Interviewing for attending positions

[darkmansaad]

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So....sent out my apps and fter my entire life of applying through rank lists I don't think I know what it is like to interview for a "normal" job.

In short: What are places looking for in applicants for their first attending position (I will be fresh out of fellowship)? I know that they obviously want me to work well with surgeons, get my cases started on time, be easy to work with, etc etc etc. How do I sell myself to the department I am interviewing with?


Thanks in advance.

 

[loveumms]

I've interviewed a few candidates at our institution and really we want someone like you described.

I had one guy drill me the whole time on the call schedule and how much he would be at work - red flag to me.

It would depend on what type of job you are interviewing for too - academics versus private practice. An academic job may be more interested in your interest in teaching and research.

Best of luck!

 

[somedumbDO]

So you are the commodity remember that. Fellowship people are hard to come by esp peds. Be yourself. Demand what you are worth. AND get EVERYTHING in writing down to who pays for pager and approx call per month. Private practice groups can f**** you in a heartbeat.

 

[BuzzPhreed]

Good advice.

I hate to split hairs but in residency/fellowship you get used to calling your anesthesiology supervising doc the "attending". When you're out in the real world, you're not actually the "attending" unless you are the admitting and/or solely responsible doctor. You are a consultant. We, board certified anesthesiologists, are not the "attending" physician 99.99% of the time... unless you are the one with the name on the patient's chart as the admitting/primarily responsible physician.

Just want to make sure you understand that. You may call the shots with your resident, but not with the primary service. Not saying that you're not in charge of the anesthetic, but just want to make sure you understand the subtlety here especially if the surgeon says "no, I don't want you to do that." Your only option if/when it gets to that is basically not to do the case. Some surgeons are real sticklers in that regard.

 

[Wiscoblue]

Availability
Affability
Ability


These are the three things that private groups are looking for. In that order.

I'm looking for a general guy to start March/April partnership track. great location. Good group.

Inbox me if you're available.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Noyac]

Availability
Affability
Ability


These are the three things that private groups are looking for. In that order.

I'm looking for a general guy to start March/April partnership track. great location. Good group.

Inbox me if you're available.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Jet's quote lives.

 

[deleted171991]

Jet's quote lives.

Which was?

 

[Noyac]

Which was?

It was in the context of how to survive and be a good partner out of residency.
One should be available, affable and able.
Personally, I thought this was one of his greatest posts.

 

[johncunningham]

I think you have summed it up pretty well. There are dozens of posts on the topic buried in threads over the years. What I think is most important is that you play well with others. Remember that you have to make everyone happy most of the time. When the rubber meets the road and things are going poorly, you might get some slack for being short or abrupt, but you must always be polite. If I am doing the hiring, and I get to voice my opinion in our group, I want someone that is actually a nice person. That to me means that you have taken the time to learn the names of the folks you see every day/week/month. It means that you realize that it falls to us to make sure that the patients and their families are happy. I means that it falls to us to make sure that the surgeons are happy. It means that it falls to us to make sure the administration is happy. This might sound like heresy to some on this board, but it also means that you need to keep the CRNAs happy if you work with them.

It goes without saying that you need to be safe. skilled. smooth. competent... however you describe it.

A final thought. People love JPP, and I can't say a bad thing about him, never having met him. I think his analogy was to think of yourself as the offensive lineman of the OR. My description is more mundane. I/we (anesthesiologists) are grease. WE make everything run smooth. We fix problems. We make the day go by safely and pleasantly, keeping all those other folks happy (surgeons/families/patients/nurses/clipboard holders/administrators...). Hopefully you can find a place here you will be respected and people are able to recognize all that you actually do. There is so much more to it than anesthetizing patients.

John

 

[deleted171991]

It was in the context of how to survive and be a good partner out of residency.
One should be available, affable and able.
Personally, I thought this was one of his greatest posts.

With all due respect to JPP, that's a common saying in the medical field.

 

[Noyac]

With all due respect to JPP, that's a common saying in the medical field.

That's probably where he got it. But the first time I heard it was from him about 10 yrs ago.

Im sure it is a common saying but unfortunately it is not all that commonly practiced.

 

[BuzzPhreed]

Im sure it is a common saying but unfortunately it is not all that commonly practiced.

Very true.

Although you learn quickly who you can depend upon. And you usually go to them. And that's the point of being AAA.