physician careers

Success! You’ve completed medical school. With luck, you’re doing exactly what you want to be doing and life is good. Now, if you could only get rid of those medical school loans…

If you borrowed money to attend medical school, you know how onerous that debt load can be. In fact, median student loan debt for those who graduated in 2013 was $175,000 (including undergraduate studies but excluding interest). Compare that sum with the median debt of $13,469 in 1978 and you realize that your debt load seems like a heavy burden because it is a heavy burden. 

A manageable monthly payment may be small comfort knowing that you’ll be making those payments for years to come. Fortunately, things might not be as grim as they appear. There are ways to get out from under the debt of your medical school loans faster than you might think if you’re committed to doing so. 

Possessing the proper perspective is critical to carrying out the steps necessary to pay off your medical school loans as quickly as possible. Feeling guilty because you’ve incurred so much debt will not serve you. You are not alone. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (October 2014):

• 79% of medical school graduates carry education debt of at least $100,000
• More sobering is the fact that 63% of med school grads owe at least $150,000 in education debt
• 86% of medical school graduates have at least some education loan debt. 

Knowing that there’s nothing to be ashamed of, if ridding yourself of your education loan debt as fast as possible appeals to you, here are some steps that can help you do so:

Know your debt.

Take inventory of whether your loans are government issued, from private lender(s), or a combination of both. The nature of the lender may impact which debt management strategies are available to you.  

Budget.

Seems obvious, but if you fail to follow basic debt reduction steps such as calculating what money you can make available to pay off your medical school loans, you’ll simply make the minimum monthly payment, precluding you from satisfying the debt sooner. 

Pay more than the monthly minimum.

Most student loans agreements contain no prepayment penalty provisions. If yours does not, paying more than the minimum amount required will save you money and shorten the repayment period. 

• For example, if you pay off a $30,000 loan with an interest rate of 4.5% over a 20 year period, you will end up paying just over $15,500 in interest in addition to the $30,000 principle amount. If, however, you pay that amount off in 10 years instead, you will only pay a little over $7,200 in interest. 

Even a little bit helps.

That $5.00 you spend every morning on your favorite double whip, low fat, extra jolt coffee can make a difference over the months and years ahead. 

FinAid.org offers an incredibly useful calculator that will help you “estimate the size of your monthly loan payments and the annual salary required to manage them.” Your lender may also help you calculate your options. 

Consolidate your federal medical school loans. Making a single monthly payment at a fixed interest rate can help you strategize your payments and eliminate the vagaries of variable interest rates. This suggestion does not apply to loans with low fixed-interest rates. Further information is also available at studentaid.ed.gov.  

Medical school loans are an example of “easy come, easy owe” – money easily borrowed at seemingly low interest rates. While it certainly adds up, you may be able to pay less and over a shorter period of time. 

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One other way to pay off your medical school loans is to find a job you love! If you are still searching for the perfect position consider Elliot Health System!

As a physician looking for your next job, you are likely taking into account many different criteria. You may be considering how well the job pays, how the experience will affect your career trajectory, and how well respected the institution is in the medical field.

But, arguably one of the most important things you need to consider is how the new job will affect your spouse. A physician’s spouse makes many sacrifices—albeit, willingly—during the course of physician careers. The spouse goes where the physician’s job take him or her; moving house and setting up the family life in a new location, perhaps over and over again over the span of a lifetime. These challenges that a physician’s spouse must accept and overcome can be made a little easier when the physician factors the spouse’s interests into the equation. Here’s how to include the spouse’s needs and wishes in your physician careers decision.

Encourage Independent Activity

As a physician, much of your time will be consumed at the medical facility where you work. Long and unpredictable hours are the hallmark of physician careers, no matter which position you decide to take. This leaves your spouse alone for several, if not most of their waking hours. Because of this, a physician’s spouse can feel lonely and isolated. In worst cases, this can lead to feelings of abandonment or depression.

When you encourage your spouse to enjoy independent activity, you are helping them find fulfilling ways to spend their time alone. As your spouse finds new ways to enjoy their own free time, you will naturally feel less pressured in your job as a physician, knowing that your spouse is not sitting at home counting the hours until your return.

When considering places for your next job, look for areas where your spouse can pursue and engage with their chosen independent activities. For instance, if they have taken up bicycling, look for towns with plenty of bicycle paths. Taking your spouse’s interests into consideration will help both of you to find happiness in your new job.

Include Your Spouse in Social Occasions

Being the spouse of a physician is dissimilar to being the spouse of other career men and women. Often, the unique issues and problems of a physician’s spouse are not able to be understood by those who are not married to a physician. As such, it’s very important for your spouse to be able to develop friendly bonds with other physicians’ spouses in your new job location. In that way, your spouse will be able to find emotional support in times when no one else seems able to understand their feelings.

When you are meeting with potential new employers at cocktail or dinner parties, be sure to bring along your spouse if possible. These social occasions and informal interviews are excellent opportunities to ensure that your spouse and the other physicians’ spouses will be a good match. Your spouse should be able to find at least one other person who might be a potential friend. These friendly relationships between physicians’ spouses will form the foundation of a community of friends and colleagues upon which you and your spouse can build a rewarding life in your new job location.

Remember that you and your spouse are, at the heart of all matters, a team. When you take your spouse’s needs and wishes into consideration, they will be emotionally and mentally able to support you in your career goals. Physician careers require an extraordinary amount of time, commitment and focus. When you and your spouse operate as a cohesive partnership, both of you will flourish.

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Are you wondering what sort of options exist for recreation around Elliot Health System? If so, make sure to check out our free Outdoor Adventure Guide. 

Rheumatology certification requirements changed in March 2016. While some of the of the certification details remained the same, there are differences that you must be aware of in order to complete this process. This article will focus on what you need to know to successfully complete your Rheumatology certification. 

The subspeciality of Rheumatology has particular requirements of a physician. You must already be certified in internal medicine, have completed the necessary fellowship training as part of your medical education, hold a license to practice medicine and have passed the Rheumatology Certification Examination. Additionally, you need to demonstrate clinical competence across several areas including the development of knowledge, advanced skills and behaviors as well as consistently providing competent care to patients. Specialized training must have occurred in an accredited program for a total of 24 months of training. According to the ABIM, the Rheumatology procedure involves, “Diagnostic aspiration of and analysis by light and polarized light microscopy of synovial fluid from diarthrodial joints, bursae and tenosynovial structures; and therapeutic injection of diarthrodial joints, bursae, tenosynovial structures and entheses.” 

Now that you have determined the Rheumatology certification requirements, it is now necessary to prepare to sit for the examination. This exam will test your ability to use clinical judgement, diagnostic evaluation and evaluate your knowledge across different areas. As a certified Rheumatologist, you must be able to identify and treat both common and rare medical disorders. There is a very specific blueprint that is utilized for this exam with topics across of multitude of areas. These areas include the following:

• Basic and Clinical Sciences                                  
• Crystal-Induced Arthropathies
• Infections and Related Arthritides
• Metabolic Bone Disease
• Osteoarthritis and Related Disorders
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Seronegative Spondyloarthropathies  
• Other Rheumatic and Connective Tissue Disorders (ORCT) 
• Lupus Erythematosus
• Nonarticular and Regional Musculoskeletal Disorders   
• Nonrheumatic Systemic Disorders     
• Vasculitides
• Miscellaneous Topics

Possible additional areas could include Geriatrics, Pediatrics, and Pharmacology 

The exam is multiple choice with one best answer required focusing on mostly patient scenarios. The examiners are also focusing on the tasks that a physician must complete including diagnosis, interpreting test results, forming recommendations, applying information from epidemiologic research and understanding the pathophysiology of the medical concerns. Once you have completed all the rheumatology certification requirements you are able to prepare to take the test. In order to sit for the exam, an on-line application must be completed with the fees paid. Once this is finished, information will be provided through a letter to schedule the test at a Pearson VUE center. The exam allows up to 10 hours of testing time divided into 4 sessions and breaks (up to 100 minutes) are allowed after each 2 hour session.

Results of your exam take time to receive. However, the longest you will have to wait is 3 months to learn if you have passed. It is always important to be prepared for any examination and it is likely that your studying and preparation for the examination never ended. Keep up the good work! You are capable of achieving this goal with appropriate preparation and practice just be sure to follow all the suggested rheumatology certification requirements. 

According to the ABIM in 2015 94% of those who took the exam passed! 

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Did you just pass your Rheumatology exam? Make sure to check out the career possibilities Elliot Health System has to offer.

A Family Medicine residency program is essential to become an independent Family Medicine practitioner. Residency programs will be a demanding part of your training. In this program you will gain and develop the skills and knowledge that will lead you to be proficient in all levels of care for your patients. You will also gain valuable experience that will allow you to practice independently and unsupervised in your professional career.

Residency program requirements are outlined by the American Board of Family Medicine. The specific eligibility required in order for a physician to enter a Family Medicine residency training program is identified in the residency guidelines. Your educational requirements for MD and DO degrees must be confirmed by the residency program director. If you are an international graduate, you must show that you have a valid Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduate certificate before you will be able to be appointed to a residency program. You must also hold an unrestricted medical license to practice in the United States – or completed a Fifth Pathway program at a medical school that is accredited by LCME.

Residency Program Requirements:

As a Family Medicine resident, you must be competent with outcome based proficiency in treating their patients of all ages, who present with undiagnosed and undifferentiated presentations that are commonly managed by Family Medicine physicians. Some of the outcome based residency program requirements: 

• Provide preventative care to their patients.
• Be proficient in interpreting basic clinical tests and images.
• Provide initial treatment for emergency medical problems and recognize acute conditions.
• Understand and use pharmacotherapy effectively and appropriately.
• Demonstrate competence managing maternity care within the scope of family medicine guidelines.
• Competently perform surgical, medical and diagnostic procedures that are appropriate for their area of practice.

Resident Experiences:

You will be assigned to a primary family practice site, and will be scheduled to see patients for a minimum of 40 weeks during each year of your program. During this time you will provide primary care to your panel of patients and integrate their care in all settings. Settings include: the family medicine practice site, the patient’s home, long-term and specialty care facilities as well as in-patient facilities. You will need the following to complete your residency:

• At least 200 hours, two months – or 250 patient encounters dedicated to caring for acutely ill or injured adult patients in an emergency department setting.
• At least 100 hours, one month – or 125 patient encounters caring for older patients.
• Patient encounters dedicated to the care of children and adolescents in an ambulatory setting is required. This will be 200 hours, two months – or 250 patient encounters. Including well-child, acute and chronic care. Residents must have at least 40 newborn encounters – including ill, as well as well baby encounters.
• Surgical patients – at least 100 hours or one month, including hospitalized patients, including operating room experience.
• Residents must have two months or 200 hours dedicated to patients with musculoskeletal problems, including sports medicine.
• Women’s health – at least one month, 125 patient encounters or 100 hours of experience with gynecologic issues, well-patient care, family planning and contraception.
• You must have 200 hours or two months that are documented in providing prenatal and post-partum care.

Resident Educational Activities:

Your sponsoring Family Medicine residency program site will provide you with educational resources to allow you to become involved in continued educational activities.

Match-lists:

You are now able to get assistance with creating your match-list by using the Residency Performance summary data which is available online. This will give you the performance data you need to be able to evaluate each specific program by seeing the scores for individual years as well as the national averages. 

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Have you completed your residency? Consider Elliot Health System as your next move!

After spending countless hours in the classroom, medical facility or hospital, you are finally prepared to obtain your national certification as a Physician Assistant. All the hard work and time away from loved ones has finally paid off. You are nearly ready to join your PA peers!

Physician Assistant certification requires a new graduate to take the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE). This 300 question, multiple choice exam is taken in five blocks of 60 questions, taken 60 minutes at a time. These questions will test you on basic and surgical knowledge across various medical areas including the organ system and clinical tasks. 

There are several requirements to the exam in order to qualify to participate in this certification process. There are time and educational requirements and of course necessary paperwork to complete this process. The preliminary step is to ensure that you have completed a qualifying educational program. So long as you have graduated from a program accredited by ARC-PA prior to July 1994, you are allowed to sit for this exam. Regardless of where you may have earned your medical degree, the program must be accredited by ARC-PA. If it was prior to the 1994 time period there is different eligibility criteria for your educational program based on historical accreditation programs. Additionally, if you are taking this exam no more than six years after completing your medical program, then you are eligible to participate. 

Registration requires further steps and there are time constraints to be mindful of. An application for the Physician Assistant certification exam along with a $475 fee must be sent in advance. The fee along with your application must be sent no more than 180 days after your graduation and the submission of all the requested paperwork. This time frame will be provided to you in writing after submission of the materials in an e-mail of acknowledgement of receipt of your application. Another items to be mindful of is that you are only able to take the test once every 90 days and not less than than 7 days after completion of your school program. The exam is scheduled at a location of your choice and there are sites all over the United States with Pearson VUE testing centers. 

Things to consider in order to ace your exam:

• Use the available resources for study materials, it is integral that you utilize these to study, review and prepare over time. 
• Take practice exams that require you to test oneself using the same method as the examiners will require. 
• You have breaks allotted to you during the exam after each block of 60 questions. Use these to eat, drink and refresh. Be careful though, the breaks last only 45 minutes. 
• Get to the site early, better to be prepared! Plus if you arrive late you are not permitted to take your exam at all. 

Have hope, according to the NCCPA, in 2015 96% were successful in passing the physician assistant certification exam the first try!

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Did you just pass your PANCE? Consider a career with Elliot Health System!

Social media is now prevalent in almost every industry, and the healthcare sector is no different. Every minute, people take to Twitter to post amazing ideas, information, and strategies for those that work in healthcare. The only problem is, in this vast sea of voices, which ones stand out and offer the most valuable information? The following are three of the top doctors to follow on Twitter who post can’t miss information regularly.

1. Kevin Pho, M.D. – @KevinMD
Dr. Pho has been a social media guru now for over a decade, and is considered one of the top healthcare influencers on Twitter. He joined the social media platform in 2007, and has amassed more than 140,000 followers. Playing the role on Twitter of one of social media’s leading voices for physicians, Dr. Kevin is also an author, keynote speaker, and is on USA Today’s Board of Contributors.  

The Nashua, NH physician got his start on social media with his extremely popular blog KevinMD, where he shares stories and insights from many people who intersect with our healthcare system. Founded in 2004, over 2,000 people in the industry have contributed to the site, and it’s been raved about in reviews from such reputable sources as the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and CNN.

2. Michael Gibson, MD – @CMichaelGibson
With over 219,000 followers, Dr. Gibson is a shining star in the community way beyond social media. He’s the founder and Chairman of wikidoc.org (otherwise known as “the living textbook of medicine”) and is responsible for creating a free encyclopedia online of medical information. Dr. Gibson joined Twitter in 2012, and has been posting frequently ever since. From biotechnology, to information on new drugs, his Twitter feed is a treasure trove of modern medical data.  

Dr. Gibson is also a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and currently works as an interventional cardiologist in Boston, MA. He has also served as the medical lead in a partnership with Microsoft, Google, and Yahoo to help design classifying medical content for schema.org. In addition, Dr. Gibson has given countless radio and television interviews that are available online. In other words, he’s a very easy man to find.

3. Akram Boutros, MD – @Akram_Boutros
Dr. Boutros practices in Cleveland, OH and joined Twitter in 2009. He is the President and Chief Executive Officer for the MetroHealth System, where their mission is defined as: “Leading the way to a healthier you and a healthier community through service, teaching, discovery and teamwork.” In 2014, he was named as one of the “most interesting people,” by Cleveland Magazine, and is known for his positive rapport with the entire staff at MetroHealth.

Dr. Boutros has almost 3,000 followers and Tweets on a daily basis, with subjects that include: the healthcare system, mental illness, and anything related to the field of medicine. The Egyptian-born physician had always dreamed about being a doctor, and admits to seeing every interaction as a chance for encouragement (so you know he gives great advice)!

Overall, the people that you choose to follow in the medical industry can greatly impact your stream of information. Why fill up your news feed with fluff when you can use it as a brief learning opportunity?  

Finding these physicians online takes no time at all, and all three are amazing doctors to follow on Twitter. These doctors are pillars in both their online and offline communities, and it’s no mystery as to why. Engaging with Dr. Pho, Dr. Gibson, and Dr. Boutros can only help to elevate you in your own position, and further your knowledge in the industry.  

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Want to follow Elliot Health System on Twitter? Click the button below.

The American Board of Family Medicine requires physicians to take the MC-FP Exam to be recertified or for your initial certification. The family medicine board certification requirements can be made into a checklist for your medical license that must be unrestricted to practice in Canada or the United States. The compliance documents for the physician’s professional role and their license to practice medicine are documents that must be submitted.  

In order to be ready, you should prepare in advance for an all-day affair of sitting and answering questions on a computer. 

The MC-FP Examination
* No score will be given on the 20 field questions. 
* Section 1 is two hours with 120 multiple choice questions.
* A 15-minute break is allowed. 
* Section 2 and 3 are Module exams and both are 45 minutes in length with multiple choice questions.
* The 70-minute break is allowed.

You should take the break because a few deep breaths, getting something cool to drink and let your brain relax with re-energize the mind.

* Section 4 consists of 80 multiple choice questions and is 95 minutes in length.
* The break time is 15 minutes.
* Section 5 has 80 multiple choice questions and is 95 minutes in length.
Be careful when you select a module. It cannot be changed after it has been confirmed. When the exam has reached its time limit that exam has ended. If you fail, you have to remain qualified to retake the exam. There is no limit on how many times you can retake the exam.

The family medicine board certification requirements have a list of every type of physical malady you will come in contact with during your practice.

The Self Assessment Module Requirements
* The Part II module earns 15 points.
* Completing 3 modules will give you the 50 points required. 
* The  Knowledge Assessment and a Clinical Simulation has 60 questions. 
*The required credits of Continuing Medical Education or CME

Part II Module  
* Knowledge Assessment and a Clinical Simulation with 60 questions on a selected topic. You have to answer 80% of the questions correctly and then the module must be completed within a year.
Part II Alternative Modules that can be completed to count toward the 50 points. 
* Patient Centered Medical Home 10 points 
* Health Literacy Module 10 points

Part III
* You passed the MC-FP examination.

Part IV Modules
* Performance in Practice or PPM
* Methods in Medicine Module or MIMM is for physicians who don’t participate with “hands on” patient care or work in the administrative capacity.

The Part IV module needs one part of each stage to be completed successfully. Part IV alternative modules that can be completed to count toward the 50 points.

MC-FP Entry Fees For The Modules
* Payment is due at the start of each module.
* The modules that are completed before starting the Entry Cycle Process will be forfeited.
* Part II modules must be completed within one year. Incomplete modules can be rescheduled or a different module can be chosen. 
* Fees for modules not taken will be refunded.
* You will receive 15 CME credits for completing each module. 

The family medicine board certification requirements apply to physicians in the military, the Coast Guard, Police departments, private practice and agencies that employ a doctor.

Congratulations! You have taken the Maintenance of Certification Program for Family Physicians or MC-FP exam and maintained your license to practice medicine. 

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Are you seeking the perfect place to practice medicine now that you have passed your MC-FP? Consider the opportunities Elliot Health System has to offer.

The search for employment as a physician may seem like it requires as much patience and dedication as your initial medical training. Your curriculum vitae, or CV, is the most powerful instrument you have in your employment search. A physician CV gives a potential employer a detailed summary of your education, experience, and qualifications, along with relevant personal information that you decide to share. The following information presents a brief guide to the physician CV and what you should include in this critical document.

Contact Information
Include your full name, plus your mailing address, telephone number, cell phone and fax numbers, and email address. This can also be an appropriate place to list your personal website address or a LinkedIn profile page.

You can list both personal addresses and professional addresses in this section, such as your address at a professional office, clinic, or hospital. Indicate clearly which address is which. If any of these addresses are temporary, also indicate this information.

Educational Background
List your complete educational background, starting with your undergraduate degree, any graduate degrees, and your medical degree. Include the complete name and address of the colleges, universities, or medical schools you attended, along with information on major courses of study and degrees attained.

This is also a place where you can list any academic honors you earned, including memberships in any academic honor societies.

Internships, Residencies, and Fellowships
Include details on all internships, residencies, and fellowships you completed. Provide the name of the organization or medical establishment where you were an intern, resident, or fellow, including full contact information for the organization. Include information on your medical specialty, any leadership roles you assumed, and notable accomplishments you made during your training.

Licensure and Certification Information
Provide a list of your medical licensure, with information on specialties, along with board certifications or any other credentials you hold. It is not necessary to include license numbers with this information.

Professional Experience
Your physician CV should include a detailed list of your professional experience in the medical field or related area, such as medical research or administrative positions. It’s usually better to highlight professional experience that is related to the type of position you’re seeking. For example, if you are looking to join a hospital or an active practice, highlight previous positions that involved direct patient contact and care. A separate section dealing with experience related to the position you’re after, along with another section describing other medical positions, could be effective.

Part-time positions should be listed separately from full-time positions.

Experience should be listed in reverse chronological order with the most recent position first, then the next most recent, and so on.

Include information such as position held, organization name and address, dates of employment, and a description of your duties. Provide as much quantifiable information as possible, such as the number of patients under your care, the number of residents or staff members you supervised, and so on. Note any relevant achievements you were responsible for in these positions.

Publications and Presentations
Include lists of professional publications, including bibliographic citations such as the name of the periodical where the publication occurred, date of publication, and page number (if relevant). For presentations and lectures, include the title and subject of presentation, where the presentation was made, and the organization or event that hosted the presentation.

Professional Affiliations
Provide a list of professional affiliations, such as medical organizations, industry associations, or other relevant memberships.

Professional References
Provide a list of professional references with names, positions, addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, and relationship to you in your professional position.

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Is your CV ready? Check out what Elliot Health System has to offer you!

You work extremely hard in high school to make sure you get into a good college. Then you work extremely hard in college to get the grades and recommendations necessary to get into med school. Then, after you get into med school, you find you really didn’t know what hard work was. Now you’re thinking about residencies and trying to decide what you really want to do when you finally grow up. Some of the top opportunities for medical students do not involve clinical practice.

Opportunities for medical students depend to a great extent on where you started. Your background, culture, whether you’re from a rural, urban or small town environment, all have significant influence on your goals. People with rural or small town ties are more likely to want to go back to that type of environment to practice and often pick primary care, especially Family Practice. Individuals who came from the inner city may want to dedicate their lives to helping the people they grew up with. But whatever dreams you have, there are a myriad of choices.

Residencies: The usual route.

• Primary care – Family Practice, Internal Medicine, Ob-Gyn, Pediatrics, Med-Peds.
• General surgery – The starting point for most surgical specialties and subspecialities. If you just want to do surgery in a rural area with a small hospital, you will be ready to start your practice.
• Orthopedic surgery, emergency medicine, other normal residencies
• Transitional year – Basically this is a year of internship, a year of medical and surgical rotations to give the future dermatologist, radiologist, neurologist, ophthalmologist or anesthesiologist experience beyond the narrow confines of his field.

But there are other paths to follow, some rather off the beaten track.

• MD/JD joint degrees – After completing med school, it would seem difficult to keep on going to school, but the opportunities and the financial benefits for someone with both a medical and a law degree are tremendous. There are many areas of law in which the dual degrees will make you an expert, most obviously healthcare. But management of medical organizations and academic careers in both medicine and law are possibilities as well.
• Other combined MD degrees – Adding a PhD, MBA (Master of Business Administration), MPH (Master of Public Health) or an MPA ( Master of Public Administration) opens up a multitude of career paths outside of the usual medical practice.
• Administration – With or without a residency a medical degree can open doors to a job as an administrator, especially in hospitals or healthcare organizations. A second degree such as a MPA or MBA can be obtained later to advance your career.
• Pharmaceutical company executive – The drug companies are looking for MDs with administrative skills.
• Medical consultant – An expert is needed by architects, healthcare planners, authors, film producers and multiple government agencies to sort out the language and concepts.
• Public service – Otherwise known as a political career, this is a definite possibility for those with public speaking abilities and strong political beliefs.

There are a huge number of training programs available to improve your leadership skills, improve your writing and business talents, turn you into an orator and start you on a course that may take you a long way towards your dreams.

And if you decide you really do want to practice medicine in one of its many forms, there are companies that specialize in helping doctors get established wherever they want to live. New England, the Southwest, the Gulf Coast – pick your own version of paradise.

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Want to learn more about opportunities with Elliot Health System?

Your medical residency experience has provided you with a wide range of skills and knowledge. You have earned the leverage that comes with becoming an expert in your field. However, there are a set of vital skills that you will need to effectively use in the very near future if you want to find a position that fits you well. There are four essential career search tactics for medical residents:

1. Leverage the resources available to you
It is common for second and third year residents to become singularly focused on their daily duties, and justifiably so. When possible, you should take the opportunity to pass some of the time-consuming tasks related to a post-residency job search on to the resources your school, medical center, or associated organizations. Look to the associations and groups that specialize in your discipline. These groups have job boards that only include positions that fit your specialization and also can be essential networking environments.

2. Learn the Market (In-Hospital vs. Private Practice)
For medical residents, there are two main avenues for entry into the job market: via a private practice or via an in-hospital position. You may find it interesting that electing an in-hospital position may set you apart from your competition.  According to a 2014 survey conducted by Merritt Hawkins, only 36% of third year residents chose “Hospital Employee” as the practice setting they would be most open to. The trend over the past decades has been for physicians to prefer small, privately run clinics. While there are many market forces that affecting this trend, being open to a, hospital setting may give you more options in the long run. Learn how a physician’s rights and duties differ between a hospital position and a private practice (partnership, solo, multi-specialty, single-specialty, out-patient clinic). 

3. Narrow your Geographic Focus
It is important to determine early on in your search to clearly define the geographic location in which you want to practice, then take the time research hospitals and practices in that location. It is wasteful to spend any effort on finding hospitals or practices that match your profession aspirations but do not have a presence in the geographic location you are limited to. In the early stages of your research, you will also want to determine whether a large metropolitan area or a rural setting. By honestly, systematically defining your criteria, it will help narrow your geographic options.

4. Contact hospital recruiters directly
One advantageous career search tactics for Medical Residents is to leverage in-hospital recruiters. A hospital operates on a much larger scale than a small, private practice and will have a Human Resources division committed exclusively to recruiting talented physicians. The hospital recruiter can be an extremely helpful ally, especially in large network of hospital and clinics, and you can often learn of new openings at that hospital before they are made public. A hospital recruiter may have information about ongoing, large scale research projects (more likely at University teaching hospitals or medical centers). The research project may not yet be completed and therefore not yet publicized or otherwise made public. 

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Elliot Health System is interested is interested in physicians who want to be a part of a healthcare organization focused on quality and work-life balance. Find out what EHS has to offer you today.