Information on the earnings as of September 1978 of full-time medical school faculty is presented, based on survey responses from 117 of the 124 fully and provisionally accredited medical schools in the United States. Statistical data are reported on the number of faculty and the sum of the total compensation earned in 1978-79 by degree held, and rank, by medical school ownership, and regional location. Full compensation data were provided for 28,398 full-time faculty, an increase of 20 percent over the number reported in 1977. Additional contents include: a comparison of 1977-78 compensation data and 1978-79 data for holders of M.D. degrees, and for the other doctoral degree holders; a summary of the compensation of all faculty for whom all 1978-79 earnings were reported, by departments and rank; compensation of all faculty receiving only a base guaranteed component or receiving base and supplement components in 1978-79, by department and rank, by regional location of the medical school, and by public or private status of the medical school; compensation of faculty with M.D. degrees, receiving only a base guaranteed component or receiving base and supplement components in 1978-79, by department and rank, by location and ownership status; compensation of faculty with other doctoral degrees receiving only a base guaranteed component or receiving base and supplement components in 1978-79, by department and rank, by location and ownership status. A sample questionnaire and definitions of terms are included. (SW)