Magazine

Understanding competition in your specialty

When looking for a job, it’s good to know what the market looks like in your specialty. Each quarter, PracticeLink pulls the most challenging specialties to recruit, and the specialties with the highest demand. The larger the "jobs per candidate," the lower the competition for those opportunities. The Most Challenging to Recruit Specialties are those with the highest demand-to-supply ratio in the PracticeLink system. The Most-In-Demand Specialties represent those that have the most jobs overall posted on PracticeLink – specialties for which the demand for physicians is hi....

Megan Trippi

Writing a compelling CV

Many job seekers know ’CV’ is short for ’curriculum vitae’, but did you know the Latin phrase translates in English to "the course of life"? It makes sense considering your CV’s goal is to highlight the course of your professional, educational and extracurricular experiences to help you take the next step in your career. It’s essential for your CV to be complete, well-organized and compelling to employers in order to help you land the job you want. So, here are some tips to get yours moving in the right direction: CV or resume? Before sitting down to craft y....

Alexandra Cappetta

Eight ways to create a positive digital footprint

I am on social media for professional purposes. While on Twitter, I often cringe when I see what is posted by medical students, residents and fellows. The cringeworthy posts sometimes start like this: “Wow, instead of giving me free items for battling the pandemic while in residency, I’d rather earn more money,” or, “Do you think I am really going to treat you like everyone else when you’re yelling at me?” This reminds me of the many times I have had to make a phone call to some millennial and Generation Z acquaintances and advise them to unlike a post or de....

Michele Gutermuth

Creative ideas for celebrating Match Day 2021 in a virtual world

Match Day and graduation embody the culmination of four years of medical school. The former provides insight into the institutions where individuals will complete their residency training. The latter earns medical students the title of doctor. Both exist as significant rites of passage for soon-to-be physicians. Like most milestone achievements during the pandemic, adjustments were necessary to accommodate social distancing and the virtual world. Indeed, Match Day 2020 (March 20, 2020) was one of the first critical events disrupted in Graduate Medical Education (GME). Medical schools were forc....

Jason Reminick

Four factors to consider before your next medical mission

There are many reasons physicians choose to take on service activities in addition to their time spent practicing. Some do so for the experience, to add variation to their schedules, to step outside of their comfort zone or just for the sake of making a difference. Taking on extra projects, aiding communities in need and pursuing medical missions can be extremely rewarding but - whatever your motivation - you will want to consider these aspects before making a commitment: Your bandwidth One of the most important - and first - things to consider before jumping into another oppor....

Alexandra Cappetta

Seven ways COVID-19 has improved the physician job search

There have been a lot of posts about how COVID-19 has forever changed the way physicians are recruited. I would agree with most of these articles, but here are some things you can do to make these changes better. To make sure you have face-to-face interaction, try to go to as many functions as the current situation allows. Whenever things do get better, and they will, don’t forget to do this. Make a goal and place it in your calendar. Show up to a breakfast grab and go. Come to a lunch and learn. Volunteer on an advisory committee if you are asked. All these things will help you g....

Michele Gutermuth

Understanding salary vs. total compensation

You’re looking for jobs, interviewing and starting to receive offers, but how do you know which provides the best value for you? To understand your offer, it’s important to know all the aspects of the contract, especially how it will impact your earning potential. Compensation is a large factor when accepting an offer, especially if it’s your first position. Overall compensation can vary based on salary, shares, productivity bonuses, RVUs (relative value units used in reimbursement formulas for physician services), benefits and expenses. Your salary is the base level of pay y....

Megan Trippi

How a hobby helps with wellness

Before you became a physician - and as a physician - you’re a person with many interests, goals and ideas. It would be narrow-minded to think every health care worker’s sole passion is practicing medicine. While that may be a large one, it’s likely you have other dreams you’ve thought about pursuing. The good news is that it’s not just possible, but ideal, for your personal and professional life to engage with hobbies or interests that aren’t exclusive to your time spent practicing. Nurturing these types of hobbies offer some distance from work life and ....

Alexandra Cappetta

Healthy habits make healthy providers

Did you ever think your patients could benefit from you following the same advice you offer them? Exercise and a healthy diet are only the tip of the wellness iceberg but, as a physician or advanced practice provider, you know these small decisions add up to a big difference. When you reflect on your own habits, ask yourself if you’re taking proper steps to be your best self - both physically and mentally. Here are some reminders of how your diet and physical activity can directly impact your performance as a health care professional: Increased energy and alertness As you make rounds, ....

Alexandra Cappetta

Five aspects to consider when you have multiple offers

When a bride picks out her wedding dress, she stops shopping, and so should you once you find the ideal practice opportunity! Here are five factors to help you identify the right choice when considering multiple offers: Did you make a verbal or written commitment? Once you have made a final decision on a job opportunity, stop answering calls from recruiters and stop going on job board websites. Do not tempt yourself. This will only make you doubt your decision, which was a great decision at one point, and it will possibly put you in a place where you will burn a bridge that can last a lifetim....

Michele Gutermuth

Top three benefits to getting away

Being a physician is stressful; being a physician in 2020 and 2021 during a global pandemic added new meaning to that stress. You’ve had to adapt to unprecedented demands, and in many cases change how you provide patient care. If you can, take advantage of time away from work to reset and - after this past year - you may need it more than ever. There are many benefits to taking a vacation or getting away from the demands of work, and below are three that should have you planning your next trip and unplugging soon. Increased happiness The Institute for Applied Positive Research ....

Megan Trippi

Choosing the best practice fit for you

As you advance through residency or fellowship, a few questions may come to mind. "What will my future job look like?" "Will there be opportunities for experience and growth?" "Where do I want to live and practice?" "Will I like my job?" If trends hold, the chances are you’ll like a lot of the answers to those questions. According to an American Medical Association survey, nine in 10 physicians are satisfied with their career choice despite challenges common to each career stage. As you ponder and plan your future career, be sure to also ask yourself: "What’s my best practice fit?"....

Drew Terry

Finding a sense of passion in your practice

When the daily grind starts to feel more like going through the motions, it can be difficult to feel passionate about the work we’re doing - and passion is key in your profession as a physician. It keeps you sharp, engaged, enthusiastic and empathetic as you practice. But constantly making rounds, seeing patients and filling out charts can become monotonous without hitting the refresh button. If predictable patterns and routines are starting to steal your spark, check out these ideas to re-center, get out of the day-to-day rut and renew the passion in your practice. Offer mentorship I....

Alexandra Cappetta

Five questions to ask during a career fair

You’re beginning your job search - or maybe you just want to see what is available - so you start looking at job boards, reaching out to recruiters and possibly attending career fairs. There are many ways to get a feel for the health care job market, but live and virtual career fairs put you in front of hiring organizations and give you a chance to meet with and speak to multiple recruiters in only a few hours. They can almost be treated as mini interviews, which means you want to be prepared and have questions ready so you know which organization might be the best fit for you. Here ....

Megan Trippi

Physicians’ New Year’s resolutions after a year of COVID

2020 will be a year remembered for widespread disruption because of COVID-19. Some were fortunate enough that the interruption only meant working from home and canceling plans. For others, it was losing a job, facing serious illness or losing a loved one. As we head into 2021, the longstanding tradition of New Year’s resolutions offers an opportunity to reflect on the past year and determine what we’d like to improve in the coming year. According to a CIT Bank survey conducted by The Harris Poll, 43 percent of Americans intend to make New Year’s resolutions heading into 2021,....

Drew Terry

Telehealth's role in health care

Telehealth has been around for years, but it became more common during the COVID-19 pandemic. Telehealth or telemedicine’s growth increased because of a desperate need to reduce in-person visits at the beginning of the pandemic and was boosted by the U.S. government’s rare move to loosen some Medicare policy and payment restrictions. Because Medicare has lowered its requirements, insurance companies have been slowly following suit. For instance, there was the Medicare Expansion program, which allowed telehealth visits to be considered the same as in-person visits and physicians to ....

Michele Gutermuth

A new approach to goal setting

Without a plan, a goal is just a wish. It takes deliberate steps to map out the best approach to achieving any worthwhile objective. As you’re thinking about what you want to achieve in the next year, five years or even five days, these steps can help give life to your goals and make them more manageable - and hopefully, more reachable. What do you want to achieve? Just as important as keeping goals is deciding which are worth setting in the first place. Is it landing a job with your first choice? Securing an interview? Finding a mentor? Finishing training? Or even advancing to a....

Alexandra Cappetta

Avoiding burnout during a pandemic

Nearly every industry faces burnout in its employees. It could be said medical professionals face a larger amount of burnout, especially during the holiday season when many others get to unwind and be with family. Add a global pandemic, the stress of caring for COVID-19 patients and the risk of exposure to the virus, and burnout is almost inevitable. Even if you aren’t working in a COVID facility, talking to patients about the pandemic, making sure your patients are avoiding exposure and taking all the proper precautions yourself can begin to take its toll. Burnout is extremely common an....

Megan Trippi

Know the job search steps and timeline

A lot of time, energy and effort - not to mention money - go into studying and training to become a physician or advanced practice provider. With so much focus on earning the degree and completing residency or fellowship, it’s easy to forget finding the right practice may take a little time and energy, too. A job search doesn’t have to be stressful. By following these 10 steps and sticking to a timeline, you become better prepared - and more confident - in searching for and securing your first or next practice. Start exploring your options Start - 24 months before ....

Drew Terry

Think location when evaluating where to practice

Price is a major factor when purchasing a new car, but it’s not the only detail to consider. That decision is based on much more than a dollar figure. What’s the vehicle make, model and year? Is it the right performance trim? Does it have the heated seats, moonroof and other extras you enjoy? Those additional details factor heavily into determining whether the asking price is worth signing the paperwork. Salary plays a similar role when reviewing contract offers. While base pay and incentives are important, things like the practice location can influence their true value. Consider ....

Drew Terry

Minimizing stress around time off

There’s a lot about being a physician that can be stress-inducing. From long hours to physically, mentally and emotionally demanding tasks, there’s not much about your job that’s simple. It can be especially difficult to get out from underneath stress when on the clock, and even once you step away. Finding balance between work and personal time as a health care worker is more critical than ever right now - but just as important is how you manage and minimize work stress when you’re not practicing. As you take time off to rest and recharge, here are some ways you can k....

Alexandra Cappetta

Expanding telehealth to help providers

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many industries and has had an especially large impact on health care. Because of this, Congress and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services passed the use of certain programs to support providers as they continue to care for patients. One way to help was expanding telehealth to give providers an additional way to see patients. Telehealth allows patients and their families to stay in the comfort and safety of their own home and not travel to a facility. This accessibility means patients save time driving and waiting in the office, and don’t nee....

Megan Trippi

What physicians should know about the Conrad 30 Program

If you’re a physician who has a J-1 visa and you are seeking a waiver in place of the two-year home residency requirement, you may be aware of the Conrad 30 program and its benefits. Conrad 30 allows each state to select 30 physicians to submit to the U.S. Department of State to be chosen for a J-1 visa waiver. Although a great resource, it helps to know the program’s limitations. One of them is the timing each state has to accept these applications. The federal government’s fiscal year is from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30. Each Conrad 30 J-1 visa waiver program follows a similar ....

Michele Gutermuth

For free help with your job search, call (800) 776-8383

Magazine Blog
inSights

Understanding competition in your specialty

Writing a compelling CV

Eight ways to create a positive digital footprint

Creative ideas for celebrating Match Day 2021 in a virtual world

Four factors to consider before your next medical mission

Seven ways COVID-19 has improved the physician job search

Understanding salary vs. total compensation

How a hobby helps with wellness

Healthy habits make healthy providers

Five aspects to consider when you have multiple offers

Top three benefits to getting away

Choosing the best practice fit for you

Finding a sense of passion in your practice

Five questions to ask during a career fair

Physicians’ New Year’s resolutions after a year of COVID

Telehealth's role in health care

A new approach to goal setting

Avoiding burnout during a pandemic

Know the job search steps and timeline

Think location when evaluating where to practice

Minimizing stress around time off

Expanding telehealth to help providers

What physicians should know about the Conrad 30 Program

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