence depth: moderate). Detailed evidence cards are added as the module is validated; we will not manufacture precision before then.