job interview etiquette (first real job)

[lantus2000]

Hi fellow investors,
this is the best place that I think I could post this thread, most of the people here are WCI followers.
I have read multiple physician contract books (rec from WCI site) but I am unclear on how to approach the subject of call.

I did a brief get to know you via phone with one of the staff at a potential job site. They are flying me in to see the place. One of the questions that I did ask was about call. They want to set up a primary endocrine in the hospital. I asked about how call would work for outpt and they said that I would be responsible for patients calling in after hours. In essence this is 24/7 call. I know what you are thinking, endocrine does not get called. But we do, tons of calls for random stuff. I just moved to the next topic as I did not want to shoot myself in the foot. I will be flying out there soon.

My question is how to deal with this once there.
Should I tell them at that time that this is a dealbreaker ( I would want there to be an automatic response if patients call that if severe to go to ER etc, otherwise call in AM) or should I wait for the contract to come and then counter with this point.

None of the books really said how to do this.
Most said just act dumb and blame it on your lawyer for any changes that you want.

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[dpmd]

Are you willing to negotiate this point at all (perhaps a system where the patients are advised their call will get passed on to the staff in the morning unless they feel it is urgent, thereby limiting the amount of calls while still being available, or have a system where whoever is on call will take any calls after x time at night until x time in the morning)? Keep in mind that the amount of patient calls that happen in residency is probably more than would occur in practice. If you are unwilling to negotiate then I think it wastes less time to be upfront about it, but of course means they may just move on to the next person who is willing to do it their way.

 

[QofQuimica]

I would clarify whether you are really expected to take 24/7 call. If you are, and if that is a dealbreaker for you (completely understandable if it is), then why waste your time and theirs flying out to see the hospital? Cancel it so that you and they can both move on.

 

[doc05]

if call is the only issue, I suggest you wait till contract negotiations. I can't imagine what endocrine call is. In fact I've never called an endocrine consult after-hours.

You shouldn't be expected to take call 24/7. You and I and everyone else here know that no other candidate would agree to 24/7 call, so don't accept pressure from the hospital to accept this nonsense. Make sure everything is written very explicitly in your contract. don't accept their "good faith" promise that call won't be too taxing.

 

[mvenus929]

if call is the only issue, I suggest you wait till contract negotiations. I can't imagine what endocrine call is. In fact I've never called an endocrine consult after-hours.

You shouldn't be expected to take call 24/7. You and I and everyone else here know that no other candidate would agree to 24/7 call, so don't accept pressure from the hospital to accept this nonsense. Make sure everything is written very explicitly in your contract. don't accept their "good faith" promise that call won't be too taxing.

EDs call with DKA admissions or thyroid storm. In pediatrics, parents call about blood sugar numbers, forgetting to take Lantus, or or whether to give stress doses of steroids in the adrenal insufficient kids. I imagine adult endocrine has to deal with the same sort of calls, just in adults.

The peds endos at my hospital do take 24/7 call for a week at a time. There are nights that are rough, and nights that are quiet.

 

[Smart Money MD]

It might be worthwhile to assess which (if any) other requirements for this job are dealbreakers and also ask yourself what changes would be palatable for you. Would taking the extra call be worthwhile if they paid you $X for being 24/7? And how much $X is adequate and reasonable? Do you have other job opportunities if you walked from this offer?