Physician Employment Types: W-2 vs. 1099 vs. Partnership

The type of employment arrangement you enter shapes everything from how you're taxed to what benefits you receive. This guide compares all major physician employment types.

• W-2 employment — benefits, tax withholding, and employer obligations
• 1099 independent contractor — higher gross pay but self-employment taxes and no benefits
• Locum tenens — flexibility, agency fees, and malpractice considerations
• Partnership track — buy-in costs, equity, and profit sharing
• Per diem and moonlighting — supplemental income structures