How to look for and negotiate a job in medicine1:
1.
Figure out what you want: Job vs. Career
a. My vision-What do I like doing? What am I passionate about? What do I gravitate towards?
b. Reality of job market: what kinds of jobs are out there? Why would someone need me? Is it to replace
someone who has left or a new position? What would they want me to do? What do you look for in a
future mentor?
c. Location, location, location
i.
Family considerations
ii.
Geography
iii.
Fish size/pond size
iv.
Stay with familiar or break into the unknown
v.
Non-traditional jobs? (public health, managed care, etc.)
2.
Find places that you might want to work:
a. Network, network, network
b. Mentor
c. GIM/FM/PM chiefs in your desired geographical area
d. All important people even if you think they aren’t hiring
e. Society meetings
f. Society websites
g. Journal Ads
h. Online
i. Recruiters
j. Division chief
k. Educational Jobs: Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine
l. Other research group heads with programs/grants
3.
Getting your foot in the door
a. Update your curriculum vitae: make sure your mentor and a number of other fellows/faculty critique it
before sending it out. No fancy formatting-you have a lot to offer, so no need to ‘spice it up’ with color,
font, etc. Standard format is best. Ask senior fellows or junior faculty for copies of theirs to model
yours after.
b. Examples: BU Standard Template/ ACP template
c. Introductory letter (2 pages)
i.
1st paragraph: who sent you, who are you, why you are writing them
ii.
Make it personal
iii.
Highlight your CV
iv.
Describe what you are looking for
v.
Be focused and tailor it to the target- explain why you would be a good match for them and
could fill a need they might have
vi.
Check the grammar, spelling, etc- show it to your mentor and others that you trust
d. Who to contact?
- anyone in the list above. Try to send as few cold letters as possible.
4.
Visiting/Interviews
a. The first interview: IMPORTANT FIRST IMPRESSION—like a blind date (it may be a phone interview)
i.
Get as much advance information as possible- Medline, contacts, etc.
ii.
Is there someone YOU want to meet with? Ask them to arrange
iii.
Look sharp (dark clothes better than light)
iv.
Practice interview questions
a. How will you be valued? “In 3 years, how will you judge my success or lack of success?
What are your expectations of me? How will I impact your section/department?
v.
TOOT YOUR OWN HORN- no one is going to do it for you. Even if you feel underconfident,
just know that you are superbly trained and qualified for undertaking this next step. You
probably underestimate how much you have grown and learned in this training program.
Take some risks- this is an experience, cultivate serendipity
vi.
Have an idea of a concrete career plan- research, teaching, administration, etc.
vii.
Thank you letters- include specific, concrete or personal details
viii.
JOB TALK—40 minutes—practice practice practice- for investigators only; there is no
equivalent for educators
Anand Kartha MD MSc October 2009
Page 1
ix.
b.
Investigators: accomplishments more than personality; Educators: more “who you are” rather
than accomplishments.
The second interview: Get them to propose! (or at least offer a job to you)
i.
See all of the above
ii.
Remember that you are one of a number who they might be looking at
iii.
DON’T NEGOTIATE A JOB UNTIL IT HAS BEEN OFFERED.
iv.
Consider bringing spouse, looking at housing, etc.
v.
Ask the junior faculty all the hard questions- how much support do they have, what the microworking environment is like?
vi.
Questions to ask: what is the philosophy and tone of the institution, what is valued there
(promotion, tenure questions are a good yardstick)? How is time protected? Who is
promoted? How are the missions of the institution balanced and prioritized? Where are the
offices? Is location important? Salary: sources of support and institutional expectations.
Resources: space, personnel, administration, etc.
5.
Negotiating an offer:
a. NEVER NEGOTIATE A JOB UNTIL IT HAS BEEN OFFERED
b. Read job negotiation books: How to make $1000 in a minute
c. Get it on paper
d. If they give you everything you ask for, you probably didn’t ask for enough
e. Salary: find out range of what others in your position earn
f. There is more to an offer than salary
g. Tactfully let competitors know you have concrete offers and how you really want to work something out
with them. (especially if it is true)
h. Keep your mentor/chief/program directors apprised of your offers so that they can help you.
i. Consider hiring a consultant to coach you through this process. It will pay dividends in the long run.
6.
Accepting a job
Be gracious, personally inform unsuccessful suitors quickly. You never know when you might need to
relocate. Don’t want to burn any bridges. Also, you represent the program here, so we don’t want you to
burn any bridges for residents/fellows who follow in your footsteps.
7.
The reality:
a. Organizing your first year
b. Protecting time: can people do it, what are the principles behind this
c. Making yourself visible
d. Dealing with several bosses: saying yes, saying no
e. Institutional personality disorder: different missions, all at the same time
f. Sources of funding
g. Promotion, tenure 1) publications 2) funding
References:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Jane Liebschutz, MD MPH FACP October 2006 Academic Seminar
The Ultimate Guide to Finding the Right Job After Residency by Koushik Shaw
Life After Residency: A Career Planning Guide by Melissa T. Berhow
CareerMedicine.com's Mini Guide to Physician Job Search by Dr Sandeep Grewal MD
The Physician's Job-Search Rx: Marketing Yourself for the Position You Want by Javad H. Kashani, Wesley D.
Allan, and Kate Kelly
Salary information: (RANGES ONLY, all salaries are locally determined)
a. Former grads
b. Your mentor/ faculty
c. Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) academic physician salary survey.
d. Hospital and Healthcare Compensation Svc (HHCS) all physicians survey.
e. Sullivan Cotter and Associates (SCA) survey for all physicians.
f. Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM) survey for hospitalists.
Anand Kartha MD MSc October 2009
Page 2
Regional Classification of Data
1
2
6
9
4
8
5
3
7
1. New England
Connecticut
Maine
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
Rhode Island
Vermont
2. Middle Atlantic
New York
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
3. South Atlantic
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Maryland
North Carolina
South Carolina
Virginia
West Virginia
4. East North Central
Illinois
Indiana
Michigan
Ohio
Wisconsin
5. East South Central
Alabama
Kentucky
Mississippi
Tennessee
6. West North Central
Iowa
Kansas
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
North Dakota
South Dakota
7. West South Central
Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas
8. Mountain
Arizona
Colorado
Idaho
Montana
Nevada
New Mexico
Utah
Wyoming
9. Pacific
Alaska
California
Hawaii
Oregon
Washington
Hospital & Healthcare
Compensation Service
www.hhcsinc.com
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
1. Scholarship Reconsidered: Priorities of the Professoriate Ernest L. Boyer (interested in
academic medicine)
2. The Ultimate Guide to Finding the Right Job After Residency [Paperback] Koushik Shaw
(what to do next)
3. The Physician's Job-Search: Marketing Yourself for the Position You Want Javad H.
Kashani (tips for all kinds of jobs, solo/group/academic/ CMO..)
4. Physician, Protect Thyself: 7 Simple Ways Not to Get Sued for Medical Malpractice
[Paperback] Alan G. Williams (just buy it and read it now)
5. AMA Physician's Guide to Financial Planning. AMA (how not to lose all your $$)
6. AMA bookstore also has a number of practice management books.