Job Search Considerations for New Physicians

It takes a long time to make a physician. Most physicians take 7-10 years to get through all the stages of training; med school, licensure exams, residency training and state licensing tasks. Applying for your first job out of residency is a foreign landscape entirely. For many of you it is the first time you have had to apply and interview for a career job. Many new physicians are dazzled by the salaries they see in recruitment ads without understanding what those salaries entail. Additionally, you have been a part of a system which has given you measured autonomy while training, so as a new physician it can be difficult to know what is reasonable.

When you have been in the education system for 30 plus years, transitioning from residency to your first physician job can seem like navigating a subway in a foreign language. Legal jargon of contracts, non-compete clauses and overly complicated onboarding are all part of the challenge of getting that first ‘real job’. This article will help you navigate the process with ease.

List your Priorities

You have been dreaming of the day you have the autonomy of an ‘attending physician’, but before you can call yourself emancipated from training you need to find your priorities for employment. Priorities are important to understand before the job search starts. Some priorities to consider:

• Salary, benefits and retirement package needs
• Hospital versus clinical medicine
• Call schedule requirements
• Work schedule and flexibility thereof
• Number of patients per day and time per appointment
• Locums versus part-time versus full-time employment
• Shift work versus clinic hours
• Teaching or supervision requirements
• Vacation requirements and how vacation is determined
• Geographic location and commute times
• Ability and equipment to do procedures
• Malpractice coverage amount requirements
•  Maternity/Paternity leave policy

Additional but harder to define priorities include the financial stability of the opportunity, work culture, support staff, and vision of the organization. Defining clear priorities before you start searching will simplify the job hunt.

Find a Mentor

Mentorship is the key to unlocking an entire network of opportunities. In a 2018 New England Journal of Medicine article, John Fromson MD states:

Mentorship is a key factor in promoting and maintaining fulfillment in medical practice. Senior colleagues who share your clinical, research, administrative, or community service interests should be approached early in your formal training. An open and honest dialogue can be instrumental in setting your professional goals, defining its trajectory, and learning how to overcome barriers by adopting successful strategies.

What makes a good mentor? Someone who can truly say “How can I help you succeed in your career”. It is important to set expectations early for what is copacetic. For example, is mentorship strictly during business hours or is it alright to meet for coffee on a day off? The first step to finding a mentor is to look for those doctors in your training program or local medical society that you connect with, or have a practice you could see yourself in. Having an ‘in person’ mentor is preferable, but you can also reach out virtually and find a mentor who can connect online. Being open to mentorship will increase your network in the long haul, so make time for mentorship.

Think Beyond the Salary

While salary and location are the prime attractors for most physicians in the job market, focus on salary alone can be deceiving. For example, if you choose the first high-paying job that comes your way, you may find there are strings attached, such as longer hours, restrictive non-compete clauses, or cultural values misaligned to your own. You may be required to oversee physician extenders as a part of your contract. This can eat into clinical time and productivity, and you may not be compensated for that work. If the position is salaried to begin with, what productivity is required to maintain that salary once the salary period ends? What supports are there for enhancing productivity, such as in-office scribes or support for administrative tasks? What opportunities are there for growth and ownership in the practice? All these factors fall in the ‘intangibles’ of a job, which can be hard to determine at first glance.

Understanding the structure of the clinical practice is also important. Business overhead, especially in physician owned clinics, may eat into salary so discuss it up front. Some examples of business overhead questions you might ask:

• Who owns the building and equipment?
• Do I have a designated medical assistant?
• Do I have a say in hiring of assistants?
• Is the hospital system involved in the billing and how does this affect the payment turnaround time?
• What is the insurance payor mix?
• What are the partnership opportunities for this practice?

The Interview Process

Once you have found the right fit, the interview dance begins. Interviewing is a honed skill and should not be taken for granted. Arriving on time, in professional clothes, and with a hard copy of your CV ready to go are all recommended strategies for acing the interview. A pro-tip is to have a written list of questions ready for when there is a lull in the conversation. If at any time the job opportunity does not feel like a good fit, it is alright to walk away even if negotiations are in play. When you are ready to sign on the dotted line, it is a good idea to hire a contract lawyer to review the contract before you sign. The price of a lawyer is well worth it to be sure there are no hidden clauses in the contract that will come back to bite you.

Final Thoughts

Signing a contract that you are just not sure about can be costly to you and to the employer, so take your time to get it right. Once you’ve found the right position, take the time to investigate the ‘intangibles’. Interview staff and use sources such as LinkedIn or the local medical association to get more information. Do not settle for the first job offer that comes your way. Lastly take your time to find that ‘sweet spot’ job. Your future self will thank you.

**Editor's note: If you're looking to start your search today, HospitalRecruiting advertises physician roles for hundreds of employers nationwide.**