Is there a timeline for searching for jobs after residency?

[rachmoninov3]

I am a PGY-II who is currently watching all the PGY-IIIs scramble for jobs. Is there a timeline, or a step by step guide to getting one's first job after residency? Forgive me if I'm a tad precocious, but right now the PGY-IIIs are getting really concerned about not having any good offers. Don't get me wrong, they have a lot of offers, just none they want. This is especially disheartening because I really want to return home after residency and my worst fear is having to settle for a job I don't want, even if I do leave it in the first 5 years.

Any suggestions/resources?

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[cabinbuilder]

What I did to start was google physician jobs. Filled out a few online applications and the phone started ringing off the hook. Don't do it unless you have time to field the phone calls. My husband stayed at home so I had him act as my secretary and take down the offers. I started in December before graduation that would give me time to look at all the offers and I could figure out when I could take time off during rotations to go interview.

See my post in this forum about what to look for in contracts. In "how to turn down job offers". http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=968580

 

[smq123]

I am a PGY-II who is currently watching all the PGY-IIIs scramble for jobs. Is there a timeline, or a step by step guide to getting one's first job after residency? Forgive me if I'm a tad precocious, but right now the PGY-IIIs are getting really concerned about not having any good offers. Don't get me wrong, they have a lot of offers, just none they want. This is especially disheartening because I really want to return home after residency and my worst fear is having to settle for a job I don't want, even if I do leave it in the first 5 years.

Any suggestions/resources?

They may have to be patient and see what opens up. A couple of my classmates took job offers that surfaced at the last minute.

There is, sadly, no time line or step-by-step guide to finding your first attending job. It made me miss the carefully orchestrated dance of the Match, to be totally honest!

BTW, you're not being precocious at all. I started looking for jobs at the end of my second year and signed a letter of intent with my current job in October. One of the residents a year behind me already agreed to sign a contract in September. Some people start early.

 

[brats800]

I was in a similar situation as you, wanting to go "home" for work. I have 3 big hospitals in the city and a number of outlying hospitals / clinics. Around the end of INTERN year I'd sent out emails to the in-house recruiters for the main hospital groups. They told me that was a bit early and I should get back in contact around December of 2nd year. When I talked with them around 1/2 way through 2nd year, I found a lot of people in the hiring process for 18 months out. I did a number of interviews for the different groups...some had jobs available but only one that I was interested in (right area of town, right mix of inpatient / outpatient, good hours / pay / call / facility / etc). So I signed with them about 13 months before graduation and even got my signing bonus right at the start of 3rd year residency.

At the same time, I believe I had 2 of our 7 3rd years who, while they had offers, didn't actually sign for a job until after graduation.