Part 2 of 2: Taking a Closer Look at the Organization
Last week in this space, we explored some of the first steps mentors should take when asked to help a colleague evaluate a job opportunity. (Hint: Look inward!) Now that you’ve helped identify and nail down personal motivations and priorities, the next step is to give the organization itself a broader look. We again asked some of top CME Conference speakers for insights into what they would advise if a colleague asked how to best evaluate a job opportunity.
Tracey Mallik-Searle, a nurse practitioner specializing in pain medicine, recommends – especially for an APP with a couple of years in practice – making a list of the things they liked and disliked most about previous jobs. “The exercise of thinking where you want to see yourself in five years can help guide next steps,” she added, “as would asking the prospective employer if you could shadow them for a day or two to get a feel for the work environment. Spend time with another APP in the practice, your new collaborating physician (if applicable), and the manager of the clinic and ask them all individually to describe the role and responsibilities of the position that you’re interested in. If the answers are compatible, that’s a good sign. If you receive three completely different interpretations, then it’s predictive of possible conflict or unclear expectations moving forward, and I’d pay attention to that.”
“The best way to learn more about the work culture,” agrees Diana Isaacs, the Remote Monitoring and CGM Program Coordinator and Endocrinology Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at the Cleveland Clinic Diabetes Center, “is talking to people who are currently working at the clinic or who worked there relatively recently. Find out what you would be doing day to day, and ask about opportunities for career growth and flexibility from the people who have worked within the culture.”
Similarly, old school research is important. Christopher Hemmer, a nurse practitioner specializing in orthopedics, suggests looking at everything from how long their practice has been in business to what their online reviews say (look for common threads!). “Find out if the organization is expanding or replacing someone that is leaving,” he added. “If the latter, why did they leave? What is the reimbursement schedule – hourly or salary? Is reimbursement or bonuses based on collected revenue? If so, what is the collection rate and what is the overhead? Compare what the requirements for the position include, such as on-call, hours, rounds, number of patients per day, do you get assistance from MA, which EHR is used, or transcription or typing notes. All of these details make or break long-term satisfaction, and they’re all worth researching and assessing if they’re a good fit for your priorities.”
Lastly, “the grass is not always greener,” reminded Terri Nagy, a physician assistant specializing in dermatology. “The goal is to find the position that has more pros than cons. I recommend a second set of eyes to look at the contract, whether it is a seasoned PA or an attorney, or both. You want someone to ask you the tough questions to make sure you are considering all that is being offered.”
Skin Bones CME Conferences
Hit the reset button while earning continuing medical education credits at our CME conferences, where you can travel to a vacation destination; earn CME credits with like-minded nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and physicians; and ‘unplug’ while enjoying a new locale! Check out our upcoming Skin, Bones, Hearts & Private Parts 2023 CME Conferences and 2024 CME Conferences! At every event, the best of the medical community gathers to earn CME credits, network, and gain knowledge on dermatology, orthopedics, cardiology and emergency medicine, women’s health, pain management and pharmacology, diabetes, ER, and mental health. On-line CME courses and Virtual CME are also available so you have the option of earning CME credits online.