Any tips for locating MSG jobs? How did you guys go through the process? Any good websites or resources? Currently at the end of my 1st year of residency and I know its early but I'm curious. Thanks!
Excellent tips have been given by others that might have given a message similar to me, but here is some honest advice:
As far as resources I am not sure there is a better one than here at the moment.
Most jobs show up on the standard general and podiatry job sites. If you search harder and deeper you might find one occasionally on a recruiters web site or hospital site occasionally that are not on the big sites.
By in large there are no short cuts or secret web sites. It is often hard and humbling work to find a good first job in this profession.
1. At end of your 1st year you really need to decide how geographically open you are. One suburb, anywhere near one city, within two hours from one city, one state, one whole region of the country, or anywhere?
The advice is so, so much different depending on this.
I would not apply to posted jobs until your 3rd year. PP or creating you own job maybe middle of 2nd year. It is better to be early than late and it will give you experience and some confidence talking with people and interviews etc.
2. If you have any connections keep in touch and use them. Those with large enough connections are basically guaranteed jobs, but a medium or small connection might at least get you an interview.
3. It does not hurt to apply to the posted jobs and you should. Everyone else is doing this. Can you blame them for giving preference to someone that has a few years experience, is board certified, living in or near the area and putting up regular cases at the local surgery center? If you are that person you will probably get the job and they will basically stop talking to other candidates, whereas just finishing residency you never even got considered for an interview.
At least write a cover letter letting them know you have ties to the area if that is the case or why you want to work and live there. Do this for all jobs actually and modify the CV and cover letter slightly . It is so easy to submit a CV these days and they usually get way too many for podiatry. Apply very early, as in the first day or two.
4. You might be able to create your own job at a more rural or especially a very remote hospital. They are used to it being very hard and paying recruiters to get doctors. If a podiatrist falls in their lap, they might hire you. As it has been mentioned they often have no clue how much easier it is to recruit a podiatrist than an MD. If it works out you will likely just get a standard contract with a base they think is fair.
5. Some large hospital systems sometimes have many podiatrists employeed almost in a PP model with surgery maybe half of a day per week. Your chances to get a job like this in a medium sized town or even a large city that is not completely saturated is not horrible, but they are not always available. The jobs will likely be posted before they can officially hire and they will not give you the job without posting, but making contact with a recruiter employed by them can not hurt. The pay could be as low as 150K and possibly going straight production after a year. If you are from the area your chances might be reasonable to get an interview and maybe even the job even against some like CutsWithFury if they like you and are afraid he might move again in a few years and has no connections to the area. Someone like him though is also less likely to apply to this job as there is less income potential and less surgery than Ortho, MSG or a hospital job that wants/expects more surgical volume and call.
6. If you know the area you want to live obviously contact the MSG and Ortho also in the area. Some ortho want a non surgical podiatrist, some want one that does forefoot only and some want that does trauma and rear foot/ankle and some want nothing to do with podiatrists.
7. If all else fails make sure to get a PP job where you can learn the business side and get your numbers for boards. Once you are board certified getting a hospital, MSG or Otho job will be not be guaranteed, but your chances will be much higher, especially if you are somewhat geographically open.
Even getting a decent PP job, and this is where most the jobs still are, often takes using your connections, making calls and sending or emailing your CV and cover letters with follow-up. I would focus more on the practices with 2-5 doctors as someone might want to slow down or maybe they wanted to add someone soon and you seem perfect. A solo doctor going to two doctors is a big risk for them and you that it even works out. Also even getting them to get around to offering a contract can be time consuming even if they seem interested. Their chances of changing their mind is higher also even after it seemed promising. The very large PP groups will usually advertise if they need someone and it has not been filled by word of mouth. If you are extremely geographically limited obviously exclude nothing and call them also.
8. You would be surprised how many graduating residents are either extremely geographically limited or only apply to the same posted jobs as everyone else or talk with only attendings at their residency for jobs. They often wait too long also to look for jobs. If you are geographically open and very proactive you stand a much better chance to get a good job.
Even many that read this forum will not be proactive in the job search. It might not seem fair it is not like that for many other professions, but that will not help you.
It is amazing to me how many people that work so hard in podiatry school and residency are not more proactive in the job search. You either have connections or you do not. The training is pretty similar these days and those outside of the podiatry world rarely care which residency you did. You better be board qualified. Working harder and smarter at the job search is the only advantage you have over someone else. I guess it is so many years of that student mentality why others are not more proactive. The real world is coming soon and you don’t want an 80K Medicaid clinic job, nursing home job or to buy an overpriced office for sale in the ghetto do you?
Be proactive!! It is often a numbers game, especially for your first job in this profession. Whatever decent to great job you end up with will usually seem like "luck", but in actuality you often create your own luck.
