Not off to a good start.

[SpoiledMilk]

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I signed a contract during my last year in residency to start in Fall 2026 in an outpatient clinic in a specific city.

Recently, the organization informed me that I could no longer be placed at the clinic I signed to start at. There are not enough patients to fill my panel and justify my contract. It wants me to start in another clinic that requires a 2 hour daily commute. I am not able to move to the new city where that clinic is located due to family responsibilities. The organization will not negotiate any changes to the contract I signed. The terms of the contract I signed does not take effect until l actually start in the Fall 2026.

How common does this occur?

Would I be "wrong" if I looked for other opportunities before the start date?

 

[wysdoc]

I signed a contract during my last year in residency to start in Fall 2026 in an outpatient clinic in a specific city.

Recently, the organization informed me that I could no longer be placed at the clinic I signed to start at. There are not enough patients to fill my panel and justify my contract. It wants me to start in another clinic that requires a 2 hour daily commute. I am not able to move to the new city where that clinic is located due to family responsibilities. The organization will not negotiate any changes to the contract I signed. The terms of the contract I signed does not take effect until l actually start in the Fall 2026.

How common does this occur?

Would I be "wrong" if I looked for other opportunities before the start date?

Since you have signed it, see if they will allow you to start at that location while being paid a percentage of your production instead of a flat contract rate.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

I made many suggestions including yours to stay in the original clinic, but they would not budge.

 

[sloh]

The writing is on the wall, and you're dealing with an employer that likes to play dirty. Find another job.

 

[dozitgetchahi]

Yeah this is a bait and switch. If you take this job, this likely will be the first of many issues coming down the pike. Look for another job.

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

Agree with everyone else here: if they won't budge, find a new job.

I had something similar happen to me. Got a job at a clinic, a month before moving (so we'd already sold our house and bought a new one) I was told that clinic wasn't ready for me yet. If I'd work at their UC for 2-3 months, it would be ready and I could switch over. 2-3 months became 1 year. I asked if they could move me at that point, they said no so I turned in my notice.

 

[anonperson]

I signed a contract during my last year in residency to start in Fall 2026 in an outpatient clinic in a specific city.

Recently, the organization informed me that I could no longer be placed at the clinic I signed to start at. There are not enough patients to fill my panel and justify my contract. It wants me to start in another clinic that requires a 2 hour daily commute. I am not able to move to the new city where that clinic is located due to family responsibilities. The organization will not negotiate any changes to the contract I signed. The terms of the contract I signed does not take effect until l actually start in the Fall 2026.

How common does this occur?

Would I be "wrong" if I looked for other opportunities before the start date?

F**k em.

Change jobs and don't even worry about it.

Ridiculous bait and switch on their end.

Is this common? You'd be surprised at how many low IQ online MBA rejects there are in healthcare administration.

Their one go to in their playbook is basically to be as rigid as possible. Unless the system has a huge monopoly in the area, it always leads to physician attrition.

 

[cabinbuilder]

Sounds like breach of contract to me. They are taking advantage of you because you are just coming out of residency. Get a lawyer and cover yourself. Happens all the time to doctors. Gotta look out for yourself. 2 hours commute each way is not doable and should not be expected.

 

[dozitgetchahi]

Sounds like breach of contract to me. They are taking advantage of you because you are just coming out of residency. Get a lawyer and cover yourself. Happens all the time to doctors. Gotta look out for yourself. 2 hours commute each way is not doable and should not be expected.

Wrt breaching the contract: this came up at my first (lousy) job, where they were constantly trying to change the time and location of my clinic. Unfortunately my contract did not specify the address of the clinic and time where I was expected to be in clinic, so I couldn’t argue that they had breached the contract.

OP, for any future contact, get the employer to include the specific location of your clinic. That way they can’t pull this nonsense.

Also, OP: the bright side to this is that they told you they were a **** employer before you ever started. This enables you to find another job before ever having to start. My first employer was like this…it was about 2 1/2 years of hell, with them pulling manipulative and disrespectful bull**** like this on a monthly basis. I only stayed as long as I did because I misunderstood the contract and thought I’d have to pay back a lot more of the bonus than I really had to (and because I was a green, naive young doctor). Once I realized that any payback was minimal, I gave my notice.

When you see BS from an employer, run. Thankfully you haven’t started yet.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

Since the Notice period (3-6 months) of the contract does not take effect until I start in Fall 2026, what will be a reasonable notice period to provide the organization that I will retracting my acceptance of the contract I signed if/when I get another offer:

Customary 2 weeks from the start date or the Friday before the start date?

 

[dozitgetchahi]

Since the Notice period (3-6 months) of the contract does not take effect until I start in Fall 2026, what will be a reasonable notice period to provide the organization that I will retracting my acceptance of the contract I signed if/when I get another offer:

Customary 2 weeks from the start date or the Friday before the start date?

So you haven’t done anything under this contract yet? Ie, they didn’t pay you a bonus or a stipend or anything that you may have to pay back? And the contract doesn’t come into effect until then?

In that case, any time after you get an offer and you know you’re going somewhere else (before the start of the contract).

 

[SpoiledMilk]

The bonus was to be received after starting.

I have been receiving a stipend but it is unrelated to the contract I signed. I do not need to pay back the stipend.

 

[cabinbuilder]

The bonus was to be received after starting.

I have been receiving a stipend but it is unrelated to the contract I signed. I do not need to pay back the stipend.

I would write a letter stating your reasons for declining their job offer due to their changing the contract without your consent and decline the position due to the change. Thanks but no thanks.

 

[smq123]

I signed a contract during my last year in residency to start in Fall 2026 in an outpatient clinic in a specific city.

Recently, the organization informed me that I could no longer be placed at the clinic I signed to start at. There are not enough patients to fill my panel and justify my contract. It wants me to start in another clinic that requires a 2 hour daily commute. I am not able to move to the new city where that clinic is located due to family responsibilities. The organization will not negotiate any changes to the contract I signed. The terms of the contract I signed does not take effect until l actually start in the Fall 2026.

How common does this occur?

Would I be "wrong" if I looked for other opportunities before the start date?

I would probably speak to an employment lawyer to navigate this correctly. But what a crappy situation they’ve put you in.

 

[cabinbuilder]

I would probably speak to an employment lawyer to navigate this correctly. But what a crappy situation they’ve put you in.

This, exactly. Sooner than later.

 

[MD46]

Agree with advise given by everyone thus far, I agree if they are starting off with these unreasonable shenanigans, this will likely get worse as you continue on with them. Lawyer up, find a solution and get out. Commuting that long will burn you out much faster than increasing work load. Good luck

 

[dozitgetchahi]

Agree with advise given by everyone thus far, I agree if they are starting off with these unreasonable shenanigans, this will likely get worse as you continue on with them. Lawyer up, find a solution and get out. Commuting that long will burn you out much faster than increasing work load. Good luck

And if OP is indeed fresh out of residency, the most important thing is to start looking for a new job pronto. A lawyer will easily be able to get you out of that nonsense (especially since it sounds as though the contract hasn’t yet taken effect), but getting a new job contract signed and credentialing completed will take some time.

 

[FrustratedFamDoc]

1. They planned on doing this to you the entire time because they’ve probably had a difficult time staffing the clinic the honest way. Any org would have done their due diligence before promising placement at a clinic where they knew the volume would not support your salary.

2. Many contracts now have verbiage along the lines where hey can place you wherever they choose, although they will ‘try’ to accommodate your wishes. Yeah, right. In this event, arguing breech of contract will be anything but straight forward. I don’t think they would of pulled this kind of move unless they knew they would be well covered, but maybe they are just that dumb…

3. If your contract has a buyout option, there are orgs that will take care of it if you agree to work for them.

New grads are ripe to be taken advantage of. I’ve been there, as have many of our colleagues. They know you’re broke and about to get killed with student loan payments so they dish bonuses out that you have to pay back the gross amount it you leave, and they know you won’t be able to, so they just toy with you.

I wish you good luck.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

I really appreciate all the advice provided by SDN members.

The original organization allowed me to rescind my acceptance of its offer due to the change in clinics without any repercussions. I have the emails to show in court should there be any lawsuits for breach of contract.

Additionally, I have found a new position that has a more reasonable/manageable commute time. I have signed on, and thanks to @dozitgetchahi for suggesting that I negotiate a specific location in the new contract and that any move to another clinic requires my consent. Leadership at my new organization was sympathetic to my situation and they gladly included the clause without hesitation.

I am in the process of getting credentialed.