General surgeons are the most likely to face malpractice lawsuits during their careers, with 90% reporting being either a sole or co-defendant in a lawsuit, according to Medscape's 2023 "Physicians and Malpractice Report," published Oct. 26.
Here are 22 physician specialties and the frequencies at which they face malpractice lawsuits:
General surgery: 90%
OB-GYN: 85%
Orthopedics: 82%
Plastic surgery: 73%
Otolaryngology: 72%
Radiology: 72%
Urology: 72%
Emergency medicine: 71%
Critical care: 66%
Cardiology: 64%
Gastroenterology: 64%
Neurology: 59%
Anesthesiology: 57%
Infectious diseases: 50%
Ophthalmology: 49%
Oncology: 47%
Internal medicine: 46%
Family medicine: 45%
Physical medicine and rehabilitation: 45%
Pathology: 44%
Pediatrics: 43%
Psychiatry: 30%