Recent data from the American Medical Association shows that physician burnout rates have dropped below 50% for the first time in four years. While the numbers are moving in the right direction, the ongoing stress and depersonalization experienced by physicians continue to be a problem for many. Across the nation, employers strive to mitigate burnout by reducing administrative burdens and offering more flexible schedules. Still, sometimes, the only choice for a physician is to leave the source of the stress behind.
Such was the case for Dr. S, a psychiatrist who decided to resign from her job with a government agency in Alabama where she had worked for over twenty years. While her work was meaningful, a leadership change and increasing burnout led Dr. S to move on. She gave notice and decided to take some time off, focusing on her mental health and plans for the future.
A New Psychiatry Job Search
After a few months, Dr. S was eager to return to work. She wanted a fresh start with a new organization where she could regularly impact patients in need. She was passionate about serving the underserved, so when she spotted a job with an FQHC on Doximity, she immediately contacted the recruiter.
Search Consultant Amanda Coole was working with a client in an Alabama metro who urgently needed a psychiatrist. At the time, they had a single provider managing patients with severe mental illness, and the situation wasn’t sustainable. Leadership wanted to find a psychiatrist who would embrace the mission and be there for the long term, so finding the right cultural fit was key.
Amanda leveraged Jackson Physician Search’s vast physician job board network to distribute a job posting highlighting the great location, collaborative team, and autonomy. However, responses were limited. Amanda suspected the compensation was the reason. It was not as high as that associated with other psychiatry jobs in the area, and the FQHC simply couldn’t increase it. The right candidate would be drawn to the mission and value the chance to be a part of something bigger. Amanda knew this meant she likely wasn’t looking for someone right out of training (as studies show compensation is the number one driver of first-job job decisions). So, she began a targeted search for more experienced psychiatrists already practicing in the state.
A Mission-Minded Physician
Amanda leveraged Doximity’s talent finder to identify candidates who fit the profile. She also posted the details of the psychiatry job on Doximity’s job board, where Dr. S first learned of the opportunity.
Amanda responded to Dr. S’s inquiry right away. The more Amanda learned about Dr. S, the more convinced she became that this was the psychiatrist they had been looking for. Dr. S was excited, too. The job ad did not specify the hiring organization, so when Amanda shared the details, Dr. S realized she was already familiar with the organization and had heard great things about it. In fact, Dr. S had provided care for several patients at the center during her time with a nearby hospital.
Amanda wasted no time presenting Dr. S to the client. After a 90-minute phone call, they invited Dr. S to come for an on-site interview. The call went so well that the visit almost seemed like a formality. Amanda advised her client that if they were prepared to present Dr. S with an offer, she would likely be ready to sign it on-site. Just as Amanda suspected, Dr. S felt right at home with the organization, and when they presented her with the offer, she was more than happy to sign.
Secrets of Psychiatry Job Search Success
The nation’s ongoing mental health crisis is driving the need for more mental health providers. Like all physicians, psychiatrists coming out of training must identify what is most important to them regarding location, compensation, organizational culture, practice ownership models, and more. With so many options available to them, psychiatrists must have clear priorities so they can narrow their focus and recognize the right job when it comes to them.
Fortunately, Dr. S had been working long enough to know exactly what she needed to be happy in her job. She saw Amanda’s job posting on Doximity and reached out right away. It didn’t take long for her to recognize the culture of service she was looking for, and she was transparent with her enthusiasm. She knew the compensation was on the lower end of the spectrum, but she felt the trade-off was worth it for meaningful work with a supportive and like-minded team. As she begins the next chapter of her career, she is excited to make an impact on her patients and the broader community.
Whether you are seeking your first physician job or have years of experience, the recruitment team at Jackson Physician Search is eager to help you prioritize and zero in on opportunities that meet your needs. Contact us today or start searching for physician jobs online now.
