Abstract

Objective To assess changes in the wealth of distinguished doctors in the United Kingdom between 1860 and 2001.

Design Retrospective survey.

Setting The UK.

Participants 980 doctors of sufficient distinction to be included in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography and who died between 1860 and 2001.

Main outcome measures Wealth at death, based on probate records and adjusted relative to average earnings in 2002.

Results The wealth of distinguished doctors declined substantially between 1860 and 2001, and paralleled a decline in the relative income of doctors in general. The wealth of distinguished doctors also declined relative to other groups of distinguished individuals.

Conclusions In the 19th century, distinction in doctors was accompanied by substantial wealth, whereas by the end of the 20th century, the most distinguished doctors were less wealthy than their contemporaries who had achieved national distinction in other areas.