How to Find a Job

Carrie Rassbach, MD, FAAP

Associate Program Director, Advising and Career Development

Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Stanford University

September 5, 2012

Upcoming Career Sessions

• 9/25 Hospital Medicine Panel• 10/1 Primary Care Panel

• All sessions, 6-8pm• Handouts can be found on peds.stanford.edu

Special Thanks

• Our invited guests:– Marisa Cappiello, MD PAMF Sunnyvale– Jessie Myers, MD LPCH NICU Hospitalist

and CPMC Hospitalist– Laura Webb, MD Kaiser Santa Clara

Objectives• Understand the steps in searching for a job

– Timeline– How to identify what you want– How to learn about jobs that are available– How to promote yourself

• Gain skills in writing CVs and cover letters• Outline the components of the actual interview day,

including what questions to ask• Identify the potential benefits a job may offer• Recognize when to negotiate one’s contract

Resources• AAP Practice Management Online (www.practice.aap.org):

“Selecting A Career in Pediatrics” Handbook, chapters:– “Launching Your Career in Pediatrics”– “Finding the Job”– “Job Seeker: Tips on Interviewing”– “Negotiating an Agreement” – “Setting Up A Practice”

• AAP CV Builder: www.pedjobs.org/cv.asp• AAP PedJobs: www.pedjobs.org • Abelson HT, Blewett L, Tunnessen Jr WW. Career Planning for

Pediatric Residents. Pediatrics, 107; e65, 2001.• Stanford Pediatric Career Development Website:

peds.stanford.edu/professional-development

Resources: peds.stanford.edu website

Resources: peds.stanford.edu website

Timeline – How to Apply For a Job

Deciding what you want to do

Thinking about Applying

Applying for Jobs

Medical Students, Interns, & Juniors

Juniors Seniors

In-Depth Timeline For Seniors

Send Cover Letters and

CVs

Follow-Up with Phone

Call

Decide

Senior Year

Fall-Winter

1-2 weeks later

Interview

Senior Year Fall-

Spring

Receive & Consider Offers; Possible

Negotiation

Senior Year Fall-

Spring

Senior Year Fall-

Spring

How to Identify Career Goals• Particular passion• Specific areas of interest• Primary care vs. subspecialty• Predominantly outpatient vs. inpatient• Chronic vs. acute• Continuity of care vs. short-term• Procedures • Deaths and bad news

How to Identify Career Goals (cont)• Academic vs. community setting• Clinical Work, Clinical Research, Laboratory

Research, Education, Advocacy, Policy• Hours of work

– Daytime vs. nighttime– On-service time vs. shifts vs. set schedule

• Ability to work part-time• Geography

Exposure to Different Careers• Continuity Clinic• Urgent Care• Electives• Away Rotations• Informational Interviews• Shadowing for a day• Career Panels• Networking Opportunities

– AAP and other societal events• National Conferences

– AAP National Conference: New Orleans, LA, October 2012– Pediatric Academic Societies: Washington, DC, May 2013– Pediatric Hospital Medicine: August 2013

Identify Mentors• Program Director and Associate Program Directors• Assigned Advisor• Community Pediatricians and Hospitalists willing to

serve as career mentors• Current Residents• Alumni of your residency program

How to Find Out About Job Opportunities

• Job Market Reality – Fewer jobs available in some parts of the

country than there were before the economy took its downturn, but still many jobs available

– Many different choices (i.e., you can do what you love most)

– Many jobs are not listed– People learn about them by word of mouth or

networking

How to Find Out About Job Opportunities (cont)

• Word of Mouth– Talk with mentors, continuity clinic preceptors,

residency alumni, current residents, others in the community

• Send out feelers– Mail/Email cover letters and CVs, even if a job is

not posted• Ask for an Informational Interview

How to Find Out About Job Opportunities (cont)

• Networking• Website: www.pedjobs.org (National AAP Job

Networking Website)• Notices via Mail and Email• Career Fairs• Moonlighting• Locums Tenens

Preparing What You Will Need

• Cover Letter

• CV

• References

Cover Letters• Purposes of a Cover Letter

– Introduces you to the employer– Identifies what type of job you are looking for

• ie – outpatient (continuity vs. urgent care vs. both), inpatient (gen peds vs. ED vs. nursery vs. NICU vs. PICU vs. combination), other

– Gives a few reasons why you would be an excellent choice• Nuts and Bolts

– One page maximum– Send along with your CV

• The cover letter can be in the body of the email, rather than an attachment, but don’t treat it less formally – often this letter (no matter how formal or informal) will be sent on to the rest of the group you are applying to

Components of a CV• Name• Contact Information: Home & Work Address, Email,

Phone• Medical Training

– Residency (Years attended)– Inpatient and outpatient rotations at Hospital X, Hospital Y,

and Clinic Z– Continuity clinic at:

• Education (reverse chronological order)• Professional Experience (reverse chronological order)

– List any related experience here (moonlighting, etc)

Components of a CV (cont)• Licenses and Certification

– Pediatric Board Certification– Medical Board of California– DEA– PALS– NPR

• Special Skills– Languages spoken– Ability to do special procedures: PICC lines, chest tube

placement

• Honors and Awards (reverse chronological order)

Components of a CV (cont)• Teaching Experience• Research• Publications• Presentations• Professional Organizations• Volunteer Experience• International Experience• Special Interests/Hobbies (optional)

References• 3-4 Total

– Program Director or Associate Program Director should be one– References should know you well and preferably come from the clinical

background to which you are applying

• When asking someone to be a reference, be sure to ask if he/she can provide a strong recommendation on your behalf

• Technically, CVs do not include references, but some employers appreciate you offering this information up-front, either on your CV or separately

• Provide references’ names, contact information (phone/email/fax) and ensure accuracy

Scheduling Interviews• Be persistent (but polite and appreciative) in requesting an

interview• Sooner the better• Try to cluster interviews because the timing of interviews at

some places may overlap with offers from other places• Preparation for interviews

– Learn about the places you are going to visit• Why do you want to work there?• Why would you be a good fit?

– Talk with anyone who might know something about the group/practice

– Practice answering interview questions

Academic Positions

• Know the different academic tracks at the institution (usually on the academic affairs webpage)

• Learn what is required to advance in the given track (often on the Appointments and Promotions Committee website)

Interview Day• Your goals:

– To promote yourself– To evaluate the potential job and determine if it

fits what you are looking for• Number of people you will meet with varies • Types of interviews vary• Do your homework: read the website, understand

the leadership structure• Dress and act professionally

Interview Day Questions

• What will the actual duties involve?– Clinical sites and duties– Number of patients per day– Number of days/week or shifts/month– Number of call nights and weekends (and what

responsibilities you have during that time)– Dedicated administrative time (for returning calls,

finishing charting, making referrals, etc.)– Non-clinical expectations

• Teaching, administrative (committees, etc)

Interview Day Questions (cont)• Who are the other physicians? How long have

they been there and what are their backgrounds?• What support staff is available?

– RNs/PAs/MAs– Business manager– Case manager– Social worker– Subspecialists– Answering service

• Is RN first-call or MD?• Is there an answering service during the day?

Interview Day Questions (cont)• How are young physicians mentored?• How is evaluation and promotion handled?• Are there partners? How does one advance to

partner?• How long do physicians typically stay in the

practice? • Are there any significant upcoming changes?

(People leaving, mergers, etc.)• What else should you know about the job?

Interview Day Questions (cont)

• Payer mix• What is the physician payment rate? What is the

basis of this scale (eg, salary, seniority, productivity, patient load, call load, combination)?

• Benefits

After an Interview

• Take detailed notes about what you did and did not like and what you learned

• Write a thank you note to your interviewers

Offers• Initially, may receive verbal contract• Ensure you get written contract shortly thereafter• Compensation = Salary + Bonuses + Benefits

– Clarify what the salary will be– Clarify what bonuses depend on

• Clarify job being offered– What will the job consist of?– Number of hours/week– Number and type of call– Expected non-clinical contributions– Dedicated administrative time

Benefits• Vacation• CME Time• Sabbatical• Health insurance

– How much are you expected to contribute?

• Dental/vision insurance• Retirement plans

– 401K, 403b, Pension Plans – Matching vs. non-matching

• Benefits for Domestic Partner, Spouse, Children

• Life Insurance• Disability Insurance• Child care accounts• Reimbursement for

• Boards• Medical License• DEA

• CME/Education Stipend• Tuition Benefits for Dependents• Housing Benefits• Other Benefits

Benefits (cont)• Maternity/Paternity Policy• Loan Repayment• Malpractice Insurance

• Insurance that covers you while you are at a practice.

• Tail Insurance– Malpractice insurance that covers you after you leave

the practice – Example: Tail insurance will cover you if a patient you

treated during your time at a practice sues you and/or the practice 5 or 10 years after you actually saw them

Benefits (cont)• Benefits are very important – may represent 1/3

of your overall compensation– Example: If you are offered a salary of $140,000/yr,

often the benefits can be worth $50,000-$70,000/yr

• For part-time work, clarify what proportion of benefits you will receive

Part-Time Work

• Very common, especially in pediatrics• FTE = Full-time Equivalent

– Full-time is often considered 36-40 hours/week

• Part-time = Anything less than full-time– Example: 0.5 FTE often 18-20 hours/week

• Pay attention to how benefits are affected by FTE status– Often you need to work > 50% time to get any benefits at all– Benefits for 0.5 FTE vary from none to 50% to full benefits

After You Have Received an Offer

• Think about it• Talk about it with family and friends• Talk about it with a trusted mentor/advisor• Consider negotiating your contract• Consider having a lawyer review the contract

Contract Negotiation

• Fair Market Value– See what people in the area, in similar practices,

are paying for physicians coming out of comparable residencies. Add your other experiences, languages, and special skills.

– Ask alumni, colleagues, pediatricians in the area about their compensation

Contract Negotiation (cont)• When to negotiate? • Different organizations have different expectations

– Some places don’t do any negotiating – Others don’t take you seriously unless you try to

negotiate

Contract Negotiation (cont)• Things that are negotiable:

– Job specifics (ie. % primary care vs. urgent care)– Percent FTE– Salary– Comparison with other offers you have received– Exit clauses

• Usually Non-negotiable: – Non-compete clauses (where you can practice after you

leave)– Benefits – Moonlighting outside system if working more that a certain

percentage of FTE

Contract Negotiation (cont)• Balance: Knowing your bottom line vs. you will be

working with these people in the future • Find right venue/person to negotiate with• Know who you are negotiating with (know their

background, ask people in the area) • If people say “best and final offer,” it is usually true • You normally have at least 2 weeks to decide on your

offer

Other things to consider• Get a medical license ASAP if changing states

– Can take up to 9 months– It makes you seem like a more serious applicant – Places are more likely to hire you if they don’t have to

worry that you will be licensed in time

• Consider registering with Federation Credentials Verification Service (FCVS):– http://www.fsmb.org/fcvs.html– Centralized process for state medical boards as well as

private and governmental entities to obtain a verified record of a physician's medical credentials

– Cost: $295 (increasing to $325 on 10/1)

After You Have A Job• Complete credentialing paperwork ASAP

– Can take up to 6 months

• Keep photocopy of your credentialing paperwork• Follow-up with credentialing office to verify that

everything is being processed– You don’t want anything holding up when you can start

working (because you’re not paid till you start working)

Changes You May Wish to Make in Your Practice: Medical Students

• Start to identify career goals• Take electives during your clinical years• Start to identify mentors• Choose a residency that exposes you to a variety

of practice styles, types of general pediatrics and subspecialties (i.e. leave your doors open)

Changes You May Wish to Makein Your Practice: Interns

• Start to identify career goals• Start to identify mentors• Meet with mentors, seek advice• Consider switching your continuity clinic site for

junior year• Consider attending pediatric national conferences

Changes You May Wish to Make in Your Practice: Juniors

• Begin working on your CV• Continue identifying career goals• Continue identifying mentors• Meet with mentors• Consider switching your continuity clinic site for

senior year• Consider attending pediatric national conferences

Changes You May Wish to Make in Your Practice: Seniors/Fellows

• Talk about potential job opportunities with your Advisor, Program Director, Associate Program Director, Chief Residents, etc.

• Create your CV and Cover Letters• Review CVs and Cover Letters with mentors• Arrange interviews • Interview• Weigh job offers and discuss with mentors

Questions?