With an ageing population and booming demand for specialized care for the elderly, the future is bright for geriatricians in France. This job, which requires specific qualities and knowledge, is very much in demand amid a tight job market, both at public hospitals and private clinics. Recruiters typically offer attractive salaries to such specialist physicians, even those who are just starting their career.

The average salary of a geriatrician in France

At the start of their career, a geriatric doctor practicing in a public hospital can expect a gross salary of around 3,800 euros per month. After earning their spurs caring for the elderly, they can command a gross salary of close to 7,000 euros a month towards the end of their career.

Doctors in private clinics or who are working for themselves can expect considerably higher income levels, especially if they charge fees higher than those set by the state. It is not rare for geriatricians with an established clientele to earn around 10,000 euros a month at a private practice.

Given the tight job market in France and the senior-boom underway, it’s highly probable that these salaries will remain at these levels or even rise, with an increasingly pressing demand for recruiting foreign geriatricians and from the European Union in particular.

Opportunities for growth as a geriatrician

Geriatric medicine is a profession that requires transversal skills and which offers many opportunities for growth and advancement. It is a field that covers many different subdomains with opportunities for further specialization, such as  oncogeriatrics, orthogeriatrics, cardiogeriatrics, neurogeriatrics, dermatogeriatrics, etc.

Many geriatricians specialize in certain types of care early on in their career, and perfect their approach with patients so as to position themselves for positions of responsibility (team lead or department chair) or to work for themselves.

A geriatrician can quickly, over the course of their career, reach a gross salary of 5,000 euros a month after a few years of service especially in regions where there is high demand. This profession can be practiced at a public establishment such as a hospital or a retirement home, or one can join a private clinic or independent practice that provides in-home medical care.

The recruitment of foreign geriatricians (both junior and experienced doctors) has become a priority for many establishments given the lack of suitable candidates. A salary of 4,000 to 5,000 euros is not uncommon for a doctor with the necessary qualifications and certified by the competent French medical bodies (see equivalency of French and European degrees in the domain of medicine).

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