I literally have a two private practice offers sitting on my desk right now in a midwest state (NOT CHICAGO), both offering 300s to start, one 2 year partnership tract the other 3 year. Not even desirable locations. Meanwhile every employed job around here is offering 500k+ year 1, with PLENTY of moonlighting to get much higher.
Like
guytakingboards is suggesting, they get you by phrasing as "long term it's worth it!" They'll cite high partner salaries of 700-800k (after an after-tax buy-in of course). But
maxxor is saying, they either sell out right before you make partner or find some other excuse to not make you partner. My academic-lite residency is filled with former PP attendings who got screwed over in some way by their practice.
I don't know if I'll abandon these offers, I still have the rest of my fellowship to decide. But don't be naive, private practice isn't some utopia, there's a reason even hard-working rads take all these employee jobs and keep these practices afloat.