By: Wendy Abdo, Staff Writer for Pinnacle Health Group
Is this your first time around or are you a seasoned pro? If you are new to the physician job market or have just reentered the job market after a long hiatus, you will probably feel a little taken aback by all the complexities involved in the employment search and hiring process.
Don’t panic! It’s not as bad as the exams you took in medical school. In fact, once you are familiar with the protocol, you’ll find the hiring process can run as smoothly as a fine-tuned, well-oiled machine.
Below is a bird’s eye diagram that illustrates each step in the hiring process and how each component stands relative to all others. This illustration will help you understand what to expect and what is expected of you throughout the hiring process.
Physicians often ask questions about the employment process. Here are some answers to frequently asked questions that may prove helpful to you:
How many job opportunities should I look at before making my decision?
The answer may vary depending on your professional status and level of responsibility. Michael P. Broxterman, COO of Pinnacle Health Group, explains that residents will seriously explore, on average, 6-10 job opportunities while an experienced physician will explore about 3-4 job opportunities. Why? There are two chief reasons:
- Experienced physicians have less time as most have taken on more personal and professional commitments, and
- Experienced physicians have more clearly defined parameters of what type of job opportunities will suite their needs.
How long will it take to get a job?
While there are no set-in-stone timeframes, the entire process generally takes 3-6 months for a physician to obtain an acceptable job offer.
One of the longest stretches in the job search process is when a recruiter matches up the physician’s CV with a compatible job. Once this has taken place and the physician and client are determined well matched, the recruiter must get the physician’s approval to present him or her to the client. Once a physician’s CV is presented, the client, whether a physician group or a hospital system, will generally act quickly to set up an interview once they have determined the presented candidate has the needed qualifications and training.
After the interview, clients will act even quicker to secure their candidate of choice. This is because the longer they wait the more chance they have of losing potential patients and revenues. Broxterman relates, “They want the physician candidate placed ‘yesterday’ and are, oftentimes, in a hurry to get them to sign.” They cannot afford to wait too long for a chosen candidate to make his or her decision. Therefore, if the candidate takes too long in making a decision, the client will be compelled to keep interviewing and looking for other physician candidates.
Once a client and candidate express their mutual interest in proceeding to the negotiation stage, negotiations will generally be done through an intermediary such as recruiters and/or lawyers.
When will I get the contract?
Once intent is evident, a contract must be issued to the physician. This, quite often, is the longest portion of the hiring process for physicians. The ball is now in the client’s court. They must generate a suitable contract and send it to the physician for his or her review.
Once the contract is in the physician’s hands, more time is spent on his or her end reviewing the document, making changes, additions, and deletions. Furthermore, unclear verbiage must be explained and reworded where necessary. At this stage, lawyers may get involved upon the request of the client and/or candidate, which has the potential to stretch out the process even longer. When contract discrepancies are resolved, the final review process takes place and the client signs the contract sealing the deal.
How can I simplify the contract negotiation process?
To expedite this process as much as possible, both client and candidate should handle the paperwork promptly and only involve persons who are absolutely necessary to the process. This will streamline the contract review process and reduce a 3-month process down to a 3-week process saving both parties valuable time and money.
How can physician recruiters help me?
Recruiters should be used as facilitators in the contract process. Oftentimes, they are the only ones who will be available at odd hours of the day, night, weekends, and holidays to handle last minute questions, concerns, and requests. Like physicians, most carry cell phones and are available to handle any emergencies or crisesas they arise. This does much to smooth along not only the contract process but the entire recruitment process as well.
Yet, in order for this process to truly work, both client and candidate must also make themselves accessible to the recruiter. They must be willing to return calls promptly and put forth the effort to get the recruiter the information he or she needs to handle these issues in a timely manner.
I am a resident. When should I start my job search?
If you are a resident, it is best to start looking for a job one to two years before graduation. While this may seem too soon, it will give residents plenty of time to explore different job settings and types of opportunities so they can make a better decision as to what job setting is right for them.
As a resident, market demand is on your side. Many clients are willing to wait one to two years for a chosen resident to finish his or her training before coming on with them. However, this agreement will not only require a commitment on the client’s part but will also require the resident to sign a legal document showing his or her intent to work for the client upon graduating from residency.
Remember, the more limited physicians are on their parameters, the longer and harder it is to be placed. This means that if you are a Gastroenterologist who is only interested in working in Hawaii as an employed physician for a large hospital that has 350+ beds and the latest equipment, it will take much more time to find a job opportunity than if you are open to opportunities available in a larger geographic region and more types of practice settings.