As a physician, you face many decisions about where to practice. There are all kinds of factors: the distance you want to be to family; educational facilities available to your children; opportunities available to your spouse; distance to an airport—even how long it would take to get to the slopes if you happen to be an avid skier.
And that’s not even considering what type of organization for which you want to work.
Just like people, every hospital and organization is different. Even if they provide the exact same services in similar locations, there will almost certainly be differences among organizations’ cultures, how they operate, and their relationships with the community, so you’ll want to know some job search strategies and techniques before applying.
First, determine your search criteria
As someone who is looking to commit to an organization for the next two to three years or longer, it is important that you first determine the type of organization that you want to be part of. Keep in mind that when you start working for a hospital, they represent you as much as you represent them—so make sure your values align.
Is community outreach important to you? Do you hope to be part of an organization that is on the cutting edge of research and technology? How about being attached to a hospital that consistently ranks well in your specialty?
Like just about everything else in your job search, you will need to determine the criteria important to you first.
Then, look on PracticeLink.com
Once you have determined what you are looking for in an organization, use PracticeLink to help you pick out the organizations closest to what you’re looking for.
On nearly every posting that you find on PracticeLink, the employer has had the opportunity to tell you a little bit about themselves. Usually, they will tell you something about their organization and the community in which they’re located. Most have pictures of the facility and community, and some have videos as well.
In the right hand pane of the posting, you’ll find a link to the organization’s profile on PracticeLink where you can find out even more about them. All of this information helps you get a feel for the organizations you are considering.
It can also help you develop questions to ask the in-house recruiter about the organization when you contact them about a specific opportunity. The recruiter’s contact information is located near the bottom right of every opportunity on PracticeLink. Contact them directly to learn more, or register with PracticeLink to email them with your interest and CV.
Lastly, and most importantly, remember that nothing replaces a site visit. Even with the information posted on PracticeLink and the independent research you have done on the organization, you may be surprised with what you find when you are at the facility and able to speak directly with physicians and staff.
Chris Scites is PracticeLink’s physician relations manager. Reach his team for free job-search advice at (800) 776-8383.
June 1, 2020
Debbie Swanson
