What to ask when interviewing at academic job?

[AnaMD]

Could someone please give me some advice as to what I should be looking for when I interview for academic jobs?

I know very little about contract negotiation. And I'm sure there are things about doing an attending job that I'm blinded to.

I'm in anesthesia, and have always desired to stay in academics because I really enjoy teaching residents and med students. I also want to be able to do research, although I am the first to admit my current list of publications and research project is pretty average, so its hard for me to really ask for much protected research time until I have "proven" myself to be worthy of it.

I really have no idea whats fair to ask for in terms of salary, benefits, etc, or even *what* to ask about that could come back to bite me later. Most things I've read deal more with private practice jobs and private models for anesthesia care.

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[ThoracicGuy]

Could someone please give me some advice as to what I should be looking for when I interview for academic jobs?

I know very little about contract negotiation. And I'm sure there are things about doing an attending job that I'm blinded to.

I'm in anesthesia, and have always desired to stay in academics because I really enjoy teaching residents and med students. I also want to be able to do research, although I am the first to admit my current list of publications and research project is pretty average, so its hard for me to really ask for much protected research time until I have "proven" myself to be worthy of it.

I really have no idea whats fair to ask for in terms of salary, benefits, etc, or even *what* to ask about that could come back to bite me later. Most things I've read deal more with private practice jobs and private models for anesthesia care.

Often with academic jobs you'll be offered a contract and you won't really be able to negotiate it. Take it or leave it. At least that's the experience that people I've known have told me about. I don't have an academic job.

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

Often with academic jobs you'll be offered a contract and you won't really be able to negotiate it. Take it or leave it. At least that's the experience that people I've known have told me about. I don't have an academic job.

I think it also depends on what kind of academic job. I interviewed for a community based FM attending job and negotiated a significant increase in signing bonus compared to their average (didn't take the job for other reasons). I suspect that would have been less likely to work had it been a job at a major teaching institution.

 

[hamstergang]

I was able to negotiate more money and more non-clinical time from an academic job I didn't take. Might also depend on the field and how in demand you are. Benefits were set by the union and unable to be changed.

 

[Saddleshoes]

---Just a few quick thoughts...
1. Will they allow you time to do some private practice work too?
2. Do they have some kind of a continuing education support program?
3. Make sure the hours of operation, on call requirements, days off, holiday, vacation, sick time, etc. are very clearly spelled out.
4. Is it an employee position or a contractual position. (Be sure you know the difference!)

 

[Goro]

Could someone please give me some advice as to what I should be looking for when I interview for academic jobs?

I know very little about contract negotiation. And I'm sure there are things about doing an attending job that I'm blinded to.

I'm in anesthesia, and have always desired to stay in academics because I really enjoy teaching residents and med students. I also want to be able to do research, although I am the first to admit my current list of publications and research project is pretty average, so its hard for me to really ask for much protected research time until I have "proven" myself to be worthy of it.

I really have no idea whats fair to ask for in terms of salary, benefits, etc, or even *what* to ask about that could come back to bite me later. Most things I've read deal more with private practice jobs and private models for anesthesia care.

Where's my pal @HomeSkool when you need him?
What's the tenure process like?
What are the requirements for tenure?
Any start-up money for research (if research is expected?)
Will you be given any protected time for research?
If yes to the previous two question, do you get a post-doc, grad student or technician (assuming lab research)?
How much teaching responsibilities? Pre-clinical or clinical?
What's the salary range?
Obligation to publish and or get extra mural funding?
W hat's the faculty turnover rate?
How do people like the current Dept' chair?

 

[clausewitz2]

I was able to negotiate more money and more non-clinical time from an academic job I didn't take. Might also depend on the field and how in demand you are. Benefits were set by the union and unable to be changed.

Also size of the program/prestige. Our shop graduates residents each year (and retains a lot of them) and is part of a sprawling Leviathan stretching across 37 hospitals and three states. Per everyone who has been through the process, the major choice left to you during contract negotiations is whether you would like to sign the unchanging standard contract in blue ink or black.

 

[HomeSkool]

• Resident vs mid-level supervision mix?
• Can you negotiate a higher rank than you currently have (i.e., assistant professor, associate professor, full professor)?
• Rehire rate for recent residency graduates?
• Financial stability?
• Individual vs institutional ownership of patents/innovations?
• Common/rare to perform multi-institutional studies?
• Outside clinics or satellite hospitals at which you'll do clinical work?
• Anticipated changes to departmental structure in next few years (i.e., mass retirements, creation or elimination of department subsections, etc.)?

Often with academic jobs you'll be offered a contract and you won't really be able to negotiate it. Take it or leave it. At least that's the experience that people I've known have told me about. I don't have an academic job.

That's how it was for me. On my interview day, they told me they'd bring me in as an assistant professor, which makes $X, and that was that. I must say, it's nice not having to negotiate your own contract and risk getting screwed by your partners.

 

[AnaMD]

Thank you all. This helps a lot.

I should mention I will be a new graduate from fellowship, so I am in a "lesser" position to do much bargaining compared to a more experienced anesthesiologist. But I appreciate the replies very much.

 

[IlDestriero]

Often with academic jobs you'll be offered a contract and you won't really be able to negotiate it. Take it or leave it. At least that's the experience that people I've known have told me about. I don't have an academic job.

I disagree with this.
I think you have a lot more to potentially negotiate in an academic job than a PP job. That’s usually partner track or non partner track?
Some of this depends on if it’s a real academic job or not. Meaning is it essentially a private practice job at an academic hospital or are you one of a bunch of annual disposable temporary hires expected to move on in a few years? If so you’re just there to move the meat and they may not offer you anything.
It’s easier to get one time concessions than something that is multi year. Think 25k signing bonus vs 12k/yr raise. Better parking garage vs more vacation time.
Many things will be fixed for everyone. How vacation is determined for example, or base pay by academic rank. Other things are not. You won’t know what’s what unless you ask. Some things are fixed, but how they’re determined isn’t as fixed. For example they may say vacation time is based on years of service there, but you ask for credit for your 10 years of experience elsewhere and they start you off with max vacation.
What rank they bring you in will likely not be flexible and depend on your experience. You may want to start as a clinical instructor if given a choice if you’re going into an academic program in a publish or perish/up or out track. The year or two that you spend there will not count on the up or out clock. That can help you get a mentor, refine some research goals, seek some funding, etc. all without the publication pressure starting. That’s potentially very helpful if you don’t have a lot of research experience and/or didn’t train there so you don’t have mentors, contacts, etc. worked out.
Other things-
Academic time. -Protected academic time.
Number of clinical days required.
Professional expense account amount.
Admin responsibility
Protected Time for admin
Money/time for additional training/degree/certification
Mentorship
Relocation expenses
Employment for spouse
Lab space
Start up funds
Time with statistician, etc.
Shared equipment


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Il Destriero