Psychiatry job interviews

[SNDAccount]

I’m at PGY4 psychiatry resident graduating this year. I’ve started the job hunting process and looking to move to a mid-high desirable area. I’ve been talking to different hospital recruiters and noticed a few things I was wondering if other people were experiencing also or just any insight in general is appreciated 🙏.

The process is taking longer than expected, takes one week+ to schedule a phone call with the hospital recruiter, then longer to schedule zoom interview, etc. It also seems that everybody wants to do a zoom interview before in person. I haven’t gotten to the in person interview stage, but can they offer you a contract without seeing you in person? And is it customary to pay for travel expenses in this case? I’ve had one recruiter tell me they will show me around the clinic and take me to dinner if I am in town.

Is it advisable to go with a RVU/production based model versus salaried? I’m thinking in psychiatry you are capped at the number of working hours in the day if it’s 30 minute follow up/1 hour new patient appointments. So there’s only so much “productivity” you can do by being more efficient.

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[comp1]

So yes, they most assuredly can offer you a contract without meeting you in person and my bet would be that probably most jobs don't interview people from out of the area in person now. Paying travel expenses was often, but not always, offered. We're in a post-COVID world now, however. For smaller groups, it depends on how desperate the organization is to some extent and thus them not offering could potentially indicate a more desirable job, although of course not definitively. The larger the organization, the more likely they are to offer travel and the longer they are to take to communicate with you as things have to bounce amongst many people. I've never even vaguely considered anything other than a salaried position with no production incentive. I want to know what my income will be. Others I'm sure feel differently.

 

[FlowRate]

I’m at PGY4 psychiatry resident graduating this year. I’ve started the job hunting process and looking to move to a mid-high desirable area. I’ve been talking to different hospital recruiters and noticed a few things I was wondering if other people were experiencing also or just any insight in general is appreciated 🙏.

The process is taking longer than expected, takes one week+ to schedule a phone call with the hospital recruiter, then longer to schedule zoom interview, etc. It also seems that everybody wants to do a zoom interview before in person. I haven’t gotten to the in person interview stage, but can they offer you a contract without seeing you in person? And is it customary to pay for travel expenses in this case? I’ve had one recruiter tell me they will show me around the clinic and take me to dinner if I am in town.

Is it advisable to go with a RVU/production based model versus salaried? I’m thinking in psychiatry you are capped at the number of working hours in the day if it’s 30 minute follow up/1 hour new patient appointments. So there’s only so much “productivity” you can do by being more efficient.

Pre-pandemic very normal to be flown out and put up in nice digs for interviews.

Post-pandemic, we're even doing zoom interviews even for in-city candidates, with options for them to come meet some of us when we're in-office at a different time if they're interested.

Not sure if we ever pay for people to travel out post-offer to confirm whether they like the place. I'd definitely want to be able to tour the facilities before taking a job.

 

[Sushirolls]

This is really a 2 way discussion.
If you are seriously considering the job, tell them you want to come out and view the facility, the town, explore schools, etc.
You learn a lot by simply driving around a town.
Don't be afraid to speak up and say, nay, to advocate, I am strongly interested in this job but I would like your assistance in getting me there to review, etc.
Assuming these are Big Box shop jobs, if they balk on this *red flag up* and time to look elsewhere.

 

[Candidate2017]

One tip I have: When interviewed by admin (medical directors, RNs, MBAs, etc.), smile and ask simple, stupid questions. But save the real questions for the doctors. Get their phone numbers because the doctors in the trenches, whom you may potentially work alongside, are more than willing give you real info on what is going on.

 

[comp1]

Ideally, the medical director is also in the trenches...