PRESENT Residency Insight

Contact us today to learn more about how PRESENT can transform the way you deliver residency education!

Residency Insight

TIPS ON FINDING THE RIGHT JOB AFTER RESIDENCY

Paul J. Kim, DPM
Assistant Professor
Arizona Podiatric Medicine Program
Midwestern University College of Health Sciences

Finding a job after completing a residency program is a stressful experience. I graduated from my residency program just a few months ago and I remember how anxious the whole process is. I heard horror stories about not finding work after completing a residency program and I actually knew people who did not secure a job several months after graduating from a residency program. It’s hard to think that after 4 years of podiatric medical school and 1-3 years of residency that you could complete your training without a good job to show for it. Finding a job is important, but more important than finding a job; is finding the right job. Remember you will have to work long hours in the same environment day in and day out. You want to make sure that you will like going into work every day. Below are some tips about the job hunting process…

You probably already have some idea about the type of practice you want to join. There are many options for podiatric physicians in today’s healthcare environment. The most popular options are associateships or small group practices. There are many advertisements in our trade journals advertising for new associates. These practitioners are looking for guys and gals coming out of residencies to join them in their busy practices. These offer a good opportunity to learn practice management and clinical skills. The down side is that they usually pay a lower base salary than other types of practices and include incentives based on your productivity.

Large multi-specialty groups and corporations like Kaiser Permanente are another option. These situations offer a much higher starting salary, but come with a ceiling on income potential. Further, this is a corporate environment with some policies dictated by administrators not clinicians. Make sure you look into these situations and ask a lot of questions.

There are several nontraditional paths available. Two of these options are working for the Indian Health Service (IHS) or in a Veterans Affairs (VA) Hospital. Both of these cater to a specific population of patients with a diversity of pathologies represented. However, both are government institutions that may dictate your practice options. Another nontraditional practice option is full time academic medicine. This is ideal for those interested in teaching and research. However, because of these priorities, this option may also limit your income potential. All three nontraditional opportunities continue to expand and are a good situation for some, however these three options cater to a specific interest group. Make sure you know what you are getting into before applying for or taking one of these jobs.

Before you begin your job search, you will need to put together a curriculum vitae (CV), reference list, and a cover letter. This should ideally be done in the first month of your final year of residency. Make sure you have all the information available so that you can access it quickly. Next you need to decide where you want to practice. To most people location is the key factor in finding a job. Being interested in just one location can severely limit your options. For example, if you are only interested in the state of Vermont, you may be limited because of the state’s relatively small population. On the other hand, it is true that there may be more competition in a larger state like California. Remember that certain areas of the country are more popular, not only to patients but other podiatrists. This does not mean that you will be unsuccessful in the more popular area. Most of the people I have spoken with agree that if you are a good podiatrist, patients will come to see you. State leg laws may also factor in where you want to practice. For example, if you are interested in amputations, Arizona may not be the best option, whereas Virginia may be. Further, you will find that multi-specialty groups are generally found in metropolitan areas. So if you wanted to work in a smaller city or town, this may not be the best option. Ultimately, you want to practice where you will be happiest. Be wise by weighing the above factors, but do not let it limit you on where you really want to practice.

Begin your job search in earnest within the first six months of your last year of residency. Begin looking through the ads in our trade journals or association web sites. Ask your attendings who may have connections in geographic areas that you are interested in. Go online and Google/Yahoo search “podiatry jobs” or “podiatrist”. You would be amazed by the number of job placement companies there are out there that offer opportunities for podiatrists. Often they are no cost to you and all you have to do is post a CV. Remember, ours is a fairly new profession to some multi-specialty groups, hence they may not know to advertise in our journals-so keep your eyes open, especially on the web.

Answer multiple ads at once with a cover letter and CV. This is a continuous process so don’t get frustrated or impatient. Interview offers will come. If the jobs are out of state, try to schedule them around the same time so that you can visit a number of sites during the same period. Not all jobs will pay for your travel costs and this can become expensive. If you do get a job offer, make sure that it is the job you want. Do not make a hasty decision because it is the first offer you get. After you make the decision to accept the offer, make sure you negotiate terms that are agreeable to you and also make sure that the contract is reviewed by a lawyer.

There are ever increasing options available for the graduating resident. My residency class is a prime example of this. One of my co-residents joined a small podiatry group, while my other co-resident joined a large multi-specialty group. I went into academics. All three of us are very happy in our individual situations. Choose a career goal and put all your energy towards achieving that goal. Podiatry is an ever-expanding field with countless opportunities. Good luck!

Send in YOUR most interesting clinical case for others to learn from.
SUBMIT CLINICAL CASE