Anand Kartha MD MSc October 2009 Page 1

How to look for and negotiate a job in medicine1:

1. Figure out what you want: Job vs. Careera. My vision-What do I like doing? What am I passionate about? What do I gravitate towards?b. Reality of job market: what kinds of jobs are out there? Why would someone need me? Is it to replace

someone who has left or a new position? What would they want me to do? What do you look for in afuture mentor?

c. Location, location, locationi. Family considerationsii. Geographyiii. Fish size/pond sizeiv. Stay with familiar or break into the unknownv. Non-traditional jobs? (public health, managed care, etc.)

2. Find places that you might want to work:a. Network, network, networkb. Mentorc. GIM/FM/PM chiefs in your desired geographical aread. All important people even if you think they aren’t hiringe. Society meetingsf. Society websitesg. Journal Adsh. Onlinei. Recruitersj. Division chiefk. Educational Jobs: Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicinel. Other research group heads with programs/grants

3. Getting your foot in the doora. Update your curriculum vitae: make sure your mentor and a number of other fellows/faculty critique it

before sending it out. No fancy formatting-you have a lot to offer, so no need to ‘spice it up’ with color,font, etc. Standard format is best. Ask senior fellows or junior faculty for copies of theirs to modelyours after.

b. Examples: BU Standard Template/ ACP templatec. Introductory letter (2 pages)

i. 1st paragraph: who sent you, who are you, why you are writing themii. Make it personaliii. Highlight your CViv. Describe what you are looking forv. Be focused and tailor it to the target- explain why you would be a good match for them and

could fill a need they might havevi. Check the grammar, spelling, etc- show it to your mentor and others that you trust

d. Who to contact?- anyone in the list above. Try to send as few cold letters as possible.

4. Visiting/Interviewsa. The first interview: IMPORTANT FIRST IMPRESSION—like a blind date (it may be a phone interview)

i. Get as much advance information as possible- Medline, contacts, etc.ii. Is there someone YOU want to meet with? Ask them to arrangeiii. Look sharp (dark clothes better than light)iv. Practice interview questions

a. How will you be valued? “In 3 years, how will you judge my success or lack of success?What are your expectations of me? How will I impact your section/department?

v. TOOT YOUR OWN HORN- no one is going to do it for you. Even if you feel underconfident,just know that you are superbly trained and qualified for undertaking this next step. Youprobably underestimate how much you have grown and learned in this training program.Take some risks- this is an experience, cultivate serendipity

vi. Have an idea of a concrete career plan- research, teaching, administration, etc.vii. Thank you letters- include specific, concrete or personal detailsviii. JOB TALK—40 minutes—practice practice practice- for investigators only; there is no

equivalent for educators

Anand Kartha MD MSc October 2009 Page 2

ix. Investigators: accomplishments more than personality; Educators: more “who you are” ratherthan accomplishments.

b. The second interview: Get them to propose! (or at least offer a job to you)i. See all of the aboveii. Remember that you are one of a number who they might be looking atiii. DON’T NEGOTIATE A JOB UNTIL IT HAS BEEN OFFERED.iv. Consider bringing spouse, looking at housing, etc.v. Ask the junior faculty all the hard questions- how much support do they have, what the micro-

working environment is like?vi. Questions to ask: what is the philosophy and tone of the institution, what is valued there

(promotion, tenure questions are a good yardstick)? How is time protected? Who ispromoted? How are the missions of the institution balanced and prioritized? Where are theoffices? Is location important? Salary: sources of support and institutional expectations.Resources: space, personnel, administration, etc.

5. Negotiating an offer:a. NEVER NEGOTIATE A JOB UNTIL IT HAS BEEN OFFEREDb. Read job negotiation books: How to make $1000 in a minutec. Get it on paperd. If they give you everything you ask for, you probably didn’t ask for enoughe. Salary: find out range of what others in your position earnf. There is more to an offer than salaryg. Tactfully let competitors know you have concrete offers and how you really want to work something out

with them. (especially if it is true)h. Keep your mentor/chief/program directors apprised of your offers so that they can help you.i. Consider hiring a consultant to coach you through this process. It will pay dividends in the long run.

6. Accepting a jobBe gracious, personally inform unsuccessful suitors quickly. You never know when you might need torelocate. Don’t want to burn any bridges. Also, you represent the program here, so we don’t want you toburn any bridges for residents/fellows who follow in your footsteps.

7. The reality:a. Organizing your first yearb. Protecting time: can people do it, what are the principles behind thisc. Making yourself visibled. Dealing with several bosses: saying yes, saying noe. Institutional personality disorder: different missions, all at the same timef. Sources of fundingg. Promotion, tenure 1) publications 2) funding

References:

1. Jane Liebschutz, MD MPH FACP October 2006 Academic Seminar2. The Ultimate Guide to Finding the Right Job After Residency by Koushik Shaw3. Life After Residency: A Career Planning Guide by Melissa T. Berhow4. CareerMedicine.com's Mini Guide to Physician Job Search by Dr Sandeep Grewal MD5. The Physician's Job-Search Rx: Marketing Yourself for the Position You Want by Javad H. Kashani, Wesley D.

Allan, and Kate Kelly

Salary information: (RANGES ONLY, all salaries are locally determined)a. Former gradsb. Your mentor/ facultyc. Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) academic physician salary survey.d. Hospital and Healthcare Compensation Svc (HHCS) all physicians survey.e. Sullivan Cotter and Associates (SCA) survey for all physicians.f. Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM) survey for hospitalists.

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Regional Classification of Data

1. New England 4. East North Central 7. West South CentralConnecticut Illinois Arkansas Maine Indiana Louisiana Massachusetts Michigan Oklahoma New Hampshire Ohio Texas Rhode Island Wisconsin Vermont 8. Mountain 5. East South Central Arizona 2. Middle Atlantic Alabama Colorado New York Kentucky Idaho New Jersey Mississippi Montana Pennsylvania Tennessee Nevada New Mexico 3. South Atlantic 6. West North Central Utah Delaware Iowa Wyoming District of Columbia Kansas Florida Minnesota 9. Pacific Georgia Missouri Alaska Maryland Nebraska California North Carolina North Dakota Hawaii South Carolina South Dakota Oregon Virginia Washington West Virginia

Hospital & HealthcareCompensation Service www.hhcsinc.com

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

1. Scholarship Reconsidered: Priorities of the Professoriate Ernest L. Boyer (interested inacademic medicine)

2. The Ultimate Guide to Finding the Right Job After Residency [Paperback] Koushik Shaw(what to do next)

3. The Physician's Job-Search: Marketing Yourself for the Position You Want Javad H.Kashani (tips for all kinds of jobs, solo/group/academic/ CMO..)

4. Physician, Protect Thyself: 7 Simple Ways Not to Get Sued for Medical Malpractice[Paperback] Alan G. Williams (just buy it and read it now)

5. AMA Physician's Guide to Financial Planning. AMA (how not to lose all your $$)6. AMA bookstore also has a number of practice management books.