Internal medicine physicians received the highest average placement salaries last year at $256,667, according to a report issued by The Medicus Firm based on physicians it has placed. Family practice physicians also found the greenest pastures in rural communities, with an average placement salary of $227,261.

Average placement salaries by community size for family practice and internal medicine physicians:

• Rural: Family practice, $227,261; internal medicine, $256,667
• Mid-sized: Family practice, $207,400; internal medicine, $233,154
• Urban: Family practice, $195,914; internal medicine, $227,105

The average signing bonus was $19,714.

The average total compensation (salary and signing bonus) was $229,586 for family practice physicians and $258,157 for internal medicine physicians.

The average salary for physician assistants placed by The Medicus Firm in 2015 was $112,680, with an average signing bonus of $6,250. Thirty-three percent received relocation bonuses, ranging from $5,000 to $15,000. Physician assistants were the fourth most-placed clinician by clients of The Medicus firm in 2015.

The data is based on placement records of all primary care physician candidates and physician assistants placed by The Medicus Firm throughout 2015 in more than 250 hospitals.

Other key highlights of the 2016 Provider Placement Summary report include:

• Primary care once again dominated placement volume nationwide, comprising 35.57% of all placements made in 2015. (“Primary care” includes those physicians placed to practice internal medicine, pediatrics, or family medicine.)
• Placements in urban and metropolitan areas with populations more than 500,000 outpaced mid-sized and rural communities, for the first year in the company’s history. Placements in urban communities comprised 36.76% of all placements, up from 33.66% in 2014, and 25% in 2013.
• Non-physician advanced practice clinician placements continue to increase substantially, to 8.3% of total placements, up from 6.3% the previous year, and 1.3% in 2012. Physician assistants were the fourth most frequently placed provider in 2015, up from fifth highest in 2014.
• The placement of American medical graduates reached another new high of 71.4%, up from 68.8% last year, and 58.6% in 2012. This is notable as the proportion of international medical graduates has actually increased in the active physician population.
• In addition to primary care, hospitalists, physician assistants, and OB/Gyn rounded out the top five specialists with the greatest placement and hiring activity for 2015. Family practice represented the highest volume of placements in 2015, with internal medicine ranking second highest for placement.