Finding a Job?

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vengaaqui

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Any tips on finding a job post-residency? Do people send out letters of interest to potential employers? If so, what should these include aside from "Hi. I'm a third year resident. I want to work for you?" I've started reaching out to people I know in my area of interest, but am not sure how to go about finding spots in places I'm less familiar with.

Thanks!
 
Generally there is someone at every hospital who is responsible for hiring. You need to find out how the hospital you're interested in employs physicians. In general there are two ways:

1. Contracted physician group (Most common). Hospital contracts with a group like EmCare or TeamHealth. Find out what group has the contract and send a note to the medical director or physician who's in charge of recruiting.

2. Hospital employed. In this arrangement you will be directly employed by the hospital. Most hospitals have a dedicated "physician recruiter" who's job it is to fill vacancies within the hospital. Usually they are a non-physician. Going to the hospital website can usually get you the contact info for this person.
 
Any tips on finding a job post-residency? Do people send out letters of interest to potential employers? If so, what should these include aside from "Hi. I'm a third year resident. I want to work for you?" I've started reaching out to people I know in my area of interest, but am not sure how to go about finding spots in places I'm less familiar with.

Thanks!

Small edit to the General's post. Contracted physician group can mean two very different things. EmCare and TeamHealth are contract management companies. Contract management companies own the contract with the hospital, and at the end of the day, you work for that corporation.

Privately held ED groups are very different. They own the contract with the hospital, and manage/run their own practice. These groups typically have higher compensation, more room for advancement, and occupationally true partnership opportunities. Some even offer equity ownership.
 
Small edit to the General's post. Contracted physician group can mean two very different things. EmCare and TeamHealth are contract management companies. Contract management companies own the contract with the hospital, and at the end of the day, you work for that corporation.

Privately held ED groups are very different. They own the contract with the hospital, and manage/run their own practice. These groups typically have higher compensation, more room for advancement, and occupationally true partnership opportunities. Some even offer equity ownership.
You're kidding yourself. You're a de facto employee of the hospital in either setting. I honestly think the differences are moot in this day an age. If admin wants you to jump, roll over, do a back flip, admit more patients, kick out more non-urgents, work harder or faster, they will find a way to make you do it regardless of who it say employs you on your tax return. If you don't jump, they'll fire you and your group.

End result: you will absolutely be treated like any true employee, or CMG employee, even if you're a partner in a SDG. To the extent that you refuse to "play" you and your group will be dumped and your only recourse will be to be hired back by the new CMG/hospital employed job, or be jobless. Best case scenario is they hold the threat of termination over your head until your SDG ultimately does lose it's contract.

I really think it makes little difference currently in a Emergency Medicine, what practice setting you're in. Either way, within 10-15 years SDGs will be on the endangered species list. For every example of a SDG taking a contract from a CMG, I'll show you 10 examples of CMGs taking contract from SDGs.

If I posted links about every CMG that kicked out an SDGs, I'd have no time for anything else. Here's one just the other day (linked from www.DrWhitecoat.com), where a group that held an ED contract for 50 years, and still got forced out:

http://www.kansas.com/2014/06/10/3501004/wesley-tells-emergency-room-physicians.html

(Very interesting comments below the article, by the way.)
 
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My epiphany came about 2 years ago when I realized I was just a replaceable cog in the machine. Interestingly enough I was attending my CMG's "Leadership Academy" program, and rather than turn me into a corporate clone, it drew back the curtains and showed me what this business is really about. No matter where I work no, be it for a hospital, CMG or small group I realize that I am just an employee, and entirely replaceble. Anyone who thinks otherwise is delusional.
 
My epiphany came about 2 years ago when I realized I was just a replaceable cog in the machine. Interestingly enough I was attending my CMG's "Leadership Academy" program, and rather than turn me into a corporate clone, it drew back the curtains and showed me what this business is really about. No matter where I work no, be it for a hospital, CMG or small group I realize that I am just an employee, and entirely replaceble. Anyone who thinks otherwise is delusional.
Whenever I come across someone who truly feels they're an indispensable gift to mankind, it reminds me of one of those immortal quotes that truly stops time. Be still my beating heart, if ever once in my life I'm able say or write something with so much meaning, in so few words, as this:

"The graveyards are full of people the world could not do without."- Elbert Hubbard
 
First, identify a region you want to be in. Then identify the states in that region that offer the best malpractice protection. Then look for jobs in those states. Keep in mind that there is a tremendous amount of variability in the quality of jobs out there. There are certain red flags in communities (large ghettos, meat packing plants, nearby Indian reservations) that will have an effect - probably a negative one - on your patient population. It is perfectly legitimate to agree to practice in one community and live in another because you don't feel it is an appropriate place to move your family. Keep in mind that 1099 jobs have no benefits so you will be buying those benefits at retail. Depending on your age and number of dependents you should budget several thousand dollars a month for this.

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Any tips on finding a job post-residency? Do people send out letters of interest to potential employers? If so, what should these include aside from "Hi. I'm a third year resident. I want to work for you?" I've started reaching out to people I know in my area of interest, but am not sure how to go about finding spots in places I'm less familiar with.

Thanks!
Do you have an CV and Cover letter? Do you have a location that you really wants?
 
My epiphany came about 2 years ago when I realized I was just a replaceable cog in the machine. Interestingly enough I was attending my CMG's "Leadership Academy" program, and rather than turn me into a corporate clone, it drew back the curtains and showed me what this business is really about. No matter where I work no, be it for a hospital, CMG or small group I realize that I am just an employee, and entirely replaceble. Anyone who thinks otherwise is delusional.

Yep, we are all replaceable cogs. The upside is that we can switch machines.
 
My epiphany came about 2 years ago when I realized I was just a replaceable cog in the machine. Interestingly enough I was attending my CMG's "Leadership Academy" program, and rather than turn me into a corporate clone, it drew back the curtains and showed me what this business is really about. No matter where I work no, be it for a hospital, CMG or small group I realize that I am just an employee, and entirely replaceble. Anyone who thinks otherwise is delusional.

I agree.

For the OP I also agree with Old Mil that you first need to identify a region you want then work to figure out that region. You can do this by asking people you know in the area, scanning the back pages of the journals and throw-aways to see who is recruiting in the area you want and cold calling ERs. I found it to be pretty easy to cold call ERs and find out who the group is. You can also seek out a head hunter by having attendings you know forward you their spam or just calling a few of the CMGs. Bear in mind that head hunters aren't always transparent about the problems with jobs they are trying to fill and that once you talk to one you will be pen pals for life.
 
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