Physician Employment Contracts

Once our candidates have decided they would like to move forward with one of our opportunities, the contract negotiation process begins. While many candidates believe the decision has been made and they have confirmed where they will be practicing, the contract can be the most difficult, and the most essential, part of the entire job search process.

Physician employment contracts have become increasingly complex. While candidates may initially focus on contract provisions that define income, benefits, and working conditions, they must also recognize the importance of other business-related stipulations. These include partnership requirements, termination clauses, and non-compete agreements.

The New England Journal of Medicine has provided some good suggestions and information to consdier before officially penning your name on an employment contract. While the publication offers very good advice, it is crucial you also run any contract by your own lawyer and even your accountant. As always, your recruiter can also help you with this process.

Here are some tips the article suggests:

-Ask, and answer, key questions before moving to contract negotiations.
-Strike a fair non-compete clause by obtaining pertinent information first.
-Avoid discussing compensation or other key terms before seeing a contract, even a “sample” one.
-Request practice financial documents early on in contract discussions, and beware of practices that won’t produce them.


Read the full article in the New England Journal of Medicine, or click here:

http://www.nejmjobs.org/career-resources/physician-job-contracts-update.aspx