When to start looking for a job

[deleted875186]

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For those of us applying for peds and pain fellowships, we match fairly late in CA3 year (October). Is the norm to start to look for jobs now or in the Fall in case we don’t match?

Also, how long long should I give myself to look for a general anesthesia job. I know it takes quite a bit of time to get credentialed.

 

[Mikkel]

First job should be a throwaway in the majority of cases. Find a group where you can make a lot of money to pay off debt as quickly as possible. While you're doing that, take your time finding a different job that can last the rest of your career, ie with equality, equity, and earnestness.

 

[2Fast2Des]

First job should be a throwaway in the majority of cases. Find a group where you can make a lot of money to pay off debt as quickly as possible. While you're doing that, take your time finding a different job that can last the rest of your career, ie with equality, equity, and earnestness.

What if you start realizing the first job isn't what you really panned out to be, except other jobs aren't exactly hugely more riveting because AMCs... And being geographically limited for the meantime.

 

[okayplayer]

First job should be a throwaway in the majority of cases. Find a group where you can make a lot of money to pay off debt as quickly as possible. While you're doing that, take your time finding a different job that can last the rest of your career, ie with equality, equity, and earnestness.

This strikes me as very odd advice. Most of the jobs where you can make a lot of money require a huge buy-in in terms of time, money, or both. Besides not going through multiple buy-ins, there is the issue of tail coverage, moving costs, real estate transactional costs, inconvenience to your family, etc etc etc.

You are not rewarded for switching jobs with any regularity in our profession IMO.

 

[DM27]

I started looking during September/October of my fellowship year. I think I verbally committed to a job around October/November. I was regionally restricted so my search wasn’t especially broad.

 

[B-Bone]

If you're looking for a job "in case you don't match", I certainly wouldn't sign a contract until after the match. Fine to interview and whatever, as long as the jobs you're looking at know your timeline. What you don't want to do is sign a contract and then back out of a job if you match. that screws an employer over pretty hard. anesthesia's a pretty small world, and a move like that could haunt you later. One of the problems with this match schedule is that a lot of top tier jobs that might be available next summer will be gone by October. Not all, but a lot.

 

[Mikkel]

What if you start realizing the first job isn't what you really panned out to be, except other jobs aren't exactly hugely more riveting because AMCs... And being geographically limited for the meantime.

I guess what I'm saying is, don't get suckered into a "5 year partnership track" job and getting supremely underpaid with uncertain future, because you can't find an ideal short partnership equality-focused group right out of residency.

I'd rather work my ass off in an AMC for a relatively-high salary for a few years while I'm looking for better groups/locations.

 

[Dam272]

I guess what I'm saying is, don't get suckered into a "5 year partnership track" job and getting supremely underpaid with uncertain future, because you can't find an ideal short partnership equality-focused group right out of residency.

I'd rather work my ass off in an AMC for a relatively-high salary for a few years while I'm looking for better groups/locations.

That’s my plan post fellowship
For the first few years, work hard, play super hard. Bring it on

 

[AdmiralChz]

For most practices it's less than 2 or 3 months contact-to-hire in terms of time, so even if you "don't match" you'll be fine since the latest match is in October. That puts you at the latest getting hired at Christmas which is plenty of time to get everything in.

Credentialing new grads is a breeze - you have very limited and typically uninterrupted work history and you have plenty of people willing to fill out hospital evals for you. There are some shops out there it takes a while, maybe 4 months (my fellowship shop was one of them... yikes they were bad), but you shouldn't have any issues with 6-7 months leeway. Of course if you have some oddball history with disciplinary action reported to the medical board, lawsuits, several different residencies, lack of board eligibility than it could become tricky. We don't start credentialing new hires until 3 months prior to their start date, but we also have tons of people on those committees so we can push through nearly anyone with a state license that isn't a total douche.

The bigger question is what is your backup plan if you don't match - go into practice and don't look back? That's fine, but if you think you want to try again in a year or two then you should tailor or applications appropriately.

 

[dchz]

For most practices it's less than 2 or 3 months contact-to-hire in terms of time, so even if you "don't match" you'll be fine since the latest match is in October. That puts you at the latest getting hired at Christmas which is plenty of time to get everything in.

Credentialing new grads is a breeze - you have very limited and typically uninterrupted work history and you have plenty of people willing to fill out hospital evals for you. There are some shops out there it takes a while, maybe 4 months (my fellowship shop was one of them... yikes they were bad), but you shouldn't have any issues with 6-7 months leeway. Of course if you have some oddball history with disciplinary action reported to the medical board, lawsuits, several different residencies, lack of board eligibility than it could become tricky. We don't start credentialing new hires until 3 months prior to their start date, but we also have tons of people on those committees so we can push through nearly anyone with a state license that isn't a total douche.

The bigger question is what is your backup plan if you don't match - go into practice and don't look back? That's fine, but if you think you want to try again in a year or two then you should tailor or applications appropriately.

Half of peds fellowships went unmatched last year. he'll match.

 

[deleted875186]

I should mention I’m applying pain, more realistic that I might not match. I’m debating going general anesthesia for life verse applying again in the future if I don’t match. I think if I start working I will be heavily discouraged from applying again.

 

[chocomorsel]

Half of peds fellowships went unmatched last year. he'll match.

Thought peds was competitive. Guess I was wrong?