Future Fellow... Contacting Practices?

[Inygma]

Hey everyone! I will be an interventional pain fellow 2023-2024 (anesthesia trained). I am interested in a location that is a bit out of a major metro. I was doing a search and have found a practice there with an older pain doc (late 60s) and a few midlevels. I was thinking of reaching out and expressing my interest in possibly joining that practice when I am done. It looks like its mostly B&B cases, and I feel like there is room to add some 'newer' procedures to the practice and also take an increasing work load as the owner, I would assume, would want to start cutting back in the coming years. Obviously this could lead to a nice transition of patient care, and ultimately taking over the practice (in an ideal world).

How would you go about this? Email and just introduce/show interest? Call? Am I too early since I will not be finishing fellowship till July 2024?

Thank you!

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[Orin]

There's nothing wrong with using email, social media like LinkedIn/Twitter/Instragram, or whatever method you want to reach out. I prefer to have some background info on them before you do that so you know how to best approach them is.

Try not to seem like you're putting the fella out to pasture. Many providers are happy to grind it out into their 70s. They may think the newer procedures are snake oil. Many have a succession plan already defined and you're just competition.

I would start by getting to know the physician as a person, their practice parameters, their short/long term goals, and all that relationship building before trying to get hired. Played well, the worst case scenario is that you get a mentor that's doing what you want to do, and best case scenario you get a job.

I generally suggest using the device vendors to get information on practices and providers as they're rather happy to get facetime with you and also to help guide you into a job in their region, assuming that you'll repay their help with clinical volume. Your local rep can find the rep in that region if you are somewhere else.

It's never too early, but the ROI is more reliable in the 6-9 month range.

 

[nvrsumr]

I have been contacted a number of times by graduating fellows over the years and always take the call. I agree with Orin that some of the newer pain surgeries/procedures may or may not be a selling point.

 

[Agast]

An old guy who chooses to surround himself with 3 midlevels is a red flag. He could have taken on a young partner 2 midlevels ago. When the time comes he’ll try to sell it to someone at an over-inflated price but he has no incentive to mess up his current financial set up.