Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

When not to use a physician recruiter

Bo Claypool
Physician
September 11, 2011
Share
Tweet
Share

As a physician recruiter of prominence, a number of times during any given week I get a fair number of calls from physicians in training who, honestly, should not be calling me whatsoever and I am very frank in telling them this.  The call normally starts something like this:

“Hi Bo, my name is Dr. Doe.  I am finishing up my dermatology residency and I want to be there in Austin.”

“Ok, Dr. Doe, are you flexible on location at all?”

“No, I am only going to consider Austin.”

“Sure, I understand.  I am actually from Austin.  Great place.  But, you do realize Austin is one of the most sought after, and consequently saturated, markets for physician employment in the entire US?”

“Right, yes, I know.”

“As well, the population is very young and fit, so it is therefore not the veritable goldmine of skin cancer you probably want and could find even in a more agrarian setting just a half hour or so away from Austin.”

“I understand all that.  I am not really financially motivated.”

It’s at this point in the conversation, realizing this person’s heart is set on Austin, that I diverge from what is typical of an agency recruiter to do:

“Look, Dr. Doe. If you’re dead-set on being in Austin, you don’t want us looking into that area for you.”

“Why not?”

“Well, because I know first-hand that Austin-area practices are inundated with the CV’s of those in training and if we refer you to a practice, it’s going to put a $20-30,000 additional price tag on your head for the practice to have to deal with in hiring you.”

“Wait, what?”

“Yes, that’s right. As much as I would like to help you find a job, my wife insists that I get paid for it.”

“Well, what if I paid you?”

ADVERTISEMENT

“That’s a bit trickier of a relationship – probably something more appropriate for an attorney – but would you actually be willing to pay us $20-30,000 in fees to find you a job?”

“Maybe I would, but I can’t. I am an indebted resident.”

Here’s the thing.  I’m a veteran physician recruiter and without being too braggadocios, I am rather good at what I do.  The physician recruitment field is very challenging and rewarding in a number of ways, but I ultimately do it because it is lucrative.  However, no amount of money is worth negatively effecting the trajectory of someone’s career.

If I get an agreement in place with an Austin-area practice in contemplation of Dr. Doe’s candidacy, it basically says that in the event Dr. Doe signs a contract for employment with said practice, I get $20,000 from them.  Now, if the practice has seven or so PGY-4 residents they are presently considering for hire, six of whom came to them on their own and one of whom – Dr. Doe – was presented by a recruiter whose services ultimately come at a hefty price, I assure you the practice is often going to focus on those other 6 candidates before they give Dr. Doe an offer.

Sure, there’s always the chance the practice will still hire Dr. Doe, the fee attached to his candidacy notwithstanding, but the chances are pretty slim and I would prefer to spend my time on other matters. I’d rather have Dr. Doe remember me with fondness for not sabotaging his job search as he entered practice, so in the event he decides he wants to get paid in something other than the charm of idyllic Austin, he will contact me about some of my job openings in other areas.

Do note that I am by no means saying, “Do not work with a recruiter.”  If a recruiter approaches you about a job you have interest in, or you see an ad of interest placed by a recruiter, then by all means you should work with them.  This means that the practice has already conceptually allocated the funds towards the process and, in some respects, your candidacy is actually bolstered by working with the recruiter (especially if the nature of the relationship the recruiter has with their client is of the “retained” variety, which is what almost all of mine are).

What I am saying, however, is do not individually approach a recruiter about being promoted in an area  of prominence.  If you encounter a recruiter less ethical than myself, you may be inadvertently harming your candidacy.  Instead, open the phone book and call every practice you can find, get their fax number or mailing address and send in your CV that way.

In other words, don’t call us, we’ll call you.  We’re recruiters and we’re very good at that.

Bo Claypool is a physician recruiter who is the managing partner of Monroe & Weisbrod, a psychiatry-specific physician recruitment firm.

Prev

9/11 grieving in the social media era

September 11, 2011 Kevin 0
…
Next

How elderly patients can be stubborn to their own detriment

September 11, 2011 Kevin 4
…

Tagged as: Primary Care, Specialist

Post navigation

< Previous Post
9/11 grieving in the social media era
Next Post >
How elderly patients can be stubborn to their own detriment

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Bo Claypool

  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    How a letter of intent can help with physician recruitment

    Bo Claypool
  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    Why your website is important to recruit physicians

    Bo Claypool
  • a desk with keyboard and ipad with the kevinmd logo

    The use of a signing bonus as tool for physician recruitment

    Bo Claypool

More in Physician

  • The hidden incentives driving frivolous malpractice lawsuits

    Howard Smith, MD
  • Mastering medical presentations: Elevating your impact

    Harvey Castro, MD, MBA
  • Marketing as a clinician isn’t about selling. It’s about trust.

    Kara Pepper, MD
  • How doctors took back control from hospital executives

    Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD
  • How art and science fueled one woman’s path to medicine

    Amy Avakian, MD
  • In a fractured world, Brian Wilson’s message still heals

    Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • Why Medicaid cuts should alarm every doctor

      Ilan Shapiro, MD | Policy
    • When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother’s Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

      Pearl Jones, MD | Conditions
    • Key strategies for smooth EHR transitions in health care

      Sandra Johnson | Tech
    • Reassessing the impact of CDC’s opioid guidelines on chronic pain care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why flashy AI tools won’t fix health care without real infrastructure

      David Carmouche, MD | Tech
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • How dismantling DEI endangers the future of medical care

      Shashank Madhu and Christian Tallo | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • Why shared decision-making in medicine often fails

      M. Bennet Broner, PhD | Conditions
  • Recent Posts

    • Dedicated hypermobility clinics can transform patient care

      Katharina Schwan, MPH | Conditions
    • It’s time for pain protocols to catch up with the opioid crisis

      Sarah White, APRN | Conditions
    • First impressions happen online—not in your exam room

      Sara Meyer | Social media
    • How locum tenens work helps physicians and APPs reclaim control

      Brian Sutter | Policy
    • The hidden incentives driving frivolous malpractice lawsuits

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • Why what doctors say matters more than you think [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 5 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • Why Medicaid cuts should alarm every doctor

      Ilan Shapiro, MD | Policy
    • When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother’s Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

      Pearl Jones, MD | Conditions
    • Key strategies for smooth EHR transitions in health care

      Sandra Johnson | Tech
    • Reassessing the impact of CDC’s opioid guidelines on chronic pain care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Why flashy AI tools won’t fix health care without real infrastructure

      David Carmouche, MD | Tech
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • How dismantling DEI endangers the future of medical care

      Shashank Madhu and Christian Tallo | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • Why shared decision-making in medicine often fails

      M. Bennet Broner, PhD | Conditions
  • Recent Posts

    • Dedicated hypermobility clinics can transform patient care

      Katharina Schwan, MPH | Conditions
    • It’s time for pain protocols to catch up with the opioid crisis

      Sarah White, APRN | Conditions
    • First impressions happen online—not in your exam room

      Sara Meyer | Social media
    • How locum tenens work helps physicians and APPs reclaim control

      Brian Sutter | Policy
    • The hidden incentives driving frivolous malpractice lawsuits

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • Why what doctors say matters more than you think [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

When not to use a physician recruiter
5 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...