Top Ten Physiatry Practice Opportunities!

Although there’s a great physiatry practice opportunity for everyone among the practice opportunities listed on our website, here are the current Top Ten list of our PM&R practice opportunities.

AZ. Midway between Phoenix and Flagstaff so close to both types of lifestyles. Associate Medical Director, PM&R. No weekday call; call 1:4 weekends. Competitive income guarantee plus stipend plus sign-on bonus. This program has been operational for years so it’s well-oiled and easy to work with. In the top 10% of UDS hospital patient outcomes nationally.

CA. San Francisco area. Focus is on occupational medicine/worker’s comp. No call, flexible hours and days, no nights or weekends. This group has decades of experience. Competitive compensation and benefits. Full-complement to include IM, FL, Ortho, PT, psychologists, PA’s, NP’s and chiropractors.

CO. Colorado Springs, Denver and more. Inpatient physiatry in Colorado Springs with the assistance of a NP. SNF/NH work in Denver, Greeley and Fort Collins. No evening call from 7 PM – 7 AM. 1:6 weekends but only again during the day and only by phone.

CT. Hartford suburbs. Interventional physical medicine and rehabilitation. Beautiful area, top-notch school system, and NYC & Boston are 1 1/2 hours away. Skiing, hiking and more. One of CT’s largest and most respected orthopedic specialty/physiatry groups. The President and founding partner of the group is a physiatrist. Offers a path to full and equal partnership. Overall compensation is in the 99th percentile across the country. Enjoy terrific procedural volumes. Strong support staff of PA’s, PT’s, etc.

FL. Orlando. Ready-made general outpatient PM&R practice with patients waiting for you. The doctors at this practice never leave! Very competitive compensation. Partnership track available

KS. Near Kansas City. Medical Director of a beautiful new rehab hospital. Work with an experienced leader in rehab. Can be the patient’s primary doctor or the consultant.

MD. Salisbury. Live on the beach! Friendly work environment with understanding for flexible schedules for vacations, child care needs, etc. A lot of team support. Low COL and crime, good schools.

ME. Portland. SNF. Generous compensation estimate of $300,000 with uncapped earning potential. 6 hours/day. Huge benefits package. Beautiful location with high quality of life and low cost of living. Ideal for those who seek a flexible schedule suitable for parents or for a more balanced lifestyle without compromise of income or benefits.

MN. Duluth. General outpatient. Huge sign-on bonus and compensation. Professional collegiality with 6 physiatrists. Excellent working relationships with a full continuum of Neuromusculoskeletal specialists. Outside Magazine named Duluth, “Best Town Ever!”

WI. Wausau. New rehab hospital opening 2/24 in central WI. Be part of growing network of over 60 hospitals. High-end compensation. Great opportunities for program development. Welcoming medical staff to promote your services. Work/life balance as the medical care provided by the local primary care doctors. Perfect balance of city and country – festivals,farmer’s markets, live music, marathons, theater, art museums, specialty shops. Four seasons of fun, both indoor and outdoor, to include skiing, kayaking, a baseball team and a soccer complex

For more Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Jobs, don’t forget to visit here

2023 AAPMR Meeting – Great to see old and new friends!

It was great to see those of you who I’ve seen before at the AAPMR meeting. It was also wonderful to meet the medical students and those of you who I met for the first time at this year’s meeting. It’s much better than emails, texts and phone calls! We attended the Job Fair and the Exhibit Hall. I look forward to future conversations.

Lucky Attendee at the AAPMR Meeting Courtesy of Farr Healthcare, Inc.

I enjoyed seeing everyone at the 2023 AAPMR physiatry meeting in New Orleans. We attended the Job Fair and the Exhibit Hall. Each year, Farr Healthcare provides a thank you $500 cash gift to one lucky doctor who who visited our booths. This year’s recipient was Esther Jung, M.D. Congratulations to Dr. Jung!

Spine Physiatry Compensation

A practicing physiatrist recently asked me about the best resources for interventional physiatry compensation information. Here’s what I told him:

The best resource is the Medical Group Management Association’s compensation survey. The 2023 MGMA Compensation & Production Report (which is compiled based on 2022 data) estimates that the average PM&R salary is around $325,429. https://physiciansthrive.com/physician-compensation/physiatrist-palary-your-guide-to-compensation-in-physicial-medicine-and-rehabilitation.You might be able to call them and get a spine figure from them. Otherwise, the survey can be purchased although it’s expensive. (If you’re with an academic program, this survey should be in their library.)
MedScape does physician compensation surveys which as a doctor you can get on the web.
A Google search showed:
Pain Medicine: Pain medicine physicians actually get paid quite well (for those looking to boost their PM&R salary), with the national average reported by com being $376,218
As of Oct 27, 2023, the average annual pay for an Interventional Spine Physiatrist in the United States is $142,182 a year.
Salary: Interventional Spine Physiatrist (Nov, 2023) US. Please note that this figure goes to show that not all surveys are accurate!
The estimated total pay for a Spine Physiatrist Physician is $243,726 per year in the United States area, with an average salary of $223,802 per year. These numbers represent the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. The estimated additional pay is $19,924 per year. Additional pay could include cash bonus, commission, tips, and profit sharing. The “Most Likely Range” represents values that exist within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role. https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/spine-physiatrist-physician-salary-SRCH_KO0,27.htm

Hiring Trends in Physiatry

The field of physiatry, also known as physical medicine and rehabilitation, has been experiencing several notable trends in PM&R job hiring and physiatry job opportunities. Hiring trends can change rapidly depending on regional and local needs. Rapid change in the healthcare system also creates demand for different subspecialties in different regions.

Growing Demand: There has been an increasing demand for physiatrists due to various factors. Other factors include aging physiatrists and many physiatrists who accelerated their retirement because of Covid and the increasing electronic billing requirements, an aging population, higher rates of chronic conditions, and a growing emphasis on non-surgical treatments for musculoskeletal and neurological conditions. Physiatrist demand is projected to grow 7% from 2018 to 2028. https://www.zippia.com/physiatrist-jobs/trends/

Less Supply: As many senior PM&R residents choose to do interventional fellowships, it leaves a large gap in the supply of inpatient physiatrists. I’d guesstimate that 2/3 of the physiatry seniors do an interventional fellowship. Without an increase in physiatry residency positions, the current national shortfall of physiatrists is projected to persist. Although a projected increase in physiatrists’ use of advanced practice providers may help preserve access to comprehensive physiatry care, it is not expected to eliminate the shortfall. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33278133/

As a result of COVID-19, in 2021, 72% of physicians in general reported a reduction in income, 43% had to work with reduced staff, and 8% closed their practices.

By 2022, hiring trends had increased and long-term health challenges and the aging population drove rehiring and increased income. 15% of physicians experienced a reduction in income, down from 72% in 2021. 8% of physicians have had to work with reduced staff. 8% of physicians have had to close their practice largely a result of retirement.

Physicians report heavier workloads along with the following impacts: burnout-68%, feelings of anger and/or anxiety-53%, withdrawing from family and friends-35%, and sought medical attention for a mental health issue-17%.

The biggest factors causing physician shortages are: an aging population as the number of people 65 and older is expected to grow by 42% between now and 2034, and retirements as more than two out of five current physicians will be over age 65 between now and 2034.

Burnout, stress, and COVID-19 effects are also expected to have an impact on physician shortages.

Regional and geographic impacts are expected to continue in areas with more aging adults particularly in the Midwest and the South.

Physician demographics in general, and probably reflective of physiatry, are that the Eastern region and most large metro areas throughout the nation have the greatest number of trained physicians. Midwestern and Southern states, along with rural areas, are confronting large aging populations and have a greater shortage of trained practitioners.

Hiring trend surveys show that areas with a shortage of physicians continue to offer higher salaries and larger bonuses to attract qualified candidates.

Shifts in care models are also affecting recruitment and hiring, including an increase in academic medical center recruitment and a move toward convenient care and telemedicine.

Here’s how recruitment trends for physicians in general have changed, based on employment setting, over the past year: Hospital recruitment: 34% in 2022 (up from 33% in 2021), medical group recruitment: 18% in 2022 (down from 29% in 2021), academic medical center recruitment: 34% in 2022 (up from 20% in 2021), physician recruitment for solo, partnership, & concierge practices: 1% in 2022 (down from 3% in 2021).

https://physiciansthrive.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Compensation-Report-2023.pdf (This reference also was used for some of the summary below.)

Diverse Employment Settings: Physiatrists have opportunities in more and more settings, including hospitals, rehabilitation centers, private practice, subacute centers, skilled nursing facilities, academic institutions, and interdisciplinary clinics. Some of these services such as subacute have consolidated among a few provider organizations and are now more organized than in years past. In turn, they are proactively filling the need for these services and therefore looking for more physiatrists. These diverse options allow for different work environments and patient populations.

Subspecialty Growth: Subspecialties within physical medicine and rehabilitation, such as sports medicine, spinal cord injury, pain medicine, and pediatric rehabilitation, are expanding. This growth has led to more specialized job openings for physiatrists with expertise in these areas.

Telemedicine Opportunities: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of telemedicine in healthcare. Physiatrists have increasingly utilized telemedicine for consultations, follow-ups, and remote patient care, which has opened up new job opportunities in virtual healthcare settings.

Employment in Alternative Settings: Some PM&R physicians are exploring opportunities in non-traditional settings such as corporate health, insurance companies, and government agencies, leveraging their expertise in functional restoration and disability management.

Focus on Outpatient Services: Outpatient rehabilitation services are in demand, especially with a growing emphasis on early intervention and preventive care. Job opportunities in outpatient clinics and community health settings are expanding.

HIRING TRENDS SUMMARY:

The job market for physiatrists appears to be robust and diverse, offering a wide range of opportunities in various healthcare settings

Specific hiring trends vary based on geographic locations, healthcare policies, etc.

There is a shortage for physicians in general, particularly in the Midwest and Southern regions.

The demand for physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians is expected to increase

Rural and underserved areas pay the highest salaries and the biggest bonuses.

Please feel free to consult with Farr Healthcare, Inc. for the most recent updates on hiring trends in physiatry. www.farrhealthcare.com, 888-362-7200, farrhealth@comcast.net

How Should I Approach an Employer About a Physiatry Job?

I recently spoke with a fellow recently who asked me whether a cover letter should be used when approaching an employer for the first time using email. I used to say that a cover letter isn’t necessary but as it’s your initial contact with the pm&r employer, I think it’s a good idea. It should include concise information about how your skills relate to the needs of the employer. Sometimes the needs of the employer aren’t clear in an advertisement so research on the employer may be helpful. Regardless, you should always research the employer before any contacts with them.

The main consideration when applying for a physical medicine and rehabilitation job is to be concise in your communications. This rationale is because the employer is busy with their daily activities and recruitment for them is added work on top of their daily work. So, for example, you might want to use bullet points in your cover letter as you list your skills and their needs.

You might also want to include the cover letter as an attachment along with your attached cv. I say this because if you include your cover letter only in the body of the email, it may not get passed along to the other members of the employer group. The HR manager may only print out your cv and pass it along. If your cv and your cover letter are attached, hopefully both will be passed onto the decision makers in the company/practice.

I’ve been seeing some curricula vitae (cv) with two columns, boxed sections, etc. and I suggest a basic curriculum vitae instead. It’s much easier to read by the employer. I understand that two columns may allow you to shorten your curriculum vitae to a page but if the reader has to skip around on the cv not knowing where everything is listed as it’s in different format for each candidate, it’s more difficult and time-consuming for them. Your contact information of your email address and phone number should be on the top of your cv. A sample cv can be found on my website.

Best wishes on your practice search!

Questions You Should Ask During a Physiatry Job Interview

Farr Healthcare, Inc. had the good fortune to speak recently during a Zoom AAPMR presentation about the questions you should ask during a job interview. Usually, presentations speak about the questions you will be asked during a job interview. It’s less frequent to learn about the questions you should ask. Some of the questions are specific to the PM&R audience. For more information, visit 5 Questions You Need to be Asking: Tips for Interviewing to Find Your Best Fit – Zoom

Best and Worst States for Doctors To Practice in 2023

I thought you might find this article of interest. I have physical medicine and rehabilitation practice opportunities in MT and ID, two of the best states for physicians to practice in 2023. Please contact me or provide me with your cv if you’re interested.

For more Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Jobs, don’t forget to visit https://farrhealthcare.com/openings/physical-medicine-and-rehabilitation-jobs/

15 best, worst states for physicians in 2023

Erica Carbajal – Monday, March 20th, 2023

Montana, South Dakota and Idaho are the top three places for physicians to practice in the U.S., according to a WalletHub ranking published March 20. The worst places to practice this year are Hawaii, Rhode Island and Alaska.

WalletHub’s 2023 ranking is based on comparisons across two key dimensions: opportunity and competition, and medical environment. Within those dimensions, 19 metrics are considered, including average annual wage, hospitals per capita and quality of the public health system. WalletHub calculated each state’s overall score using the weighted average across all metrics.

Fifteen best states for physicians:

1. Montana

2. South Dakota

3. Idaho

4. Wisconsin

5. Minnesota

6. Louisiana

7. Utah

8. Nebraska

9. Iowa

10. Indiana

11. Colorado

12. Alabama

13. Tennessee

14. Georgia

15. North Dakota

& the worst:

35. Arkansas

36. California

37. Florida

38. Vermont

39. Wyoming

40. Delaware

41. Maryland

42. Oregon

43. Pennsylvania

44. New York

45. Massachusetts

46. New Mexico

47. District of Columbia

48. New Jersey

49. Alaska

50. Rhode Island

51. Hawaii

Four other insights from the ranking:

Montana, which ranks No. 1 overall, placed 11th for opportunity and competition and fourth for medical environment.
Alabama ranked No. 1 in opportunity and competition, and 33rd for medical environment.
Utah came in first place for medical environment but its ranking as 41 in opportunity and competition brought down its overall ranking to seven.
Hawaii, the worst state to practice overall, placed last for opportunity and competition and came in at 43 for medical environment.

Taken from: https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/rankings-and-ratings/15-best-worst-states-for-physicians-in-2023.html?origin=BHRSUN&utm_source=BHRSUN&utm_medium=email&utm_content=newsletter&oly_enc_id=1259D3898012A8Vhttps://www.beckershospitalreview.com/rankings-and-ratings/15-best-worst-states-for-physicians-in-2023.html?origin=BHRSUN&utm_source=BHRSUN&utm_medium=email&utm_content=newsletter&oly_enc_id=1259D3898012A8V

Demand for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians

The demand for physiatrists is now more than ever. There are several signs of this increased demand. Employers used to wait until after the AAPMR meeting to ask me to help with recruitment but now they tell me a year+ ahead to recruit.

There has been a change in the type of PM&R jobs over the years. All I represented 20 years ago was inpatient practice opportunities. For the last 10 years, I have a sampling of all subspecialty practice opportunities to include interventional, subacute and general outpatient. Subacute has seen the greatest increase over the last 10 years.

The demand for TBI, SCI, pediatric rehab, and telemedicine continues on an upward curve. TBI and SCI positions are hard to fill as very few physiatrists pursue these fellowships. However, there seems to be an increased interest from residents in pursuing these fellowships.

A note to physiatrists pursuing interventional fellowships is that more and more employers require an ACGME-accredited fellowship.

It’s harder to find candidates as everyone is looking for physiatrists. Hence, there’s a lesser number of candidates for any one practice opportunity. That makes it more important to look for candidates as early as possible.

The type of position has also changed recently. Now there are many more Medical Director, Rehab positions. There are several reasons for this prevalence. One is that in states like FL, the certificate of need requirement has ceased so many companies are now freely able to build a rehab hospital. For example, there will be 450 new rehab beds in the Jacksonville, FL area within a year’s time. Another reason for the increase in Medical Director, Rehab positions is that less and less physiatrists have an interest in inpatient rehab.

The financial impact of this physiatry shortage is that there are more sign-on bonuses than in the past. These bonuses typically range from $20,000 on up.

More practices are using NP’s and PA’s as they can’t find physiatrists. Rehab hospital are employing internists because they can’t find physiatrists and also because more and more physiatrists do not have an interest in acting as the primary doctor for patients.

As a result of this shortage, it is more than ever imperative to use a physician recruiter. This is not a marketing pitch! Some of the studies are as follows:

2019 – 2023: The demand for physiatrists will increase by 4 %
2023: Shortfall of 1,900 – 12,100 physiatrists
2018 – 2028 – job market is projected to grow 7%
The demand for Sports Medicine Physicians is expected to go up, with an expected 72,500 new jobs filled by 2029. This represents an annual increase of 2.15 percent over the next few years

First bullet https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physicians-and-surgeons.htm#tab-6

Second bullet https://www.aamc.org/news-insights/press-releases/new-findings-confirm-predictions-physician-shortage

Third bullet https://www.zippia.com/physiatrist-jobs/trends/

Fourth bullet https://www.recruiter.com/careers/physical-medicine-and-rehabilitation-physicians/outlook/

Physiatry jobs were on a slow upward curve from 2012 until 2018 and then Covid hit and there was almost no demand. Since 2019 the growth has resumed. From: https://www.zippia.com/physiatrist-jobs/trends/

In recent years, physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians have the highest job vacancies and job growth rate in the following states: ND, HI, NH, NM, AZ, VT and IL. The following states have had the lowest job openings and growth rates: NY, DE, CT, RI, MO, IN, and WV. From https://www.recruiter.com/careers/physical-medicine-and-rehabilitation-physicians/outlook/

What is physical medicine and rehabilitation?

Physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R), also known as physiatry, is a medical specialty that focuses on the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of conditions that affect the musculoskeletal, neurological, and other bodily systems. PM&R physicians, called physiatrists, aim to enhance and restore functional abilities, improve quality of life, and optimize overall well-being for patients with disabilities, injuries, or chronic medical conditions.

Physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians employ a multidisciplinary approach to patient care, collaborating with other healthcare professionals such as physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, psychologists, and social workers. They assess patients’ functional impairments and develop individualized treatment plans that may include medication management, therapeutic exercises, assistive devices, adaptive technologies, and interventional procedures.

PM&R covers a wide range of conditions, including:

Musculoskeletal Disorders: Physiatrists diagnose and manage conditions such as back pain, neck pain, joint pain, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and sports-related injuries.
Neurological Disorders: They specialize in the rehabilitation of individuals with conditions such as stroke, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and peripheral neuropathy.
Amputations and Prosthetics: Physiatrists play a key role in the rehabilitation process for individuals who have undergone limb amputations, helping them adapt to prosthetic devices and regain mobility and functionality.
Pain Management: Physiatrists are trained in various pain management techniques, including medication management, nerve blocks, spinal cord stimulation, and other interventional procedures, to alleviate chronic pain.
Rehabilitation after Surgery: They provide post-surgical rehabilitation and optimize recovery after procedures like joint replacements, orthopedic surgeries, and neurosurgical interventions.
Pediatric Rehabilitation: Physiatrists also work with children and adolescents, addressing conditions such as cerebral palsy, developmental delays, and congenital musculoskeletal abnormalities.

References:

American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. (n.d.). About Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. Retrieved from https://www.aapmr.org/about-physiatry/about-physical-medicine-rehabilitation
Bicket, M. C., Gupta, A., & Brown, C. H. (Eds.). (2018). Essentials of Pain Medicine (Fourth Edition). Elsevier.
Braddom, R. L. (Ed.). (2020). Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (5th Edition). Elsevier.
DeLisa, J. A., Gans, B. M., & Walsh, N. E. (Eds.). (2019). Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: Principles and Practice (6th Edition). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (n.d.). Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Retrieved from https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/rehabilitation/conditioninfo