How do wRVUs vary by specialty? Physician compensation is increasingly shifting to wRVU-based models - but the #wRVUs and reimbursement rate per wRVU varies widely by specialty. The number of wRVUs you can generate largely depends on how CMS assigns Relative Value Units (RVUs) to different procedure codes. Unfortunately, Primary Care and related specialties like Pediatrics, Family Medicine, and Internal Medicine typically generate fewer wRVUs due to the nature of their high-volume, shorter duration visits. Adding to the challenge, reimbursement rates ($/wRVU) for these specialties are often lower since they rarely benefit from significant facility fees. This creates a double-whammy: fewer wRVUs at lower reimbursement rates. On the other hand, surgical and procedural specialties like Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, and Cardiology typically produce higher wRVUs at higher reimbursement rates, driven by higher complexity, longer duration procedures, and associated facility fees. Combine these factors, and the compensation gap between these specialties can be as large as 4x