Pain Contract Negotiation advice?

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Ligament

Interventional Pain Management
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  1. Attending Physician
Hi All,

I'm interviewing for pain attending positions and will soon be negotiating contracts. I really have no idea what to look for, how to negotiate, what's good and what is bad. Please give some pearls. Any and all tips appreciated. thanks!
 
I've recently gone through a contract review with my new job. A good starting point to get an idea about the "language" of medical contracts is the AMA Annotated Model Physician Employment Agreement (c) 2000. It offers the terms that favor the employer, then terms that favor the employee. Also, check out The Anesthesiology Resident's Guide to Gaining Employment by Antonio Conte [pub - Lippincott-Raven]. It has a good section on the basics of the contract. Obviously, retain a lawyer familiar with medical employment contracts. A typical review will cost around $400, but it's the best investment you'll ever make. EVERYTHING in the contract is negotiable, before you start to negotiate, prioritize what are the "deal breakers" vs what you'd be willing to compromise on....
 
I encourage you to meet up with your collegues in fellowship and/or residency and compare notes. After looking at a few you will start to see some trends. Everything is negotiable (no matter what they tell you). It is hard to give you more specifics without knowing more information about your positions. Academics, private practice, and hospital income guaranteed private practice all have different hurdles and facts to consider. One thing to keep in mind is that all contracts have been written by an attorney to protect the interest of the practice. Therefore, it is very unlikely that the first draft of the contract will be in your favor.
 
....or the 2nd, or the 3rd...it all depends on who you are dealing with. That might be a sign.

T
 
jeez this is funny, I posted this thread a long time ago, now looking for another position and wondering if anybody has any more contract pearls. Anybody specific you recommend to review and or negotiate the contract for me? Thanks! 😕
 
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