Difficulty finding job after pod residency?

[mintchip_]

Hello all, I am currently applying to podiatry schools and I was wondering if you guys could shed some light on how easy/difficult it is to find a job after pod residency. I know this question has been addressed here (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/finding-a-job-after-pod-residency.324260/), but it was posted in 2006. There seemed to be some mixed reviews on that thread. Has anything changed since then? Before I commit myself to 7+ years of school and debt, I want to make sure the job outlook is secure. Any information is appreciated, thank you! 🙂

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[newfeet]

There are really good positions out there. I would recommend starting to look for a job at the beginning of your 3rd year. Don't wait. The multi-specialty groups, hospitals and ortho groups will hire months before residency ends. Applying earlier will make up for any lack of connection that you may have. I had no connections, I came from a middle of the road program and I went on a number of interviews with hospital based groups and even one large endocrine group. I was given my offers in October/November of my 3rd year.

 

[John12]

How hard it is to get a job offer directly after residency If you want to to live in washington state for example but prefer to have your residency in New York. Did this scenario happen to anyone before, just curious? What are the steps that should be taken to ensure that you will have a job waiting for you in another state? Thanks!

 

[mintchip_]

@Ankle Breaker , Thank you for your response! How difficult is it to get a salaried position in the hospital? Are there less jobs available than qualified podiatrists that have finished residency?
@newfeet , Thank you for your advice! I also have the same questions anklebreaker posed to you. Also what are employers looking for? Academic standing? Competency in residency/etc.? What makes a good candidate for scoring the job?

Thanks again!

 

[newfeet]

If you had no connections how did you find the jobs? What resources did you use? To set up an interview did you write letters or cold call potential employers? Did you answer advertisements?

I answered ads from a number of sites including practicelink, podiatrycareers.org, doccafe.com and I also cold called the internal physician recruiters for the hospitals and ortho groups. I also emailed anything on the pm news and contacted anyone from the letters my director received.

I never had to present my transcripts to any one. I wasn't asked academic questions during most of my interviews the only time I got academic questions was during my interview with a podiatry group. I interviewed in NY, GA, VA and NM. I also had a crap load of phone interviews that went no where. I ended up just outside the Capital District of NY.

They are looking for confidence and competency. They will evaluated your logs and talk to your attendings after the interview and if they are interested.

It was a long process. I was aggressive because I was not planning to stay in the area of NYC metro area.

You have to plan ahead of time. You will need to get a license in the state you want to practice months before you will actually start work. Some states takes months to approve your license. Other states have a jurisprudence exam. Eventually you will need to get a DEA number and a NPI number so that you can get credentialed at the hospital or hospitals where you will perform your cases.

 

[streetsweeper]

There are really good positions out there. I would recommend starting to look for a job at the beginning of your 3rd year. Don't wait. The multi-specialty groups, hospitals and ortho groups will hire months before residency ends. Applying earlier will make up for any lack of connection that you may have. I had no connections, I came from a middle of the road program and I went on a number of interviews with hospital based groups and even one large endocrine group. I was given my offers in October/November of my 3rd year.

Agree with the above. Now before I landed my current job, I gave cold calling random offices a try one year before graduation and people were very receptive. I interviewed at private offices just to network and practice interviewing and the offers were immediate in most of the cases. House call gigs are plentiful too. But I played it smart and gave myself more time by not signing any contracts yet and sure enough, later in the year there were better opportunities that opened up. This current job I hold now was basically offered to me before I even applied (word of mouth). Now that I sensed finding jobs weren't going to be an issue...I focused more on my training than looking for a job. Felt more than prepared for the abps. Felt more than prepared for the work force.

I have been rewarded nicely. Being an attending is awesome so far.

finding a job in podiatry is a non issue at the present...just don't be too picky.

If you are in limbo after residency... Then I think u messed up somewhere in life cuz u can always do house calls, nursing/group homes until u find something more suitable for u.

 

[rushrhees]

So since August there have been lunch time presentations by attendings+residents from a lot of residency programs in the north east(and a few in other states like FL). Among one of the groups is a residency that is considered by some to be the worst podiatry residency program. At all these presentations the question comes up as to what jobs people are getting and where. None have said they still have unemployed graduates, and several have said people get jobs in areas that SDN has throughly declared to be super saturated (NYC, NJ, Philly, Chicago etc). Bottom line you will find something. But agreed though do not count on being a totally solo practitioner. The sun is setting on that practice model.

 

[g squared 23]

The only scenario a brand new single practioner will hope to flourish in is if they are bought out very early on by a nearby group that would rather not compete. I've seen it pay off a couple of times. Grinding out an entire career as a single practitioner would be much more difficult and impractical, especially with the type of debt that most residents graduate with these days.