According to the National Council for Behavioral Health, the United States is facing a potential shortage of up to 15,600 Psychiatrists by 2025, with the most significant impacts in rural communities. So, when a health system in rural Michigan needed a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, the leadership team turned to Jackson Physician Search for help.
The administration was seeking an experienced Psychiatrist with the skills and leadership abilities to ultimately move into the Medical Director position for the system’s behavioral health program.
Jackson Physician Search Regional Vice President of Recruiting Tara Osseck took the charge and began searching for a Psychiatrist for the health system.
In Comes Dr. J
During the process, Tara came across an experienced Psychiatrist within the Jackson Physician Search candidate database. Dr. J had contacted Jackson Physician Search in the past about another opportunity and had former ties to the state of Michigan. She graduated from medical school in Pakistan and completed her residency and fellowship at the University of Michigan. Although she was officially practicing in Georgia, when the COVID pandemic began, she took a leave of absence to return to Pakistan and take care of her parents and extended family there.
Tara reached out to her to gauge her interest in returning to Michigan for this new opportunity but was met with some reluctance. Dr. J had experienced trauma in her personal life and was not sure if she was ready to move back to Michigan. Confident that she was the perfect fit for this opportunity, Tara committed to staying in touch with Dr. J.
Dr. J was passively exploring new opportunities for when she returned to the United States and decided that she would be willing to speak virtually with the Michigan health system administrators to learn more about their position.
Tara had sourced many candidates for this opportunity, but she felt strongly that Dr. J had the right combination of skills and experience to be exactly what the health system needed. She knew that to maintain Dr. J’s interest, it would be critical to ensure that the client understood the importance of meeting her personal needs as much, if not more, than her professional needs.
The Client Moved Mountains
The client held a virtual interview with Dr. J while she was still in Pakistan. The administrators were thoroughly impressed and felt that Dr. J was the perfect candidate for the role they envisioned. Her practice philosophy and mentality completely meshed with the client, and she was a great fit for the patient population. The key was going to be supporting her in overcoming the challenging history she had in the state.
A few months later, Dr. J had returned to the U.S., so the administrators scheduled a site visit for her to see how she felt in the community. Tara helped them ensure that Dr. J would have everything she needed during the visit. They put together a strong offer, were very flexible in negotiating time off for Dr. J, among other things that showed their level of commitment. They went out of their way to demonstrate to Dr. J that they were willing to make a long-term commitment to her.
The administration agreed that Dr. J would be the perfect physician for their organization, and they moved mountains to get her to come to work for them. They started by structuring the position to fit Dr. J’s passions, they offered her additional time off, and even helped her find temporary housing. The system’s efforts would pay off; Dr. J felt valued and important.
A Big Decision
Although Dr. J was weighing several competing offers, she decided to accept this one. She felt that the best way to overcome her personal loss was to pour herself into her patients; into working with children and adolescents.
This decision was much more than just a professional move for Dr. J, it was a way to overcome and use the trauma she’d endured to help others. Dr. J was grateful for Tara’s help and guidance navigating a very complex emotional scenario, and in order to express her gratitude, Dr. J brought Tara back a personal gift from Pakistan.
When a recruiter establishes a relationship with a physician, the responsibility encompasses more than just helping them find the right career opportunity. In many cases, the candidate is trusting their recruitment partner with their personal life as well, and such was the case for Dr. J.
If you are seeking a new physician career and want a partner who will listen to your specific needs and wants, and will find you the best job opportunity, contact us today.
