With just over a year left of her family medicine residency, Dr. T was ready to get serious about her first physician job search. She was finishing her training in Minnesota but was willing to relocate for the right job. Dr. T set up job alerts from Jackson Physician Search to receive information about open positions nationwide and started browsing physician job boards for opportunities that appealed to her. She wanted to find a job where she could practice traditional family medicine, both inpatient and outpatient. Dr. T recognized that practicing in a smaller community would afford her more opportunities to learn and grant her more responsibility than she might have at a large suburban practice, so she focused her search on smaller organizations in rural settings. She also knew these organizations might be more likely to sponsor the J-1 visa waiver she needed. Eventually, she spotted a job in Texas on Jackson Physician Search’s job board that seemed to check all the boxes and submitted an application.
Finding the Right Location
While Search Consultant Brooke Hogan was happy to receive Dr. T’s CV, unfortunately, the job couldn’t accommodate a J-1 visa. Brooke wondered if Dr. T might consider a job closer to home. Brooke was conducting a family medicine search for a critical access hospital in Minnesota that would be able to sponsor the visa waiver. Brooke called Dr. T to learn the specifics of what she was looking for in a first physician job. After a lengthy conversation, Brooke felt certain her Minnesota client would be a good match for Dr. T’s needs.
Dr. T wasn’t sure initially, but Brooke stayed in touch, checking in every few weeks to see how her job search was going. While Texas was Dr. T’s first location choice, she struggled to find an opportunity there that met her needs. Eventually, Dr. T decided to expand her location preferences and wanted to learn more about the opening close to home in Minnesota.
Willing to Wait for the Right Resident
The challenge now was that Brooke’s client ideally wanted someone who could start immediately. For this reason, they had initially said they did not want to consider residents. Brooke understood their urgency, but she also didn’t want them to miss out on a potentially great fit. Pushing back, she asked if they would be willing to consider a resident if she found a candidate that truly stood out. They had agreed, so as soon as Dr. T was ready, Brooke presented her to the client, reminding them that she would only bring them a resident if she believed they would be perfect for the position.
The client heard what Brooke had to say, and after reviewing Dr. T’s CV, they asked Brooke to set up a phone call. As expected, Dr. T made a great impression over the phone. Soon, they scheduled her site visit.
Negotiating Competitive Compensation
Dr. T fell in love with the group and everything about the community. However, by this time, she had several offers with higher compensation. Dr. T was transparent with Brooke about the dilemma. She was excited about the opportunity with Brooke’s client but could only justify moving forward if they could make the pay more competitive.
Brooke went to the client on Dr. T’s behalf and presented the compensation data for family medicine physicians in the region. The data was persuasive, and they were willing to increase their initial offer and add RVU-based incentives. They also added a generous signing bonus. It was more than enough to make the job worth Dr. T’s while!
Secrets of Family Medicine Job Search Success
Jackson Physician Search recruiters advise both clients and candidates to keep an open mind in the recruitment and job search process. This story demonstrates the importance for both the client and the candidate. Dr. T was initially not looking in Minnesota, and even when Brooke initially brought her the opportunity, she resisted. When she finally opened her mind to the possibility, she discovered it was exactly what she needed. Likewise, the client had initially said they did not want to hire a resident, but Dr.T turned out to be the perfect fit for the job.
Dr. T was transparent with Brooke throughout the process, letting her know what she desired to move forward. Brooke took the feedback to heart and went to work to compile the compensation data to justify Dr. T’s requests. She went to bat for Dr. T, making the case for a better offer, and that is exactly what Dr. T received. Ultimately, both the client and Dr. T made a great match, one that the community they serve will benefit from into the future.
For physicians at any stage of their careers, working with a physician recruiter has many benefits, and this story demonstrates some key factors. If you are starting a physician job search, reach out to the recruitment team at Jackson Physician Search today to find out how we can support you, or start searching for physician jobs online now.
