Physician profile: Amanda Reese, D.O.

WORK: General surgeon in practice since 2013. Community Health Systems, Bluefield Regional Medical Center, Bluefield, W.Va.

EDUCATION/TRAINING:
Medical school: Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine (2008)

Residency: Carilion Clinic-Virginia Tech, General Surgery Residency Program, Roanoke, Va. (2013)

Reese enjoys Crossfit, skiing, gymnastics and outdoor activities. She also enjoys spending time with her family—husband Phillip and their daughters, Braelyn and Gabrielle.

What’s your advice for residents beginning their job search?

Make sure to have a clear understanding of what you are looking for before you begin the search. Consider location, size of practice, call responsibilities, size of hospital, supporting staff/specialties before you begin to look. It will narrow the field considerably and make the search manageable.

What surprised you about your post-residency job search?

I was surprised that hospital recruiters pursued me! I was recruited more than one year prior to graduation, which was a nice change from the stress of applications, test scores and requests for recommendation letters. For once I could be picky and make demands for what I was looking for.

What do you wish they had taught in med school but didn’t?

I wish medical school would have taught me how to write orders and a systematic process for working through acute patient problems. I wish residency would have prepared me for the business side of practice, including billing, coding, networking with other physicians and advertising.

Anything particularly unique about your job search?

I read [PracticeLink Magazine] religiously and used it to prepare for my interview and to tailor questions to ask potential employers. The magazine articles gave me confidence and courage to ask for the things that I wanted.

Any other advice?

Talk to nurses, staff, drug/equipment representatives, other physicians and everyone else that you can about your practice of interest. You will find out the good, bad and ugly about a job. Also, ask your mentors the things that they considered when deciding between various positions. Hearing other people’s experiences may help you avoid pitfalls.