If you pay any attention at all to the stock market or financial news, you already know that the economy is booming and the outlook for jobs is better than it has been in decades. The same can be said for physicians, as the healthcare industry is grappling with filling open positions around the country. If you are a physician who has not been considering finding a new job, maybe now is the right time to start looking for a new place to practice. Let’s take a look at five reasons why doctors search for a new job to see if any of them apply to your situation.
Experiencing feelings of burnout.
At least 50% of all doctors report feelings of burnout, with some specialties like critical care and emergency medicine slightly higher. If you are one of those physicians experiencing burnout without a solution or help from the administration on the horizon, now is the time to explore making changes. Burnout doesn’t just get better by itself. Instead, it takes making changes in your life, or organizational changes to alleviate some of the stressors, or finding a new job that already has processes in place to help physicians avoid burnout.
Feeling a sense of complacency.
You probably didn’t choose to practice medicine because you wanted to “punch a clock.” If you are like most, you were drawn to the excitement of medicine. Studying different ways to treat illnesses and ailments, and digging into the science of medicine was the attraction. If you have found that your excitement and passion is waning, and you are simply going through the motions, you have become complacent. Finding a new job may be just the cure for your “punching the clock” blues. A new location, new management, new ideas, even new patients can help you inject just enough discomfort into your routine to make your job fun again.
You need to keep learning and growing.
Similar to the complacency rut, when you became a physician, you went to school for a long time. It was worth it because you knew that in the end, you would have a career and a sense of accomplishment. No matter what career people choose, most of us want to continue to grow personally and professionally. If you are in a position that is not affording you the opportunity to grow, do research, even practice abroad occasionally, then it might be time to find an employer who wants those things for you.
Not fitting in anymore.
Workplace culture has been a focal point for successful companies for a very long time. Not surprisingly, the healthcare industry has been behind the curve on understanding the importance of how important culture and fit is for attracting and retaining the best talent. In healthcare, we have all read about and even experienced the rash of mergers and acquisitions that the industry is experiencing. These developments are not always good for workplace culture. When new leadership comes in, often times the culture and communication changes and leads to good people seeking new environs.
Work and life are out of balance.
We all want balance in our life. As a physician, you know there will be some late nights or the occasional disruption to your social calendar, but you also probably want to have some control over it. Predictable hours, minimal call schedules (if any), and untouchable vacation and personal time should be on your short list to ensure that you can achieve the work/life balance that is so critical to being at your best. Achieving that is no longer a pipe dream. Hospitals and health systems know that they no longer have the upper hand in physician recruitment and have been much more willing to offer attractive incentives to physician candidates.
Jackson Physician Search has the national reach and healthcare industry experience to help you find your perfect job. To find out what we can do for your career, contact one of our recruitment professionals today.
