As much as I truly do like what hospital medicine represents, I have come to the very strong conclusion that there are greener pastures.
As the days of my contract tick ever-so-slowly away, I wonder how soon is too soon to seriously start the job hunt. Given that I'm looking to geographically relocate a not-insignificant distance, and that I really don't even have a solid idea about what state I'm shooting for, I figure it's not too early to put the feelers out and ask for some courtesy tours.
But I did get a lil bummed out by some of the Sermo posts talking about how it took one guy 3 hospitalist jobs before he found one he was happy in. For reasons mostly out of my control, I think I've had more jobs post-residency than I had before it. It would be nice to settle down in a position that I can think of as a career rather than a means-to-an-end.
As a lifelong Midwesterner who has lived in some pretty great Midwestern cities, I'm bracing myself to find that as the Quality-of-Life index goes up, the quality of the hospitalist job plummets. Maybe that's not universally true. But as someone who lives in a great city and commutes to work in a town precious few would voluntarily choose to live in, I can tell you that small town hospitalist jobs can be as malignant as any in a cosmopolitan city. (Even if you've read your contract with a fine-toothed comb.)
I suppose I need to decide if I would ever work directly for a hospital again. As many cons as that comes with, one of the most regal screw-jobs I've ever heard of came at the hands of a private physician group (granted, that friend is in Emergency Medicine, so maybe that's more par for the course).
I'm glad I've found a profession I like. Now I need to find the good peeps I want to work in a town I want to hang my hat for years.
3 comments:
Refugee,
You should look at the southeast. We just started a program and would love to have you from the ground up!
Writing from a coastal georgia town I can say we LOVE our hospitalists here. Local docs thrilled to have someone in the hospital they can contract with and count on. Makes life that much easier while improving patient care. Definitely have a look around, you'll find a place where you're valued.
Dear Refugee,
I am a hospitalist recruiter, previously working as the inhouse hospitalist recruiter for a large hosptialist group. I have left the group due to many reasons I am not suppose to discuss:)
I have a vision to produce a company to help hospitalist find their best possible match in a hospitalist practice. I know what is good and what is not good in a practice and feel very passionate about being the physicians advocate. As an independent not associated with any one hospital or group I can represent you to find exactly what you are looking for. I am not afraid to ask the hard questions that are usually not discussed in a normal recruitment scenario.
I would love to connect with you either personally or just to get your opinion of my new site and what I am attempting to do.
If you are interested, visit www.hospitalistnet.com or my recruitment site www.apractice4u.com. Let me know you ideas and if you are interested in letting me help you I would feel privileged (my site is brand new and has not been advertised or seen by many, let me know if you see problems, I had to build it on my own).
By the way, I would vote for the SE as well. I recruited for 10 SE states!
Regards,
DD2
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