The steadfast efforts of Jackson Physician Search recruiters, combined with their unique access to tools like Doximity, proves to be a recurring recipe for successful physician recruitment in Search Consultant Sonya Cathey’s FM-OB search, earning her Doximity’s “Hire of the Quarter” award.
Often situated in remote locations with fewer amenities, rural healthcare organizations are all too familiar with the challenge of recruiting and retaining physicians to care for their communities. As Regional Vice President of Business Development, it is Gary Seaberg’s responsibility to identify organizations such as these that may benefit from Jackson Physician Search’s services. With 85% of the state classified as rural, he knew Kansas was potentially an area in great need of support. This thought led Gary to contact rural Kansas healthcare organizations last August, inquiring about partnering with a physician recruitment firm with a track record of rural success.
One member of the healthcare facilities Gary reached out to was the CEO of a small Kansas hospital, sharing Jackson Physician Search’s track record of success and emphasizing the focus on fit and culture. The CEO quickly responded to learn more, sharing that the organization was losing a beloved FM-OB and had yet to find a replacement. She was ideally searching for a physician early in their career, looking to grow with the facility and ready to build a life in the community.
Gary explained the Jackson Physician Search 100% digital physician recruitment strategy and expressed his confidence that the team could help. It was a highly specific need for a remote, rural location, but Gary knew if anyone could do it, it was Search Consultant Sonya Cathey.
A Charming Community With a Tall Order
Sonya visited the small Kansas town to immerse herself in the culture of the hospital and better understand the location. She was pleased to find a charming, tight-knit community that called to mind the settings of classic TV series like The Andy Griffith Show. Everyone in town knew each other, and kids were out riding bikes until sunset. It was an ideal town for the right candidate.
Sonya spent the day at the hospital, where the CEO made her visit a top priority. Meeting with the key players and spending time with medical staff gave Sonya a clear understanding of what the position had to offer, as well as the very specific candidate requirements. Once she fully grasped the community, hospital, and search expectations, Sonya launched a digital marketing campaign highlighting the benefits of both the job and its location.
A Revelation About Residents
As Sonya was brainstorming creative methods to tap into the ideal candidate pool, she remembered that Kansas incentivized physicians who train there to stay and practice after residency. She wasted no time reaching out to every residency program director in the state with details about the position to be shared with residents. However, she quickly realized third-year residents were no longer searching for a job, as most family medicine residents in Kansas were accepting job offers in their second year. Though the client ideally wanted a physician who could start sooner, Sonya persuaded the CEO to talk to 2024 graduates.
Using her unique access to Doximity, the largest online networking site for physicians and residents, Sonya specifically targeted second-year family medicine residents in Kansas and sent each one a direct message through DocMail, Doximity’s trusted communication platform with an industry-leading click-through rate. When second-year resident, Dr. W, received the DocMail, she immediately called Sonya to express her interest, as she recognized the opportunity from her residency program director, who Sonya had previously contacted.
Dr. W shared with Sonya her passion for geriatrics, obstetrics, and the continuity of care she could offer patients as a full-spectrum Family Medicine physician. Additionally, she shared she had grown up only 30 minutes away from the Kansas hospital and was familiar with its excellent reputation. Better yet, Dr. W was soon to be married, and the couple hoped to settle near or in her hometown–so the location was ideal.
Winning Over Dr. W
Just five months into the search, Sonya was thrilled to present Dr. W to the CEO, who quickly arranged an interview. Everyone at the hospital agreed that Dr. W was a perfect fit. The only remaining challenge was that a healthcare organization in Dr. W’s hometown was also actively recruiting her.
Sonya and the hospital CEO put their heads together to strategize how to win her over. Sonya was confident this position was a mutually good fit, so she emphasized how the job and town aligned with the resident’s wants and needs. The CEO invited Dr. W back for a second visit, this time with her fiance. It was then that Dr. W knew it was the right opportunity and the perfect place to start building their life together.
Secrets of Successful Physician Recruitment
Sonya was able to recruit the perfect FM-OB physician to this rural Kansas hospital thanks to her diligence, proactiveness, and access to Doximity, which Jackson Physician Search provides each recruiter a license to. Once Sonya laid the groundwork with the residency programs, Doximity was the gateway she needed to connect with Dr. W. In fact, her skillful use of Doximity to find the perfect candidate earned Sonya Doximity’s “Hire of the Quarter” award. Doximity was certainly the key to identifying and connecting with the candidate, but it was Sonya’s diligence that kept Dr. W engaged and eventually made the search successful, matching an ideal candidate with a job where she would fit, succeed, and stay.
If you have a tough-to-fill position, the team at Jackson Physician Search has the strategy, tools, and expertise to get results. Reach out today to learn more.
