The Top 10 Skills To Highlight On Your PM&R Curriculum Vitae

The goal of your physiatry curriculum vitae is to make you stand out as the best candidate for a practice opportunity! How do you do this? The best way is to know what the employer wants and tailor-make your cv to address your professional characteristics that match them. Sometimes the physiatry job description tells you what the employer is looking for in the new candidate. Farr Healthcare tries to provide as much information posssible about physiatry jobs. Information about practice opportunities with Farr Healthcare, Inc. can be found here.

Finding out what an employer wants isn’t always possible before you present your cv but you can still make your cv shine compared to other cv’s. It’s most efficient if you track your accomplishments along your career path but most people usually don’t keep their cv up-to-date. So, try to make a mental note to update your cv at the time of each accomplishment. Here are ten key skills that will make your cv the best possible:

Leadership: This goes without saying. Any position that you have that involves physical medicine and rehabilitation leadership should be so noted. And, it need not only be professional as it can be a leadership position in your personal life. Examples: Chief Resident, Medical Director, Chair of the Clinic Work on a Mission Trip to Kenya, M.B.A., Director of Brain Injury Medicine

Clinical Expertise: If you have been in a position where you started a new program, be it at a new rehab hospital or a new pain management program at an acute care hospital, make sure to note this in a bullet underneath the job listing. If you have been instrumental in a successful CARF-certification, this should be included on your cv as an example of your clinical expertise. If you are accredited by a well-recognized organization this too should be on your cv. Examples: Served as Medical Director for a brand new freestanding independent acute rehabilitation hospital, Best Rehab Hospital in the Region (based on a corporation’s statistics), Voted Best Resident, Highest SAE Score Award

Interdisciplinary Collaboration: The ability to work well with others is always a highly-rated skill. Your cv should list any PM&R committee work. Examples: Served on the Quality Oversight Committee, Medical Executive Committee President

Patient-Centered Care: Sometimes physiatry employers search the web for a doctor’s patient reviews or patient review scores. If your reviews or scores stand out, save them the time and include this information on your cv. Examples: Rated 5/5 by U.S. New and World Report Patient Satisfaction, Castle Connolly Top Doctor, Top Women in Medicine

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Techniques: If you have some unique PM&R skills, include them on your cv. If you’re an interventionalist, it’s helpful to list the procedures you ro on your cv. Examples: Proficient in spinal cord stimulator trials, vertebroplasty, percutaneous discectomy, intrathecal baclofen pump management

Diagnostic Skills: Emphasize your physical medicine proficiency in using diagnostic tools and methods, including electromyography (EMG), and other diagnostic procedures relevant to physiatry.

Pain Management: Illustrate your expertise in managing chronic pain through both pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods, including injections, physical therapy, and alternative therapies. Example: Member of Scientific Advisory Board, Member of Spine Society(s)

Research and Evidence-Based Practice: Highlight any involvement in research activities, clinical trials, or contributions to evidence-based practice that demonstrate your commitment to advancing the field of physiatry.

Communication Skills: If you speak an international language such as Spanish, make sure to include this on your cv. Presentations that you have done should also be on your cv. Examples: Outstanding Oral Presentation, NYU Scholarly Day; Introduction to Spinal Cord Injury Residency Lecture Series, Miami

Continued Education and Certification: Mention any additional PM&R certifications, fellowships, or continuing education that contribute to your ongoing professional development and expertise in physiatry. Example Board Certified in Worker’s Compensation in NY State, Fluoro-licensed in CA, Medical Education Research Certificate

One of the doctors who had success finding a great practice opportunity with Farr Healthcare, Inc.’s advice says:

“It is with great pleasure that I offer Linda Farr my recommendation for her excellent work in physician recruiting and placement. Ms. Farr is extremely capable and knowledgeable in her chosen field of work. She is unfailingly courteous, cheerful, prompt and helpful.” S. Parameshwaran, M.D.

For more details on how to make a great cv, watch Linda Farr’s video “What’s Wrong With These Curriculum Vitae? – A Primer On How To Prepare Your Curriculum Vitae.

Tailoring these skills to your personal experiences and achievements can help you create the most compelling and effective CV! Contact us today to start your practice search journey with Farr Healthcare, Inc.

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

WHAT DO I SAY TO EMPLOYERS ABOUT A PHYSIATRY CAREER GAP?

This is a tricky question. Some physical medicine and rehabilitation doctors don’t address it on their curriculum vitae. Some doctors don’t explain it on their cv but explain it in a cover letter. Other doctors don’t address it unless the employer notice the gap on their cv. What should you do?

It depends on the reason for the gap in your professional physiatry timeline. It could be due to illness, the time spent looking for a new job, time spent caring for a family member, provided childcare, loss/suspension of a license, etc.

Some reasons are professionally acceptable but others like taking the time to find a new PM&R job usually raises a red flag. If the former, let your cv show that your gap isn’t a red flag. There’s a degree to which the reasons for a gap are acceptable. Anything that impacts your license is unwelcome to employers. There is no way to successfully explain this gap.

Regardless of the amount of time you weren’t working in physiatry, it has to be addressed on your cv. If the reason for your gap time is one of the less acceptable reasons, it might serve you well to explain it in detail in a cover letter.

Thinking that your gap won’t be found is not facing reality. Instead, it will cause a delay in your obtaining a physiatry job while at the least the discussion about it ensues. At the worst months will go by in your practice search process and then you will be stopped in your tracks when the gap is discovered and rejection occurs and you’re back to square one.

Regardless of the length of the gap in your physiatry timeline, it should be included on your cv. Of course, normal vacation time is understood. Your cv should include the month and year of every entry in your education and experience sections. Hiring entities, hospitals and payors are very attentive to this information.

Honesty is the best policy. Whatever stress if any you may have gone through during the gap time, being honest on your cv will reduce any further continued stress for you. The less stress you feel, the better you will do in the physiatry practice search.

Preparing to explain the gap is paramount. How to explain a license issue is best done by providing the information from the license board. You can explain your side of the issue in a cover letter.

Each reason for a gap is individual so it’s hard to offer an acceptable explanation to you. Explain your gap and move on. Don’t dwell on it in your explanation. Focusing on it will only make it a bigger issue. Focus instead of your desire and readiness to return to the workforce. Stay calm.

Took time looking for a new job

You can give examples of how you have been proactive but selective about looking for a new physical medicine and rehabilitation job during your career gap. Show how you have thought about what you want from a new job as well as from a new employer. Explain why you think this particular position is a good fit for you and why you would be a good fit within the company at large.

Became a stay-at-home parent

Explain that you took time out to prioritize your family and look after your children. Elaborate on why you now feel ready to go back to physiatry work. Why are you excited about this new phase in your life? Provide details that can prove you are a good fit for the position. Also, make sure to show closure, e.g., the kids are grown and in school. Employers know that family is important, but they also want to be reassured that you won’t treat your role as secondary.

Left the workforce to be a caretaker

There is no need to go into the details of the illness or your responsibilities as a caregiver during your physiatry employment gap. Just like taking time off to be a full-time parent, make it clear that your relative has recovered or you have more support in place at home and can reenter the workforce with no obstacles.

Personal illness

Illnesses and injuries explain career gaps in employment very easily. But, make sure to clarify that these ailments won’t get in the way of you working efficiently. Again, there is no need to provide specific details of the illness or injury unless it directly affects the job you are interviewing for. Show that you are ready and more than willing to return to work, emphasizing why you think the physiatry position you applied for is a good fit.

Took time off to travel

Expound on why you decided to go travelling. If you learned anything through this experience, now is the best time to talk about it. Stress on points such as personal development, better cultural awareness, and gaining new perspectives. At the same time, make it clear that you are ready to return to work full-time. So, also talk about why this particular PM&R job opportunity excites you.

Got fired

Explain that you and your former company had different expectations. Show how you realize that you could have handled some things differently, but through the entire process, you have learned a lot and are excited about the new physiatry opportunity to bring everything you have learnt to your next job.

Got laid off

Briefly talk about why your previous role was made redundant, e.g., budget cuts. Provide examples of key achievements and strong performance while you were in your previous physiatry job. Take time to explain what positive things you have been doing such as moonlighting or locum tenens since having left your previous employer and why you think the position you applied for is a good fit.

Relocation

Relocating from one geographic area to another is a reason why you would have a career gap in your physiatry curriculum vitae. The best strategy is to tell the employer how you spent your time while unemployed, highlighting positives gained rather than the negatives. https://www.jobstreet.com.my/career-resources/job-hunting/career-gaps-explanation/

For more information about cv preparation, please visit here. Featured at the 2021 virtual Annual Assembly, special guests Monica Rho, MD, FAAPMR and Linda Farr, MPA discussed tips and tricks for virtual interviewing and how to compose a winning CV. Note: These sessions are only available for viewing by AAPM&R members.

For practice opportunities with Farr Healthcare, Inc., please visit here.

Tips to Hire the Right Candidate For your Physiatry Job

How do you know if the physiatry candidate you’re talking with on the phone is the right doctor for your physiatry job? Will this person who you are now interviewing be able to meet your organization’s goals? One thing that is a given, is that there will be changes in your organization over time. Will the interviewee be able to fill your goals as they change in the future?

These are tough questions which you might respond that there’s no way to make sure unless you have a crystal ball! Rest assured, that if you have the right questions to ask the doctor about your physical medicine and rehabilitation job, you should be able to reasonably predict a candidate’s success. The right questions are particular to your organization’s needs but the following questions will give you a heads-up on the type of questions you will want to ask.

How does the physiatrist work in new and different situations?

Needless to say, you want someone who is light-footed in their responses and attitude to various situations at their physiatry job. Therefore, you might want to ask them to give you an example of their adaptability at their current job. Critical thinking skills and an even demeanor are necessary to good adaptability.

Does the physiatry candidate ask insightful questions?

A good candidate will be an intentful listener. The physician will be able to identify questions based on the information they process from your conversation, rather than just asking questions based on research they’ve done on your organization beforehand about your physical medicine and rehabilitation job. The candidate who asks insightful questions will be the same person who will be able to assess your organization once the physician is there for awhile and offer helpful advice on changes for system improvement, new ways to address community needs and to maximize the organization’s economic efficiencies.

Is the physiatrist voraciously curious?

Is the candidate excited about your physiatry job? In a book about curiosity, Todd Kashdan notes that curiosity is about “appreciating and seeking out the new instead of desperately seeking certainty, it is about embracing uncertainty. Being curious is key to high productivity and insightful thinking.

Can the physiatrist see patterns in disparate information?

Mountain of data and an overabundance of information now overwhelm every work environment. Does the physical medicine and rehabilitation job candidate demonstrate they can see patterns and sense important trends in information, workflows and organizational crises? New work conditions demand the ability to proactively “see” what’s happening in the market synthetically, and to be able to communicate it to others.

Is the physiatrist a team player?

Over at Netflix, where the corporate culture is all about freedom and responsibility to lead the market in innovation, they emphasize hiring and retention of stunning colleagues are superb collaborators. The best doctor for your physiatry job is someone who gets along with doctors, staff and patients, someone who has good interpersonal and communications skills and is willing to be an ombudsman for your organization. This means searching for the candidate who understands their thinking is improved by collaboration and diversity.

Is the physiatrist a good resource manager?

When filling your physical medicine and rehabilitation job, the new candidate should be able to use the resources you provide in an efficient and effective manner. This means using staff wisely, being good time managers and good record keepers.

Is the physiatrist enthusiastic about people and relationships?

“Spirited workplaces” are filled with individuals who are creative communicators – who are affirming of others and attentive to how their interactions with others make them feel, says business consultant Glanz. Enthusiastic people tend to generate positive feelings and productive energy at work because they are creative in connection and savvy about their impact on others. You need this energy in your organization. Do you feel it when you are talking to this candidate?

Will the physiatrist admit to mistakes?

New research describes how adaptive learning requires mistake making – you can’t go forward without experimenting. Really able learners make lots of mistakes and are able to glean important lessons from them. Ask the candidate for your physiatry job to describe a situation they were in or a decision they made that was a failure. If they are fairly quick in their response, it shows that they are adaptive learners.

Does the physiatrist have strong interests outside of work?

Steve Leveen, CEO and founder of Levenger, says when he hires he looks for people who are collectors. “It doesn’t actually matter what they collect,” he says. “Just that they are really interested in something, that they have passions.” If they have active interests in their personal life, they will bring this same enthusiasm to work. Ask the physical medicine and rehabilitation job candidate about their hobbies, sports and other interests. Are they excited when they talk about them?

Is this the kind of person you want on your team?

No candidate has exactly the right skills for the job or is perfectly qualified. Is the physiatrist you’re interviewing have the values and habits you respect? Can you trust them to do the right thing? Every employee is going to have to “learn into” any job they are hired for now. Your instincts will help, but asking the right questions is also critical.

Source: https://hiring.monster.com/resources/recruiting-strategies/talent-acquisition/hire-the-right-candidate/

Interviewing Tips to Identify a Physiatrist’s People Skills

When you’re an employer trying to fill a physiatry job, it’s hard to tell in one or two interviews if the physiatrist you’re interviewing has good people skills. These people skills are among the most important:

Adaptability

Communication

Conflict resolution

Critical observation

Problem-solving

Teamwork

Interview questions such as “How adaptable are you?” won’t work. You need to ask questions that show how the physical medicine and rehabilitation job candidate will act in certain situations. These are called behavioral questions. Some examples of these questions are:

Tell me about a time you worked effectively under pressure?
Describe a time when you anticipated potential problems and developed preventive measures?
Describe a time when you tried to accomplish something and failed?
Tell me about a difficult decision you’ve made in the last year?

https://blog.nomadhealth.com › 10-behavioral-question…

Identifying Soft Skills Through Observation

There are some ways that you can tell a physiatrist’s people skills during the interview to fill a physiatry job.

Eye contact. Does the candidate have a hard time looking you in the eye or, conversely, is the candidate intensely staring you down? It’s not natural for someone to look you in the eyes all the time so this shouldn’t be expected. Eye contact also indicates that someone probably is a good listener.

Problem solving. One of the most important skills in handling any task is problem solving. As the physiatrists you interview explain how they would handle a particular situation, watch for how they explain what they would do. Is it in a step-by-step fashion or is the explanation scattered?

Interruptions. If the candidate interrupts you often during the interview it is a sign that the candidate does not have good communication skills. Of course, if a candidate keeps talking and talking, that is also not a good sign.

Evasion. When people don’t answer direct questions, it usually means they don’t have a good answer or they can’t focus. This can be a sign of poor adaptability, communication skills, critical observation problem-solving.

https://hiring.monster.com/resources/recruiting-strategies/talent-acquisition/soft-skills-hiring-strategy/

For information about what practice opportunities are available for comparison purposes to the physical medicine and rehabilitation job you have or if you are a physiatrist looking for pm&r jobs, please visit here

What’s Wrong With These Curriculum Vitae? – A Primer On How To Prepare Your Curriculum Vitae

Writing your curriculum vitae can be challenging. What should you include, how should you say it and more questions come to mind. What font, what text, what order and so many more questions arise.

One of the most important aspects of your cv is the contact information. It should be front and center on your cv and bold. It should include your name with your M.D. or D.O. title, your cell phone, your email address and your address.

There is a typical format to follow which you can find at click here. If you are a resident, you should list your Education first, if you are a practicing physiatrist, you should list your Experience first. To find our more about what you should and shouldn’t do on your curriculum vitae, please watch the following presentation I did at the 2021 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation virtual meeting.

For information about practice opportunities for which you’re writing your cv, click here.

Interventional Physiatry Jobs

INTERVENTIONAL PHYSIATRY JOBS

Interventional physiatry jobs are more prevalent than other PM&R positions because there is a diverse array of specialties, in addition to hospitals, seeking their services, be they physiatrists, orthopods, neurosurgeons, anesthesiologists, etc. This makes job hunting more challenging to try to find all the different positions. Some of the positions are posted through the specialty’s resources while others are posted on society websites like ISIPP. Farr Healthcare can help in this process as a number of different specialties seek recruitment assistance from us.

Sometimes entities seek services exclusively through Farr Healthcare. Our website has a mechanism whereby you can submit your email and be advised of every new practice opportunity. Check out the bottom left-hand corner of our home page, www.farrhealthcare.com.

Farr Healthcare can especially help ferret out practice opportunities from entities other than physiatry. Because of the differences in specialties, nuances are possible. We ask questions about compensation, affiliation terms and responsibilities to help you to determine what are the best practice opportunities for you.

Interventional physiatry jobs can be by ultrasound, fluoroscopy or both. Therefore, it’s important to find out what the responsibilities are if they’re not outlined in the practice opportunity description. Farr Healthcare makes a point of identifying the mode of service delivery so as to save you time and trouble.

Interventional positions are often available throughout the year as opposed to rehab positions which tend to be geared to the annual AAPMR meeting’s Job Fair in November. For fellows, it doesn’t hurt to start looking for work around the time you start your fellowship. For those on visa’s, it’s best to look 1 ½+ years before graduation.

Interventional positions are available throughout the country. Certain areas seem to have a large supply of interventional physiatrists. Unless there are factors driving your interest in a particular area, you should research the supply of interventional physiatrists in the area you’re thinking about before identifying what states or areas of the country are of interest to you.

Some PM&R practices offer a mix of inpatient with interventional and might be of interest to you if you are open to some inpatient. Diversifying your revenue sources may be a worthwhile consideration. Nowadays many inpatient positions have hospitalists so you serve as a consultant with limited inpatient responsibility.

Sometimes I’m asked about interventional practice opportunities that are willing to train the physiatrist. These positions can be a win-win situation. Other times, you may not learn the procedures in which you were promised to be trained. And, other times you will receive a compensation much lower than would otherwise be the case.

Based on your interest in procedure frequency when considering a new job, it’s important to identify how many days are procedure days versus clinic days. Some practice opportunities are looking for physiatrists who want to do procedures all day every day. Likewise, some physiatrists prefer that while other physiatrists prefer a combination of the two. If they want you to do procedures all day long, you should make sure that they have the demand for that in their area. Again, Farr Healthcare can help to sift out this information for you in advance.

If you’re working with a physiatry group, compensation can be equally shared. It becomes more difficult to determine the fairness of compensation when it is structured to consider other specialties. The terms of the compensation structure should be clearly outlined in your doctor contract.

Don’t forget the tax implications of a compensation increase of a new job! Some PM&R doctors seek jobs solely based on states without an income tax. These states are Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming.

Interventional physiatry jobs can be found through a web search. The advantage of using Farr Healthcare, Inc. for your search is because we are specialists in physiatry recruitment. We know the lingo of what differentiates the various interventional openings, e.g., sports, spine by flouroscopy or ultrasound, etc. We obtain detailed information about the practice opportunities to save you time to research an opportunity to include the possibility of a visit to a place you discover you’re not interested in. Farr Healthcare, Inc. can help you with the practice search process, https://farrhealthcare.com/openings/. We will be your cheerleader with the employer. We have direct contacts with the employer so there will be timely feedback as opposed to you submitting a cv and never hearing back.

Many physiatry residents complete interventional physiatry fellowships. Some pain fellowships are accredited and some are not. “All spine fellowships are not accredited. What is taught differs between these programs. There are also sports medicine fellowships. There is also a spine regenerative fellowship through Centeno-Schulz but it requires some experience.

The advantage of doing a non-accredited fellowship is the ability to build upon and advance many of the skills you learned in rehab residency. You will continue to perform EMG/NCS and musculoskeletal medicine in addition to learning how to perform interventional procedures. The other advantage is that you would essentially do this year-round. An ACGME-accredited position has requirements such as a month of Psych, Anesthesia, Inpatient Coverage, etc. In some of the non-ACGME fellowships you may end up performing more procedures depending on the practice setup. Some fellowships may include regenerative medicine, ultrasound and tenex procedures.

It’s extremely important to note that not all of the non-accredited fellowships are created equal. Read the forum reviews for the highly regarded fellowships and you could interview at some to get a feel. Most will be 2 day “interviews” where you just see what the day to day is like. Some fellowships may have a wider breadth of procedures than others. Some fellowships are not worth your time.

You need to decide if you want to practice Pain Medicine (with ACGME fellowship) and treat the wide ranging acute and chronic conditions that come with that including medical management, psych, etc. OR an interventional physiatrist who practices MSK med, does EMGs and performs interventional procedures for back and neck pain.”
Excerpted from https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/acgme-vs-unaccredited-fellowship.1367763/

Please visit https://farrhealthcare.com/openings/ for interventional physiatry jobs across the country.

What You, the Experienced Physiatrist, Should Consider When Searching For a New Job

Once you already have a position(s), it’s easier in some respects to identify a good new position according to the New England Journal of Medicine https://www.nejmcareercenter.org/article/how-to-find-your-second-physician-practice-position-/. You know what you want in regards to the practice culture and setting, the responsibilities and compensation, what to look out for and how to find new practice opportunities. In other respects, this knowledge can make a new practice search more difficult and time-consuming to find the right new job.

Given all your practice experience and knowledge, you should spend more time on the initial phone calls

You may be considering moving to another state because it’s closer to family, has a better quality of life, etc.. If it’s an area that you’re not familiar with the practice environment, a lot of research will be necessary. Depending on the circumstance, I sometimes tell physiatrists in this situation that it might be better to not move as they know the health care dynamics best where they already are.

Most physicians look for a new job because of dissatisfaction with their present job, e.g., compensation, a difficult administration, admitting policies, etc. It’s important to not make whatever has been the most disconcerting facet of your present job, the sole aspect you’re considering in your new job. All practice factors should be weighed.

Please remember to look at the Practice Openings listed on our website!

Given that you know what you want in a new practice opportunity once you’ve had a job, working with Farr Healthcare is helpful because they have a good understanding of their practice opportunities and which ones best meet your interests. As said by Ms. Parker, “It’s important to narrow the choice from the start, as much as possible. She recommends that you talk in depth with dey individuals BEFORE choosing to visit the practice – talk with the in-house recruiter, one or two potential physician colleagues, and an organization leader.

Mr. Fowler says that in today’s data-driven health care services nvironment, you should expect the number to be available on practice revenues, procedure and encounter volumes and other key indicators or practice performance. “It should be a red flag if any organization can’t or appears unwilling to provide these data.”

Ask on the phone about work hours, patient volumes and call schedule. These discussions will give you an idea of what the entity is seeking.

Physicians seeking their second job should be thinking 10 – 15 years ahead, Ms. Parker advised, by finding out if there are leadership track and associated resources. You should ask about concrete growth plans or new clinical directions that the hiring entity might pursue. In particular, physicians should ask directly if there are any plans for it to be sold or merge with another organization.

TO BE CONTINUED

Physiatry Practice Opportunities

The number of physiatry practice opportunities is less this year because of COVID. There are sports medicine fellows who are open to general rehab positions and residents who want to do inpatient who are open to outpatient work. This applies to the urban areas and less so for more suburban or rural areas.

There are more and more subacute and skilled nursing facility physiatry practice opportunities. Some of them are with private practices and some are with large national or regional companies. These companies often have an income guarantee and then take approximately 30% of the billings.

Part-time physiatry practice opportunities are not unusual in large metropolitan areas like New York City. Physiatrists there may not be able to find a full-time position. Sometimes it’s wise to have two part-time physiatry practice opportunities so that if one physiatry practice opportunity folds then the physiatrist has the security of the other job.

Licensure is an aspect of the practice search that is often overlooked. Most physiatrists prefer to hold off on licensure because of its cost. However, licensure puts you at an advantage over a physiatrist who is not licensed in that state. Therefore, it’s worthwhile to pursue a license particularly in states that are in high demand such as NY, FL, and CA. It’s also important to pursue a license early on if you’re interested in a state which licensure process is lengthy such as TX, CA and NJ. Sometimes, practices/hospitals will pay for a license if you take their practice opportunity. Without a license, you put yourself in possible financial disadvantage because credentialling with insurers can’t be started until you have a license number.

When considering physiatry practice opportunities, be wary of practices/hospitals with a revolving door of doctors. You may hear about this situation at a hospital/practice from doctors in the area or through research. It happens more often in metropolitan locations where there is a high demand for physiatry practice opportunities. In these locations, a hospital/practice can easily replace one doctor for another doctor.

When considering physiatry practice opportunities, you may want to consider the cost of living of various areas across the country. For example, a practice in Las Vegas with a physiatry practice opportunity makes a point that for what you’re saving by not living in Los Angeles, CA, you could buy a new car very year! If you make $212,000 in Los Angeles, it’s equivalent to making $300,000 in Las Vegas.

Another consideration when thinking about is state income tax. I know one NYC physiatrist whose main consideration with physiatry practice opportunities was states with no state income tax. States without a state income tax are AK, FL, NV, NH SD, TN, TX, WA and WY. As one physiatrist in NV told me who is hiring a physiatrist, a doctor moving here from a state with income tax would be able to buy a new car each year. For example, for every $100,000 you earn, you would save $10,000 by not having to pay state income tax. Hence, the savings amounts to a new car each year!

Interviewing is a major component of the practice search process when considering physiatry practice opportunities. Be prepared to answer the standard questions such as “What do you have to bring to the table?” “What are your practice interests?” and “Tell me about yourself.” You can find countless tips online describing how to respond to the typical interview questions and to show that you’re an excellent candidate for the job to include on our website.

Another type of interview question are personality/psychological questions. Examples of these type of questions are “Describe your approach to patients.” “Tell me about a patient who came to you unhappy with the care they received elsewhere, and how you handles it.” “What makes you uncomfortable?” “When are you the happiest?” Tell me about one of your professional relationships.” “Tell me about your best supervisor.”

These questions are to see how you work under pressure. They want to know how you react to surprises, and if you can handle unusual situations quickly, creatively and effectively. The interviewer will likely ask questions about you and your work style to determine how to handle stress and challenging situations. There are no right or wrong answers to these questions, but you’ll still want to prepare as much as possible. You’ll want to answer honestly while at the same time trying to match your replies to the practice’s needs.

You can still practice how to handle these questions. First, you can practice answering strange questions with a friend or family member. This will help you practice staying calm and confident, even when you feel stumped. Show empathy and compassion in your responses. Try to demonstrate your listening skills, interest in patient education and ability to engage patients in their healthcare. If you are stumped by a question and need a little more time to respond, ask the employer to ask the question again and/or repeat the question that’s been asked.

Also, be prepared to ask questions during an interview. It shows that you have an interest in the physiatry practice opportunity. Asking good questions won’t guarantee you the job but they will certainly help make a good impression. Sample questions to ask include “How much time is allotted for appointments with new and follow-up patients?”, “How much time is allotted for appointments with new and follow-up patients?”, “How many patients a day will I be expected to see?”, “What constitutes a full-load in your practice?” and “Is this a new or replacement position?”

Having said all of these objective items to do during your physiatry practice search, it remains to be said that using your intuition/gut to decide if it’s a good physiatry practice opportunity is very worthwhile. All the questions and answers during an interview still aren’t enough to decide on a physiatry practice opportunity. Beyond what objective information you can secure, use subjective information to decide on a job. Read between the lines of what was said and not said by the employer.

In regards to compensation, according to MedScape’s 2019 physiatry survey from data collected between October, 2018 and February, 2019, the average compensation for a physiatrist is $306,000. This is up from $269,000 in 2018.

Compensation varies by area. For example, Atlanta on average pays 29% more than the national average, Miami 5% more, Tampa 1% more, Cleveland 3% less, NYC 5% less, Chicago 8% less and Philadelphia 23% less. This is information according to payscale.com.

Also, according to payscale.com, the average physiatrist salary is $208,543 with an average bonus of $72,000, and an average profit-sharing percentage of 10%. The low compensation for a physiatrist is $147,000, $290,000 as a median and $286,000 as the 90^th percentile.

When considering physiatry practice opportunities, there are 3 basic compensation models: straight salary with incentive, equal shares and production-based. A straight salary is most often seen in HMO’s and academic settings. Obviously, a straight salary is the easiest to determine its value. They are guaranteed regardless of your productivity. On the other hand, if you are a hard worker and productive, then a straight salary is not your best friend. They also don’t offer an ownership track.

Regarding an incentive, you need to find out how it is derived and if it’s achievable. According to a physiatrist, it’s much more important to know an incentive’s derivation than simply that one exists. She was offered an incentive to earn an additional $50,000 a year provided her billings exceeded a certain amount. The problem was that the higher earnings were unrealistic. Looking back, she realized that she should have asked for the performance financials for other physiatrists in the practice, the payor mix, the productivity of the other physiatrists, etc. Find out how the incentive works in practice, not just in theory.

The incentive may be modest the first and second years of practice as it takes that long for the practice to break even with a new doctor. If you’re in a private practice, the incentive formula will probably start at 25% the first year, 35% the second year and 50% the third year. It’s usually by the third year that you become a partner.

Even though you probably won’t be able to negotiate the compensation model, it’s important to understand it to realize what annual income you might anticipate. Determine how the compensation model works initially and at different points in time. For example, if the first one or two yea’s salaries are fixed and then compensation then moves to a productivity basis, ask for details on how the transition is handled and how other physicians have fared in year two and three. As Merritt Hawkins Executive Vice President Mark Smith says, “if physician can’t determine how much they will earn while brushing their teeth, the plan is too complex.”

One type of incentive formula is based on getting a percentage after x times the salary or receipts. For example, you might get 20% of collections after three times your salary. For example, a salary of $180,000 with collections of $600,000 would result ($180,000 x 3 =$540,000, $600,000 – $540,000 x 20%) in a $12,000 incentive bonus. This is an example of what I spoke to earlier that you should make sure the collection incentive is attainable. Also, I was just talking with a physiatrist yesterday who told me there were different collection thresholds with different associated percentages. The percentages should be the same.

Another type of incentive formula is a percentage of the difference between the net income and expenses. For example, if your gross collections for a quarter are $150,000 and there are $60,000 in overhead expenses and $60,000 in physician expenses like malpractice, benefits, etc., the net is $30,000 and at a bonus of 20% you would receive $6,000 for the quarter. Years ago, a physiatrist I recruited warned me of the physiatry owner who had a very large rental expense which a portion was to him and greatly reduced his income. You may also receive a share of the ancillaries like PT and lab.

A third compensation formula is purely production-based. There are a myriad of variations with these formulas just as is the case with the incentive formulas. You might be paid a percentage of billings OR collections OR RVS units of service. One physiatrist told me how his compensation formula was different than his older associates. The overhead should be shared unless perhaps in situations of multispecialty groups. The positive of a production-based compensation formula is that you are rewarded for the work you do. A negative is that it might cause friction among the physicians as some physiatrists will be paid more than other physiatrists.

Other compensation considerations are to find out the percent of billings that the physician group/hospital typically collects and how quickly it collects it. The time value of money comes into play. It’s far better to step away from a practice opportunity before digging yourself in a hole.

Find out the patient mix. Private pay pays the best but you have to be in a demographic that will support it. The order of payment thereafter is commercial insurance, Medicare and Medicaid. Personal injury payments usually are much longer to receive. Also find out if you’ll be seeing the same share of these patients as the other doctors.

Don’t count on the incentive even if it looks likely. This past year was a perfect example with the impact of Covid. I talked with a doctor who told me she hasn’t earned the incentive in the 30 years with the hospital!

Partnership terms usually aren’t discussed upfront. Until the doctor group works for you and feels comfortable with you, partnership won’t be discussed. However, you could probably find out what the terms are for the existing physicians. A five-year partnership track may be far less appealing than a two-year track and the longer route to partnership may mean less long-term earning potential.

Finally, the last aspect of considering a physiatry practice opportunity is the contract. Large corporations and health systems have boilerplate contracts and won’t negotiate them so a legal review is not as valuable as it might be. However, I recently had a group which told me to tell the physician to whom they offered a contract that it is a boilerplate that he couldn’t negotiate. However, he did ask for a sign-on bonus and received a sizeable figure.

If you decide to work as an independent contractor and are responsible for your own billings, you might want to refer to my website to the Resources tab which includes for one, Physiatry Billing Specialists. Other resources are included on this tab to include lawyers, billings, and practice management.

So here’s best wishes to you in your consideration of physiatry practice opportunities!