Completing your residency is a major accomplishment, but as one chapter of your medical career ends and another begins, searching for employment can pose its own unique challenges. Not to worry—we’ve got you covered. Here are four things every resident should know to make the most of their job search and employment after residency.
The JAMA Network can help you find a job, too
In addition to providing cutting-edge medical research, the JAMA Network offers professional resources for physicians. Visit the JAMA Career Center to search for employment opportunities. The site features more than 6,000 job postings and reference guides to help physicians prepare for key transitions in their careers.
Learn how to negotiate a contract
Whether you plan to work for a hospital or group practice, negotiating a contract is an important part of the hiring process for all employed physicians. How can you know whether your contract is fair and reasonable?
Use these resources to learn how to negotiate with future employers and identify the key areas of a contract before starting a new job:
- 7 things you must know before signing an employment contract
- “Negotiating your employment contract” webcast
- “Contracting 101: You get what you negotiate” webcast
- “Negotiate with confidence: Know what's in your contract” webcast
Getting paid what you deserve is possible
Discussing compensation is its own part of negotiations, but it doesn’t have to be intimidating. Review the AMA’s annotated model employment agreements—one for physicians seeking employment with a hospital and one for physicians looking for a group practice position—to gain a better understanding of various compensation methodologies and learn how to negotiate a fair compensation package.
These resources also discuss such important contractual considerations as working conditions, liability insurance, restrictive covenants and termination of the contract.
Prepare for success
What happens if you and your employer disagree on how to treat a patient? When should you be loyal to your employer or advocate for your patients’ health? And how can you ensure these disagreements won’t negatively impact your peer reviews and evaluations?
Find answers to these employment questions and more in the AMA’s Principles for Physician Employment. This principles deal with addressing conflict of interests, advocating for patients and the profession, contracting, hospital medical staff relations, peer review and performance evaluations, and payment agreements.
Tell us: What other tips and resources are you using to find a job after residency? Share your favorites in the comments below or on the AMA’s Residents and Fellows Facebook page.
