Physician Job Search Tips: Find the Right Job and Avoid the Job Hopper Label

According to physician recruiters, as many as 75% of resident physicians, across all specialties, end up changing jobs within the first 3 years of completing their training. Most physicians are in high demand throughout the country, so one early job change, or even many job changes, will never end a physician's career. However, being labeled as a "job hopper" can and does limit professional options and should be avoided.

"What exactly is a job hopper, and will I be labeled as such after just one early job change?" The answer to this questions is, "It depends." Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the quality of your resume is in the eye of the person or company who is evaluating it. Some physician jobs are very competitive. The competition may be due to the job being in an especially attractive location, or with the prestige of the employer, or a superior income, and often it's a combination of those factors. Either way, the perception of your CV will be influenced by the volume and quality of applications the employer receives for a given job and location. Every state has at least a couple of "destination locations" where people vacation or have an especially high desire to live, and in these types of places, one early job change may be too many. Other employers or locations will have a higher demand for physicians and lower supply of candidates, resulting in less stringent criteria for CV evaluation.

"Why do so many resident physicians make the wrong choice for their first job?" Basically this boils down to inexperience, but there are a few specific factors which cause new physicians to go off track with their job searches. In my years of recruiting physicians, I have found that many candidates have tunnel vision regarding just one or two aspects of a potential new job. Physician candidates often focus in on getting the most guaranteed income, or the most ideal location, or the most possible assistance with their student loans, to the exclusion of other important factors to their long term employment prospects. A physician's life priorities may also change rapidly after completing residency and entering the work force. Many physicians have delayed starting a family during training and begin having children shortly after they officially enter the work force.  Adding a few children to the life/job equation can quickly shift a person's priorities from having a great condo in the big city to needing good schools, predictable working hours, stable employment, and proximity to close relatives.

"How can I find a physician job that will last?" There is obviously no silver bullet that guarantees finding a perfect job. In fact, it's best to forget about the idea of a perfect job, as it would take incredible luck to find such a thing, even if it does exist.  However, you can take steps to improve your odds of finding a more lasting and satisfying career by taking a few simple steps.  First, don't zero in on one or two aspects of a job to the exclusion of other important factors.  Rather than focusing on immediate needs like a signing bonus or student loan forgiveness, try to think in terms of longer term goals, which may contradict your current needs.  Keep in mind that many places which are attractive to young and upwardly mobile professionals are probably somewhat saturated with physicians whom you will be competing against if you go there.  If your goal is to practice in a certain metro area, try to make time for interviews in that location, as well as in the nearby suburbs, and in the nearby small towns or rural locations.  Exposure to a variety of jobs will at least help to broaden your perspective and may give you new options to consider. You may find substantial differences in compensation, collegiality among physicians,  practice autonomy, administration styles, community amenities, and opportunities for your spouse and children.  By finding the best combination of all of these job aspects, you will give yourself the best possible change of finding a long term career.

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