A physician’s career journey doesn’t always start out on the expected path. This seems especially true for physicians who finished training during the height of the pandemic. Whether due to family needs, mental or physical health issues, or existential crises, some physicians took time off after training and delayed their job searches indefinitely. For Dr. M, it was personal health issues that forced her to take time off after completing her training in 2021. When she felt ready to work again, she took locum jobs while searching for a full-time pediatrician job. Currently residing in Ohio, she was open to relocating but hoped to stay in or near a major metro area. When she received a marketing email from Jackson Physician Search about a pediatrics job in North Carolina, she was intrigued at first but worried the location was too rural. She moved on from the job ad without applying.
An Ideal Employer
JPS Senior Search Consultant Sydney Johnson was working on what would be her third placement with a North Carolina healthcare organization. Though the organization itself was big, she was working to find a pediatrician for a small, satellite office in the northeast corner of the state. The practice had a lot to offer a physician–high retention rates, minimal call, and an excellent mentorship program. More importantly, everyone from the nursing staff to the physicians to the practice administrator seemed genuinely happy to be there. The atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming, and physicians enjoyed an excellent quality of life. Sydney knew from experience that if she could get a candidate on-site, the candidate would fall in love with the group.
A Passionate Recruiter and an Open-Minded Physician
However, finding candidates who would seriously consider the small, remote location was tough. Instead of waiting for physicians to apply for the job, she began calling a list of potential leads. As a pediatrician in an active job search, Dr. M was on that list, and she was happy to get Sydney’s call. Though she wasn’t looking for a job in North Carolina, the way Sydney talked about the practice intrigued her.
“I just can’t say enough good things about this client and specifically, this practice,” Sydney says. “As a recruiter, they are wonderful to work with, and I know from talking to the physicians on staff that it is truly a great place to work. I think my enthusiasm for the group came through when I spoke to Dr. M because she agreed to let me present her for the job.”
Several weeks later, Dr. M flew to North Carolina for the on-site interview. As Sydney predicted, Dr. M was impressed with the collegial atmosphere and felt instantly at ease with everyone she met. While the town was not ideal for her, she couldn’t imagine that she’d find a better professional opportunity. If they could meet her compensation demands, she could make her home in the area.
The group extended an offer to Dr. M, but the compensation was not where she wanted it to be. Sydney gathered the latest compensation data for pediatricians in the state and presented it to the client to demonstrate why they should increase the offer. Leadership was persuaded and their second offer met Dr. M’s expectations. She was happy to sign.
Physician Job Search Success
Dr. M’s story demonstrates the importance of keeping an open mind in your physician job search. One of the biggest job search mistakes physicians make is zeroing in on a single location and ignoring opportunities elsewhere. Expanding your physician job search opens up countless opportunities–one of which may just be a better fit than you imagined. Had Dr. M ruled out the North Carolina town due to its size, she would have missed out on an incredible opportunity. Fortunately, she trusted her physician recruiter, kept an open mind, and ultimately found her ideal physician job.
Are you searching for a new physician job? Applying with the insight and expertise of a physician recruiter can make all the difference to your job search. Reach out to a Jackson Physician Search Recruiter today to learn how we can help, or search physician jobs online now.
