PhysicianJobs.LifeTips.com

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1 PhysicianJobs.LifeTips.com

2 Category: Deciding to Specialize or Not Specialize Subcategory: Deciding to Specialize or Not Specialize Tip: Expand Your Emergency Medicine Career With Locum Work A general emergency medicine physician working in an emergency department is the first line of defense against any crisis that comes in the door, from car accidents to heart attacks. Any emergency medicine job requires a cool head in a crisis and the ability to evaluate and stabilize patients immediately to prevent death or additional injury. If you are interested in focusing your emergency medicine career on a specific area of medicine that appeals to you, an emergency medicine locum tenens job is an ideal way to explore alternate specialty areas. The American Association of Medical Colleges recognizes the following subspecialties of emergency medicine in which you can become certified after additional training: Hospice and Palliative Medicine: Relieving pain and suffering in patients at the end of life Medical Toxicology: Caring for patients who have suffered accidental or deliberate poisoning Pediatric Emergency Medicine: Managing medical emergencies in infants and children Sports Medicine: Managing and preventing injuries sustained during sports, such as fractures and concussion Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine: Treating patients with decompression illness caused by underwater accidents or treating other problems related to diving accidents Tip: Make The Most Of A Mentor In Your Specialty Cultivating a mentor relationship can be an important part of physician satisfaction by specialty. The early years of a medical career can be stressful, regardless of your physician specialty. A professional mentor can help by sharing tips for how to reduce and manage stress, whether your specialty is a fast-paced emergency medicine physician job, or a more predictable internal medicine physician job. The benefits of a medical mentor include: A role model: Seek out someone whose career you admire and hope to emulate. Ask him or her for advice on what skills you should develop to excel in a particular specialty. An advocate: A mentor can wave your flag when opportunities for promotion or openings in the physician specialty you hope to pursue become available. A listener: Even if your mentor is not in a position to get you your next job, being able to talk to an experienced specialized physician can be valuable. Tip: Non-Monetary Factors Impact Specialty Salaries If you are comparing physician salary by specialty and you think you are underpaid, it's important to consider the non-financial factors that contribute to compensation in

3 physician specialties. Have you learned that your take-home pay in your small town internal medicine job is less than that of your colleague, who practices internal medicine as a hospitalist in a big city? Keep these points in mind: Schedule: Do you have more flexibility in your work hours, or a more generous vacation plan, in exchange for a slightly lower salary? Location: What is the cost of living where you practice? What will buy you a large home and yard in one part of the country may barely cover a townhouse in another area. Commuter costs: Do you have two-hour drive to work, or can you walk or ride a bike? Benefits: Do you have a retirement plan and health plan that meets your needs? Are you eligible for bonuses? Career satisfaction: Are you happy with the opportunities you have to practice your physician specialty, and are there opportunities for advancement available if you want them? Tip: Puzzling Over Pediatric Specialties? Try A Locum Tenens A medical career in general pediatrics includes the physical, social and emotional aspects of children's health. Many pediatricians enjoy the variety that comes with caring for children's everyday ailments. But if you are interested in a specific area of children's health, consider a pediatric locum tenens job to explore a subspecialty before committing to it long-term. You will have the chance to develop professional contacts in a specialty that will be useful whether you pursue that specialty full-time or elsewhere. The many options for pediatric subspecialties include: neonatal medicine, cardiology, critical care, gastroenterology, adolescent health, development and behavior, endocrinology, hematology/oncology, infectious disease, dermatology and sports medicine. General pediatrics is not the highest-paid physician specialty. According to the 2008 Physician Compensation Survey, the average annual salary for a pediatrician ranges from $140,000 to $200,000. The salary for pediatric subspecialties is usually higher, although salaries vary by location. Category: How Physicians Stay Active in Their Profession Subcategory: How Physicians Stay Active in Their Profession Tip: Network Know-How Helps You Stay Active In Medicine Regardless of your medical specialty, networking is important to the development of your medical career. But networking is especially helpful if you are interested in physician executive positions. Many healthcare executives don't have medical degrees, and you may face more competition for jobs than you did when seeking a job in your medical specialty. But keep these networking tips in mind to enhance your chances of

4 landing the best physician jobs: Go online. Online networking sites such as LinkedIn and even Facebook are becoming acceptable ways to contact people about career opportunities. Join the club. Join an organization of healthcare executives and express your interest in finding physician executive positions. It's also a good way to stay current on the issues facing hospital executives today, which will come in handy in an interview. Streamline your search. A specialized physician staffing agency can save you time and hassle by identifying physician executive positions that meet your criteria for location, hours and salary. Tip: Spice Up Your Family Medicine Job Family medicine physicians are generalists. They see everyone, with every condition, who walks or hobbles through the door from soccer kids with sprained ankles to the octogenarian with an arthritic hip. But some family physician jobs focus on one particular area, such as adolescent medicine or sports medicine. If you are considering a specialty or if you just want a change of scene, a family practice locum tenens job offers the opportunity to work in a different clinical setting with a different population. Even if you don't go out of town, this short-term work will give you a fresh perspective on your full-time family physician job. And you may learn new clinical or practice management techniques that you can apply to your full-time practice when your locum tenens work is finished. A locum tenens job helps many physicians stay active in their medical careers by allowing them to learn new techniques or review little-used skills. If you are considering a specialty such as adolescent medicine or geriatrics, try a short-term position in a clinic or hospital where you will have the opportunity to treat patients in your area of interest. Tip: Stay Active In Your Medical Career Be A Team Physician Are you considering switching from your family practice job to specializing in sports medicine? Do you enjoy sports and find satisfaction in contributing to kids' health? Consider volunteering as a team doctor for one (or more) of your local high school sports teams. You can stay active in your profession and you'll have the satisfaction of helping kids manage injuries and get back to their active lifestyles as soon as possible. Many of the same issues seen in typical family medicine work arise during youth sports, including not only fractures, sprains or cuts needing stitches, but also allergies, asthma and issues related to chronic conditions such as diabetes. Even if you aren't looking to transition from a family physician job to sports medicine,

5 keep up with the latest sports medicine literature to stay on top of new data about common sports injuries, such as anterior cruciate ligament tears and how to manage them. Tip: Take Your Medical Career To The Executive Level Some physicians want to stay active in the medical profession, but they want to take a short-term or long-term break from clinical practice. Some may be burned out and frustrated with managed care and insurance issues, while others may want more flexibility or the opportunity to work from home. Physician executive positions are among the many non-clinical options for doctors, especially those who want to stay connected to a hospital setting. But keep in mind that the job of a physician in a hospital executive role will likely pay less than what you make in clinical practice, depending on your specialty. Most healthcare executive salaries are in the low six figures, which is about equal to a family physician job. Physician executive positions require strong interpersonal skills you'll need to deal not only with other doctors, but with lawyers, the public, the news media and, in some cases, the corporate ownership of a hospital. It can be challenging work, but also somewhat recession-proof. There are hospitals of all sizes throughout the country, and they all need leadership. Category: How to Find Locum Tenens Physician Jobs Subcategory: How to Find Locum Tenens Physician Jobs Tip: Advantages Of Anesthesiology Locum Tenens In general, anesthesiologist work is more predictable than work in many other medical specialties, because procedures are planned in advance. But an anesthesiology locum tenens job takes flexibility further you can choose the location and hours you want to work. A locum tenens agency can make your search for short-term work easier by identifying locum tenens opportunities that meet your criteria. To find the best locum tenens job, think about what matters most to you at this point in your career. Time: Do you want to trade fewer hours for more family time, or are you seeking extra hours to pay off student loans? Place: Is there an area of the country that you're curious about, but you don't want to make a commitment to moving permanently? Are you moving because your spouse has a new job? Money: Although anesthesiology is a highly paid specialty, salaries vary in different areas. So, if you have salary requirements, make sure your physician staffing consultant knows about them so he or she can find the right locum tenens jobs for you. Tip: Before You Say Yes When you are working with locum tenens agencies, you will increase your chances of

6 finding locum tenens physician jobs that meet your needs. But it's important not to rush into a new job without thinking. As you consider a job opportunity, either full-time or part-time, consider these questions to ensure that this is the right job for you at this point in your career: Is there a future? If you are considering a full-time position, ask about opportunities for advancement. That's even worth asking in a locum tenens position, because sometimes locum tenens jobs can turn into full-time work. Who are my colleagues? Where have other physicians in the hospital trained, and how long they have been at the facility? What are the expectations? Are you expected to be on call or work on weekends? Does the practice have more than one location, and will you be expected to put in time in several facilities? What is the patient population? Will you be treating the patients and conditions that you want to treat at this point in your medical career? Tip: Explore Superior Subspecialty Jobs If you are starting your medical career or looking to change direction, locum tenens physician jobs allow you to investigate a different subspecialty, geographic location or practice setting without the hassle of making a permanent move until you are ready. For example, in a specialty such as anesthesiology, you can find an anesthesiology locum tenens job that allows you to work with a specific group of patients. Obstetrics: Physicians who work on obstetrical anesthesiology treat women during labor and delivery. Duties include managing post-dural puncture headaches and making decisions about combining spinal and epidural anesthesia. Pediatrics: If you like working with children, consider a locum tenens job in pediatric anesthesiology, which may involve caring for children undergoing any type of surgery or other medical procedures.cardiovascular: Anesthesiologists who specialize in cardiovascular work provide care for patients during cardiac, vascular and thoracic surgeries. To identify the right locum tenens opportunities in your specialty, a physician staffing consultant who knows your specialty can help you find the jobs to advance or reinvigorate your career. Tip: How To Live La Vida Locum Establishing a relationship with a locum tenens company is the first step to enjoying the flexibility that comes with locum tenens physician jobs. There are many reasons to consider locum tenens jobs, including:economic uncertainty: Locum tenens physician jobs can provide additional income in case you lose your full-time job or they can be a transitional career move while you find other full-time work.change of scene: If your spouse has to move for employment reasons, a locum tenens agency can help you identify job opportunities in your specialty in a

7 particular area so you have something to start with while you look for the right full-time job.pre-retirement: A locum tenens position can be a comfortable transition from full-time medical practice to full-time retirement without the administrative hassles of a permanent practice. A specialized physician staffing agency can help you find locum tenens jobs to meet your current career goals. Physician staffing consultants can serve as resources for information about changing medical jobs, including state licensing and malpractice insurance. Tip: Let A Recruiter Make Your Locum Tenens Match In many ways, looking for a job is like dating: it takes some trial and error before you find the right match. And sometimes a matchmaker can help. When you are looking for locum tenens jobs, choosing to work with a physician executive recruiter may be the best decision you make. A physician executive recruiter can identify pre-screened locum tenens opportunities that meet your criteria, and he or she can be your advocate in job negotiations. A physician staffing consultant who knows your specialty and your personal interests and career goals can save you time by identifying the jobs that meet your needs for clinical practice or non-clinical physician work. A top physician executive recruiter will take all the important factors into account when matching you with the right healthcare organization: Your career goals Your spouse/partner's professional and personal needs Your children's educational needs Your family's outside interests Your income needs Your geographic preferences Tip: Locum Tenens Creates Time To Decide Studies have shown that physicians may be dissatisfied with their jobs early in their careers. This is in part because they were so eager to get started that they took the first position available, without full knowledge of the type of practice or of the expectations of colleagues. A locum tenens position allows you the freedom to explore different practice settings and geographic locations before making a full-time commitment. You can save money, too. For example, you can wait until you find the practice setting and location that line up with your long-term career goals before buying a home. But locum tenens work isn't just for novices. Mid-career physicians looking for a change often choose locum tenens work as a way to earn money and to investigate options while looking for the right position. No matter where you are in your medical career, a locum tenens agency can help you make all the right moves by identifying the locum tenens jobs that meet your personal and professional criteria. Tip: Locum Tenens Offers Financial Advantages In many medical specialties, but especially those with high malpractice insurance, locum tenens jobs can work to your financial advantage. For example, an

8 anesthesiologist may make close to $400,000 a year, but he may pay more than $25,000 in medical liability insurance, depending on the type and location of his practice, according to data from the American Medical Association. But an anesthesiology locum tenens may be a way to help anesthesiologists get a foothold on finances, especially young doctors who are facing medical school loans. Talk to a specialized physician staffing agency about anesthesiology locum tenens options. There are several ways you can benefit from being a locum tenens physician. The organization where you'll do your locum pays for the medical liability insurance. Another bonus especially if you are just starting in your career is that a locum tenens job is a convenient way to check out a practice setting or a geographic area before making a long-term commitment. Category: How to Find Permanent Physician Jobs Subcategory: How to Find Permanent Physician Jobs Tip: Downsized? Don't Despair You may have loved your permanent physician job, but if your hospital recently downsized, you may be searching for a new position. Although losing your job is traumatic, think of it as an opportunity to take your career in a new direction. Ask yourself some questions about what you liked and didn't like about your most recent job: Patients: Do you like your endocrinology specialty, but you're burned out by treating adults? Would you like to refocus your career to care for children? Colleagues: Would you like to become a partner in a small practice group of colleagues who share your medical philosophy? Setting: Would you like to move closer to family, so your children can spend more time with their grandparents? Physician recruiting companies can make your physician job search easier. Talk to a staffing consultant about the things that matter most to you, and he or she can help you find the best job from the physician job openings that match your preferences. Tip: Finding Success In Your Physician Job How do you define success in your career? This is an important question when you are looking for a permanent physician job. Some physicians define success by how much money they make, while others are more concerned with job satisfaction and having a personal relationship with patients. For most physicians, career satisfaction is a combination of many factors, including: Making enough money to support your lifestyle, whatever that may be. Your financial needs will change over time, and times when you need more or less money may motivate you to move to a new permanent physician job or to a part-time job. Treating patients in your specialty. If you became a pediatric oncologist so you could make a difference in the lives of kids with cancer, then finding the right hospital setting that lets you do the work that means most to you is

9 essential for career satisfaction. If you are at a turning point in your medical career, physician placement services can help you identify the right physician job openings that will provide the satisfaction you want, both financially and otherwise. Tip: Have A Hassle-Free Job Change When you are ready to make a change in your physician job, you can waste a lot of time by scrolling through physician job postings. Especially during stressful economic times, it can be tempting to jump at the first physician jobs available. But these might not be the best jobs for you, and you could find yourself job hunting again in a few months. Instead, consider working with physician placement services. A physician staffing consultant who knows your specialty can identify pre-screened jobs that meet your personal and professional criteria. When you talk with your consultant, be as clear as possible about the type of setting in which you'd like to work and the type of work you'd like to do. If you are flexible, be sure that your staffing consultant knows how flexible you are. For example, are you willing to relocate? Do you only want to work in large hospitals? If you can provide this information to a physician staffing consultant, he or she can do the legwork and quickly identify the best jobs for you. Tip: Resume 101 The first step to landing the right permanent physician job is an eye-catching resume. Whether it has been two years or 20 years since your last physician job search, the same resume rules apply. To get your resume in good shape, follow these simple rules: Be brief: Keep your resume to one page. It's hard, but try (definitely no more than two pages!). Remember that you don't need to put every job you have ever had focus on the jobs that are relevant to the job you're seeking. Accentuate the positive: Use active verbs to highlight the key tasks you have performed in different jobs, and include leadership positions. Emphasize results: Without being too wordy, describe your experience in terms of results. For example, did you improve the quality of care at your hospital by participating in a protocol that reduced medical errors? Say so. Start with the present: Top your resume with your most recent job and work backwards. For physicians seeking employment, physician placement services can match the skills on your resume with physician job openings. Tip: Twitterpated: Job Searches Via Twitter What is Twitter, and how can it help you find a permanent physician job? For the uninitiated, Twitter is a social networking website similar to a blog, but your updates are limited to 140 characters. Once you get used to it, Twitter can be another useful way to network with other professionals in your field. From a professional job search standpoint, Twitter can be used in conjunction with LinkedIn or Facebook. And you can use your Twitter account to get a sense of the news at hospitals where you would like to work by following updates ( tweets ) from the growing number of hospital accounts. If

10 you have a Twitter account or you are about to create one, search for HospitalGroup and follow it. Twitter is not necessarily your only resource for physician job listings, but it can be one of many weapons in your physician job search arsenal. And increasing numbers of physician recruiting companies are using Twitter for physician job postings. Category: How to Get Back Into Practice After Time Off Subcategory: How to Get Back Into Practice After Time Off Tip: By The Numbers: Use The Clock To Get Back Into Work Mode When you are planning to return to physician work after time away for any reason, it helps to ease back into the habit of being on someone else's schedule. If you are searching for a new job after time away but you haven't yet found one, use this time to practice getting back on a workday schedule. Try this tip to help you get back into work mode: Set the alarm. Even if you don't have anywhere to go, plan a time to get up and plan a schedule for the day. Obviously, if your time away is because of small children at home, it will be harder to follow a schedule. But setting the alarm is still a useful exercise. If you will be taking children to daycare, start noticing how much time it takes for you to get kids up and ready to go. This will help you get a sense of how much time you'll need to allow in the morning when you return to work. Tip: Managing Your Career After Maternity Leave Getting back to work after maternity leave requires juggling many commitments, especially if you are returning to a physician position. Keep some of these tips in mind to make your transition smoother:organize: Make a daily to-do list. And make sure to note what's truly essential and what's not. Have a backup: If you use a day care center or nanny, be sure you have a backup plan or two in case of illness or bad weather.phone home: Or phone the daycare center. It's OK to call once a day (or more, if you have a nanny at home) to see how your baby is doing.ask for advice: Talk to other working moms, and speak up if you feel sad, overwhelmed or guilty. All these feelings are normal. Take care of yourself: Enjoy special time with your baby when you are home from work, and cut out any unnecessary commitments in the evenings or on the weekends so you can bond with your baby. Let friends and family members help with running errands or preparing meals. Tip: Online Networking Helps Get You Back To Work

11 In addition to using physician recruiting companies, online networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter can be useful resources when you are seeking physician employment opportunities, especially after taking time off. If you are already using these sites, that's great; but if you are using them for professional networking, be mindful of projecting a professional image. If you are new to online networking, you may want to start with LinkedIn, because it is more business-oriented and provides a simple template for you to present as much or as little of your professional background as you like. Another advantage of LinkedIn is that if you include your undergraduate and medical school affiliations in your profile, you can see who else in from your school is also on LinkedIn, and you can contact people via the LinkedIn site. Some people use Facebook for networking on a more casual basis, and the up-and-coming Twitter (a social networking site that limits blog-like updates to 140 characters) lets you post links to a personal or professional website as a way to reach out to a wider range of contacts and potential employers. Tip: Use a Locum Tenens to Transition Back to Work Locum tenens jobs are often just the thing for physicians who are transitioning back to work after time away. Whether you want to return to the same type of medical practice or to explore different physician employment opportunities, a locum tenens position lets you test out an area of medicine or a type of practice setting before making a long-term commitment. For example, a general surgeon might come back from time off after breast cancer surgery with the inspiration to treat other breast cancer patients. Or an internal medicine physician who used to work in private practice may decide to refocus his or her career to hospitalist medicine after a period of time away from work. Physician recruitment companies can help you find temporary physician jobs to ease your transition back to work. Talk to physician staffing consultants who understand your specialty, and tell them the types of jobs you want. They can save you time by providing jobs that suit your preferences. Category: How to Select a Physician Recruiter Subcategory: How to Select a Physician Recruiter Tip: How To Choose Your Recruiter How do you sort through all the physician recruitment services available when you are searching for your next job? The number of physician recruiters can be almost as intimidating as the number of jobs. But keep these points in mind to help you find the

12 right fit with a physician placement service: Ask around: Have some of your colleagues recently found jobs using physician recruiters? Ask them about their experiences. Also ask whether they can recommend a specific physician staffing consultant at a particular organization, especially one who knows the employers in your specialty. Ask the recruiter: Before you sign on with a physician recruiting service, ask how much experience the recruiter has with placing physicians in your specialty. Ask him or her to explain the process of how the agency presents your resume to potential employers. The relationship between you and a physician placement service is important to your medical career, so it's worth making the effort to be sure that you have found the service that is right for you. Tip: How To Wreck Your Recruiter Relationship So, you have found a physician recruiter who asks you about your personal and professional goals, understands your specialty, and locates job opportunities that meet your criteria. But you may not land the first job for which you apply. Your relationship with your physician recruiter may be ongoing for weeks or months until you find the right position. Think long-term, and avoid these points that will only annoy your recruiter and may jeopardize your relationship with a physician placement service: Don't pester. Following up after a job interview is good, but obsessive following up with multiple phone calls a day is not. If you don't hear from your physician recruiter about a position, follow up after an appropriate time has passed, and don't take it personally if you didn't fit that job opening. Don't go behind your recruiter's back. Your recruiter's job is to be your advocate and to present you to a potential employer. If your recruiter has done this, you will only confuse the employer by presenting yourself, and the easiest way to end the confusion may be to remove you from the list of viable candidates for the job. Tip: Physician Openings Abound: How To Choose When you are looking for the right physician job opening, it's hard to know how different opportunities compare. When you are at a turning point in your medical career, it's helpful to consider what type of practice setting suits your personality and your career goals. Some of the pros and cons of small vs. large practices include: Small group practices may focus on a single specialty. You may have more say in how the practice is run, but you may have more responsibility, which might include giving up the occasional vacation day for the good of the group.a large practice may include physicians in multiple specialties and it may work for you if you enjoy working with a variety of people without feeling the need to be in charge. Choosing a physician placement service that understands your specialty can help you identify the best jobs for you not just the first jobs that are available at practices of any size.

13 Tip: Recruiters Help Procure Primary Care Jobs Physicians seeking primary care work, such as a family practice job, can benefit from the services of physician recruitment agencies to help them sort through the many opportunities available. But it's important to select the right one. A family practice job can involve anything from providing vaccinations to managing chronic conditions to providing maternity care. If you are ready to take your primary care career in a new direction or you are seeking a similar job in a new location, choose a physician recruiting service whose staffing consultants ask you about your preferences and career goals. Many primary care physicians seek a short-term family practice physician job, pediatrician job or other primary care job at some point during their careers so they can focus on family or ease into retirement. Whether you are seeking full-time or part-time work, a physician recruiting service can help you find the job that is the best match. Tip: Signs That You Have The Wrong Recruiter Given the vast numbers of physician recruiting services available, it's important to be sure that you have a physician recruiter who is looking out for your personal and professional interests. If your recruiter isn't working for you, it's time to switch to a different physician placement service. You know you have the wrong recruiter when: He just wants your resume without wanting to know anything about you or your personal and professional goals. She doesn't follow up after interviews to be sure that she is sending the right kinds of candidates to particular employers. Be sure to ask a physician recruiter when you might expect to hear from them once you have sent a resume and discussed your job criteria. And be sure that any physician recruitment services that you use won't send your resume to a potential employer without your approval. The point of working with physician recruiting services is to make your job search easier, not harder, and the right service can make all the difference in advancing your medical career. Category: Know What You Want in Your Ideal Physician Job Subcategory: Know What You Want in Your Ideal Physician Job Tip: Explore Subspecialties to Find Your Ideal Job Some people know exactly the types of physician jobs they want to pursue, while others opt for exploration before committing to a particular specialty or practice setting. For example, all emergency medicine jobs require the ability to assess and stabilize patients

14 immediately to prevent death or additional injury. But there are jobs for physicians in several different subspecialties of emergency medicine, including: Hospice and palliative medicine: Relieving pain and suffering in patients at the end of life.medical toxicology: Caring for patients who have suffered accidental or deliberate poisoning. Pediatric emergency medicine: Managing medical emergencies in infants and children. Sports medicine: Managing and preventing injuries sustained during sports, such as fractures and concussions. Undersea and hyperbaric medicine: Treating patients with decompression illness due to underwater accidents, or treating other problems related to diving accidents. If you are unsure about which specialty is your ideal job, consider temporary physician staffing positions as a way to explore different fields. Tip: Interview Yourself for Physician Jobs As you start a job search, take some time to ask yourself what types of physician jobs appeal to you. Getting a sense of your ideal physician job makes it easier for physician staffing companies to match you with physician positions. Some factors to consider include:type of practice: Would you like to be a partner in a small practice or would you rather work in a large hospital, but have less say about how the overall facility is run? Type of work: Are you interested in treating certain categories of patients such as adolescents or the elderly? Location: Would you like a small town or mid-sized city environment in which to raise your kids? Hours: Are you at a point in your career where you want to work part-time? If you know the answers to these questions before you start your job search, you won't waste your time with physician job that can't help you with what you are want. Tip: Online Listings Help You Refine Your Job Search As you determine what you want in your ideal physician job, it can be helpful to review physician jobs online to get a feel for what physician positions are available in your specialty. This includes jobs that are similar to your current position or those that are a bit different but you might like to explore. If you know what you want in an ideal physician job, you can make a more targeted search. As you read physician job postings, think about what the daily and weekly schedule might be like for the jobs you see, and think about how those opportunities match up with your vision of your ideal job. For example, most general surgeons block out three days a week for procedures and two days a week for in-office patient meetings. But surgeons who are owners or part-owners of their own practices dedicate a certain amount of time to business and administrative matters. Similarly, some primary care physicians make hospital rounds and see patients in an office, while hospital-based physicians focus on caring for

15 patients in a hospital setting. Tip: Tailor Your Resume To Your Ideal Job When you know what you want in a physician job, it's important to make sure your resume reflects your interests and skills. This will help you find the physician job opportunities that provide the career satisfaction you are seeking. Before handing over your resume to physician staffing agencies, follow this checklist to make sure you have everything right: Spelling: Even spell check doesn't catch everything. Read your resume carefully for spelling errors, and then ask a friend to read it. Punctuation: Make sure every full sentence ends with a period. Be consistent in how you use punctuation (e.g. When separating job title from date, don't use commas for some positions and semicolons for others). Grammar: Keep your resume in the same tense. It's OK to list duties you perform in your current job in the present tense, but duties in past jobs should all be listed in the past tense. Content: You know what you want in a job, so describe the duties you performed in past or present jobs that would be valuable in the position you are seeking. Tip: Use Conferences To Identify Your Ideal Job If you are at a transition point in your medical career, attending a conference in your specialty or in a subspecialty you'd like to pursue may give you some new ideas. Physicians looking for jobs often find that attending a conference is an opportunity to network, to update their skills and to find out the hot topics and issues in subspecialties they might want to explore. Some tips for using a conference to help identify your ideal job: Don't be defensive if you are between jobs. It's OK to talk about your accomplishments in your previous job. Have a short summary prepared of who you are, what you do and what work you hope to pursue as the next step in your career. After attending a conference, consider working with physician staffing agencies to help you sort through the physician positions in your area of interest. Talk to a physician staffing consultant about your goals, whether you want to advance in your current specialty or change directions, and he or she can help you find that ideal job. Tip: When You Know What You Want, Tweet By now most people have at least heard of Twitter, the blog-like social networking site that limits communications to 140 characters or less. Even if you think Twitter is frivolous, it is another relatively convenient way to make yourself known to people in your field. Keep these points in mind for how to use Twitter to identify your ideal job: Tweet about issues in your field. This is one way to get members of your specialty (and potential employers) to follow you. Find experts in your field and follow them. You can stay on top of current issues in your specialty, which will come in handy during a job interview. Although there are stories of people finding jobs via Twitter, it's best to think of it as yet another job search tool. In fact, if you use Twitter to identify prospective

16 employers, you may be able to work with physician staffing companies to find out about specific jobs for physicians and land an interview. Category: What Can I Expect for Physician Salary Subcategory: What Can I Expect for Physician Salary Tip: Find the Right Oncology Opportunity When you consider the average salary of a physician, keep in mind that there is a lot of variation among different medical specialties. An oncologist's salary averages nearly half a million dollars a year in some areas, while a general physician salary may average $100,000 to $200,000 especially at the start of a medical career. If you think an oncology job may be right for you, consider the categories of work: Radiation oncology: Radiation oncologist jobs involve using radiation to treat disease, especially malignant tumors.medical oncology: Medical oncology jobs involve using chemotherapy to treat cancer patients.surgical oncology: Surgical oncology jobs involve removing cancerous tissue surgically.a physician job opportunity in oncology could involve any of these three strategies for treating different types of cancer, but the nature of the treatment varies. If you are intrigued by oncology, be prepared to put in some time before you earn money; a radiation oncology residency takes 5 years to complete, for example. Tip: How Much Do Medical Residents Make? According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the resident physician salary for each year of residency is as follows: First year: $46,000Second year: $48,000Third year: $50,000Fourth year: $52,000Fifth year: $54,000Sixth year: $56,000Keep in mind that these resident salaries are averages, and the actual salary you might expect could vary by $3,000 to $4,000 above or below the average, depending on many factors including location, type of specialty, and type of practice. If physician salaries are important to your plans for your medical career, consider pursuing one of the higher paid medical specialties, such as urology or radiology, as opposed to choosing a career in a primary care field such as pediatrics or general medicine. A specialized physician staffing agency can help you locate the opportunities available that meet your salary criteria, as well as your preference for location and practice type. Talk to a physician staffing consultant who knows the local employers to help you find the right fit. Tip: How to Ask for a Raise in Your Physician Salary So, you are happy with your job, but you think your physician annual salary deserves a boost. Before you talk to your supervisor about it raise, keep these points in mind to increase your odds of success: Know the numbers. Do some research and find out the

17 average salary of physicians in your specialty. You can find information about physician salaries by specialty through various online calculators. Know the policy. Some employers can only offer raises at certain times of year.know what you want. Have an idea of your salary range and provide justification for why you deserve a raise. Be flexible. Would you be willing to take extra vacation time instead of a salary increase? Some employers may be limited by budget constraints, but they may be able to approve additional time off. If your employer simply can't offer a raise, then you need to reassess whether the other benefits of the job are worth your current salary. If not, consider working with a specialized physician staffing agency to find a job that meets your salary requirements. Tip: Job Offers: More Than Money When you are considering a possible offer for your next job, keep in mind that there is more to compensation than just your physician salary. It's important to know the average salary for a physician in your field, so you have an idea of what to expect. But remember that a job compensation package includes more than the money you make. That doesn't mean that money doesn't matter. Recent survey results confirm that salary is the most important factor in considering a job for the majority of job seekers. But when you consider a physician job opportunity, consider other factors such as health benefits, a retirement plan, vacation, and the option to work part-time. A specialized physician staffing agency can be helpful if you are trying to find out more about a certain physician specialty salary in a particular part of the country, and how it compares in terms of cost of living to similar physician salaries elsewhere. Tip: Seeking High Salaries? Look To Urology If you want to evaluate physician salaries by specialty, consider this: Urology jobs come out on top. Urologists are among the highest paid specialists in medicine a urologist salary averages at least $300,000 in most parts of the United States according to the American Association of Medical Colleges. As with any average salary for a physician, a urologist salary varies based on the location and nature of your practice. What do you do for that money? A urologist must be an expert on the congenital and acquired diseases and conditions involving the genitourinary system, and he or she may treat patients of any age, from babies to the elderly. A urologist has several options for practice settings. Would you prefer a small group practice that gives you more say in the business operations, or are you seeking a large hospital setting where you can be part of a diverse medical team? A specialized physician staffing agency can help you read beyond a physician job listing and locate positions not only with the salary you want, but with the hours, location, and practice setting that you prefer. Category: What Does it Mean to Work Locum Tenens

18 Subcategory: What Does it Mean to Work Locum Tenens Tip: Combine Work and Play with a Locum Tenens Are you looking for a way to save money on your family vacation? A locum tenens job may be your ideal solution. Physicians in any specialty can find locum tenens positions in desirable vacation locations. Let a locum tenens staffing agency can help you find a locum tenens job somewhere that you'd like to visit. You will be paid for your vacation time from your regular job, but a week or two of additional pay can be a helpful addition to your income. Many locum tenens positions in desirable vacation spots have reasonable hours, so you can have time to enjoy the local activities with your family. And you can ask your local colleagues for the inside scoop on activities and restaurants. For example, a locum tenens staffing agency can arrange a family practice locum tenens for a week or two that corresponds with your children's vacation from school. Want a beach getaway? A physician staffing consultant can identify opportunities in Florida, North Carolina, or any location that you prefer. Tip: Family Practice Locum Fosters Flexibility Many family physicians report high levels of job satisfaction, but the income from a family physician job is not as high as other medical specialties. A family practice locum tenens can be a convenient way to supplement your income, and it doesn't have to involve travel or a long-term time commitment. And a short-term family practice locum tenens with a focus on a specific area of family medicine that you'd like to explore provides an opportunity to decide whether to pursue additional education or jobs in that subspecialty. Family physician jobs involve caring for the general health of people of all ages, from children to the elderly, and substitutes are always needed. A physician recruiting company that handles locum tenens staffing can help you find the locum tenens job that meets your criteria. You can request positions for time periods as short as a weekend, as long as a year or more, and anything in between. A physician staffing consultant will match your criteria for location, salary, and hours with available locum tenens positions. Tip: Locum Tenens: Less Paperwork, More Patients One of the benefits of a locum tenens position for physicians is that you can spend less time on paperwork and more time treating patients, because you are not committed to a hospital or practice group for the long-term. Other benefits of locum tenens work include: Flexibility: When applying for locum tenens work, you can choose your preferences for hours and location. Variety: Many physicians choose to make a career of locum tenens work because they enjoy the experience of treating different patient populations in different practice settings. Opportunity: A locum tenens job may be a stepping stone to a full-time position if you are a good fit with your colleagues and the

19 practice setting. A locum tenens staffing agency can help you identify the locum tenens position that meets your career goals, whether you want to enjoy a change of scene with a short-term assignment or explore a potential permanent position And a locum tenens staffing agency will take care of the details of malpractice insurance for your locum tenens job. Tip: Seek a Season-Specific Locum Do you work in Minnesota but see visions of palm trees? Or would you like to help treat patients who have had winter injuries, and go snowboarding during your free time? A locum tenens job can be a way to enhance your income and enjoy some rest and recreation in a desirable setting. For example, hospitals in many ski areas, such as in Utah, may not be that busy during the summer months, but as the population swells in the winter, so does the need for additional medical staff. And beachfront areas may seek locum tenens staffing during the spring break rush. Emergency medicine physicians and general or family practice physicians can adapt easily to seasonal medical care. Some medical problems you can treat in cold-weather climates include frostbite and hypothermia, while summer resort injuries may range from water sports accidents to heatstroke and sunburn. Like any locum tenens, you can work with a specialized physician staffing agency to identify a seasonal locum tenens job that meets your criteria for hours, salary, and location. Category: Why Work With a Physician Recruiter Subcategory: Why Work With a Physician Recruiter Tip: A Recruiter Can Make Your Medical Career Pay Off Money isn't everything, but it is an important aspect of a job. When you begin your physician job search, think about your financial needs at this point in your medical career. Do you need to make as much money as possible in your next physician job to pay off school loans or save for a home? Or are you willing to trade less money for a part-time position that is more family-friendly? Talk to a physician recruiter about your financial criteria, and he or she can answer your questions, including questions about salaries. Keep in mind that salaries for physicians vary by specialty, but they also vary by location. If you live in a major metropolitan area, the salary will likely reflect the higher cost of living, but you need to take housing and commuting costs into account, too. Physician recruitment firms can take the stress out of your job search by identifying appropriate job options based on your financial needs.

20 Tip: Physician Recruiters Give Your Job Search a Personal Touch The physician job search process can be an impersonal experience. You send resumes out into the world, often with little sense of the employers on the other end. But a physician recruiting firm can make your job search more personal in several ways: Personal attention. A physician recruiter who understands your specialty and listens to your preferences for your next job can identify the best opportunities for you. You don't need to sort through lists of online job postings and hope that you are targeting the ones that will meet your needs.inside knowledge. A physician recruiter who knows the employers in the specialty and location where you are seeking a job has more insight into what positions would be a good fit for you and for the employer. And he or she may know of openings that don't appear in most physician job sites. Administrative support. A physician recruiter will be sure that your resume goes to the correct person, rather than ending up at the bottom of a pile. Tip: Recruiters Can Speed Up Your Job Search Sometimes the most important factor in a physician job search is speed. You want to find the best physician job you can, but maybe your spouse's company has transferred him or her to another state, and you only have a matter of weeks to find a new job before it's time to move. A physician recruitment firm can be a valuable tool when time is an issue. Staff physician recruiters can help you identify jobs in your specialty in the location where you are moving. And a physician placement agency that understands your specialty will listen to your preferences for the other elements that make a job a good fit: type of practice, hours, type of work, and salary. Whether you have enjoyed a fulfilling practice in general medicine or you are an expert in a specialized niche, such as pediatric oncology, a physician recruiter can help you find the best job for you in your new location. You can spend more time packing and house-hunting, and less time sifting through job listings and trying to guess which ones would be the most similar to your current job. Tip: Recruiters Help with More Than Just Money Finding a position that meets your salary needs is an important part of a physician job search, but the other aspects of a job are important, too. Here's how a physician recruiting firm helps you conduct a more comprehensive job search: They know the employers. A physician recruitment agency that has relationships with local employers is able to identify the positions that will be the best fit for you, based on your job search criteria for hours and practice type, as well as salary.they know you. The right physician recruiter will take the time to get to know you and find out what you are looking for in all aspects of a job, no matter where you are in your medical career. Are you looking to expand your hours and broaden your professional network? Are you interested in part-time work so you can spend more time with your children? A physician recruiting firm finds your best job based on all your preferences, not just your salary requirements.