Is APA beneficial for a resident looking for a job?

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Kr#36

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Thinking about going to the APA meeting in LA in May. I'm not overly interested in most of the presentations as I can just watch the ones I'm interested in online, but thinking about going for the career center? Is this worth it or will it mostly be the same crummy jobs I can find on doc cafe?

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Not worth it. Most recruiters are good looking folks luring you with their looks and pens and iPhone chargers to join what is likely a crappy job (hence their need to recruit to begin with), and they usually know very little, if anything meaningful about the job, such as what the work actually entails, your actual income, benefits etc. Better off actually networking with some of the psychiatrists there in the geography you are interested in who can give you the real scoop.

Exception - when I last went, there was a recruiter who ended up actually being the medical director of the program (some county in central CA) who genuinely seemed passionate about his role and getting psychiatrists to join. He did his residency nearby and lived in the area since. He at least presented useful numbers, such as outpatient case loads, availability for inpatient/crisis work, how much moonlighting pays, etc. But he was the one beacon (albeit with their own obvious biases) in a sea of sirens.
 
No. You don't go to the APA to find a job. You go to socialize and learn a little. You can find any jobs advertised there elsewhere (online) and hopefully when you get one of those jobs, they will fund your future visits to the APA. Honestly most of the job fair consists of government jobs, so you can see them already on usajobs.gov or your local state site
 
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