Search Consultant Katherine Hurford leverages her proactive physician sourcing skills to successfully recruit two Family Medicine physicians to a Virginia Urgent Care Center.
As a Research Consultant for Jackson Physician Search, Katherine Hurford was frequently involved in successful physician placements throughout the Eastern division. Her dedication to proactive physician sourcing made her one of the most productive Research Consultants in the Alpharetta office, so it was no surprise when she was promoted to Search Consultant last year. In her new role, she would continue to leverage her thorough sourcing methods to serve clients directly.
One of her first clients was a group of urgent care centers in coastal Virginia. In order to keep up with patient demand, administrators wanted to add at least one Family Medicine physician, possibly two. Katherine immediately proved she was up to the task by quickly presenting candidates from all over the country at various stages of their careers. From a third-year resident finishing his training in Colorado to a West Virginia-based retiree looking for a flexible physician job, both candidates were excellent matches for the organization and were found in fewer than 90 days.
Proactive Physician Sourcing
As the group of urgent care centers saw more patients, more help was needed to keep up with demand. They were looking for someone willing to spend time in several different clinics approximately 30 minutes apart. The proposed schedule was flexible, which made the opportunity attractive, but having to travel between the clinics would likely be seen as a negative by candidates. Katherine mentally prepared for those conversations and got to work crafting and distributing the job description through the Jackson Physician Search network of job boards.
It wasn’t in her nature to sit back and wait for applications. Her time as a Research Consultant made her an expert communicator, so she searched the databases for physicians matching her criteria and started making calls.
“I left a lot of voicemails,” laughs Katherine. “But sometimes I’d connect, and for the most part, the physicians were willing to hear about the opportunity. And then every once in a while, one would say ‘Tell me more…’ and that was just the opening I needed.”
A Resident With an Eye on the Location
One such opening came right away from Dr. L, a Family Medicine physician finishing his residency in Colorado. Katherine’s enthusiasm about the opportunity shone through over the phone, and Dr. L agreed to be presented for the job. When she learned that he and his wife had an upcoming visit planned to see family in the area, she knew the client would need to move quickly.
Katherine presented Dr. L to the client and urged the administrator to call him right away. If the call went well, they would need to do everything possible to schedule an interview during his already-planned visit. The administrator understood the need to keep momentum with an interested candidate.
“The client’s ability to act quickly was critical in the success of this placement,” says Katherine. “If you aren’t able to keep the process moving, candidates often lose interest. We weren’t going to let that happen.”
Dr. L was able to interview during that trip, and the admin quickly made an offer, which was gladly accepted. Impressed with her rapid results, the administrator initiated a second search with Katherine.
A Retiree Looking to Get Back in the Game
Katherine found the second physician by contacting Family Medicine physicians already in the area. Dr. W had recently retired from a full-time position and was staying busy with some part-time work at a clinic attached to a grocery store. The part-time work wasn’t particularly challenging, though, and when Katherine told him about the flexible schedule that came with the urgent care job, he was interested. Even the change of scenery that came with rotating through the various locations was appealing. Similar to the responses of many physicians in our Preparing for the Wave of Physician Retirement Survey, Dr. W felt that even though he would soon approach retirement age, he still had much to give if the circumstances were right.
Once again, Katherine presented him to the client and expressed the need to act quickly. The administrator called Dr. W and invited him to interview immediately. The interview proved the opportunity to be a great fit, and soon Dr. W was signing a contract.
The Importance of Momentum
Katherine’s initiative and expertise in physician sourcing certainly accelerated the success of these searches. She knew exactly how to navigate the various physician databases, allowing her to hone in on the physicians most likely to be both qualified and interested in the job. Her willingness to make countless calls and successfully convey the opportunity to potential candidates is to be commended.
Equally important, however, was the client’s ability to act quickly and build on the excitement that Katherine had created around the opportunity. Because the client called candidates right away and scheduled interviews as soon as possible, the momentum of the process never slowed. Katherine and the client worked well in this regard. Katherine promptly presented qualified candidates, and the client was quick to move the process forward—resulting in two successful placements in fewer than 90 days.
If you are seeking a partner who will proactively source candidates who meet your needs, the recruitment team at Jackson Physician Search has the national reach and regional expertise you need. Reach out today to learn more.
