MANY PHYSICIANS ARE MAD, 'THEY'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE'

Attention Physicians:? when a recruiter comes calling, they have one priority in mind, and it is rarely your career happiness.

They are all about filling a client's order.? Filling an order makes the client happy and adds cash to the recruiter’s bank account.

In some physician placement firms, the pressure on the recruiters to perform is intense.?

So, some recruiters rely on high pressure.? High-pressure recruiting frequently translates into a bad outcome – for you.

Other recruiters are more nuanced.nbsp; But be on the alert.nbsp; The recruiter may think about whether a particular job is a fit for you although how they make that determination without ever visiting the site or getting to know the organization’s culture or practice philosophy is an important question for you to ask.nbsp; Unlike executive recruiting, most physician recruiters do not make due diligence site visits. They frequently make placements for clients in communities they have never visited, for clients they have never met – personally.

As a result of this type of transactional recruiting, many physicians find themselves in toxic employment situations in which the cultural focus is primarily financial.? Your satisfaction is optional.? You don’t like something? Too bad, take a seat.? You work for us. You have a non-compete clause.? We own you in this market

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?Physicians, stop being used (read: abused) by the system!? Doctors are increasingly in short supply. You have a stronger hand to play in the recruiting process.? Start using that leverage.

?Let me add some important context.? There are two types of physician recruiters: retained (the Merritt Hawkins, etc.? They worked like a consultant. They are paid for their time and effort. The second type is contingency.? They are paid only if they make the placement.

?Typically, in a recruiting call, it is the candidate who is screened; however, you might also want to exercise your right to screen the recruiter with questions like:

?How long have you worked as a physician recruiter? How many placements have you made over the last 12 months?

• Have you ever visited this client’s site and met the key stakeholders?
• How many placements have you made for this client?
• How many of those placements are still practicing for this client?
• What is their turnover rate for physicians?? Employees?
• What is the term and conditions of your placement guarantee?? (Tip:? the longer the term, presumably the more accountability for getting it right.? No recruiter wants to do the work again for free, or refund money.)

?If you are being recruited for a hospital-based practice, you must explore how that relation is operating.

• When is the group’s contract up for renewal?? What is the likelihood of a renewal?
• Have there been service issues? From staffing to failure to meet performance guarantees within the agreement?
• Does the medical staff have confidence in the quality of care that is being provided?
• Has there been much turnover within the contract??

If the recruiter or the employer is uncomfortable with your questions, you are talking to the wrong people.? Regardless of their assurances and their high opinion of themselves, move on.? You have one life and one career.

So, why should anyone be surprised that physicians, in increasing numbers, are talking about forming unions? Why are some physicians, so frustrated with the toxic environment in which they are compelled to practice, ?planning to challenge the non-compete clauses in their contracts, to extricate themselves from their existing employment??

What should have been a mutually beneficial relationship between physicians and health systems, in more and more markets, is headed south.? ?

Take charge before you are filled with regret.

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