Senior Search Consultant Megan Corbett turned one urgent search with an Upstate New York orthopedic practice into three successful orthopedic surgeon hires, strengthening key service lines and positioning the organization for long-term growth.
When a large orthopedic practice in Upstate New York faced multiple surgeon vacancies and limited internal recruiting bandwidth, leadership knew they needed a trusted recruitment partner to help stabilize and grow key service lines.
The organization first connected with Jackson Physician Search at the AAOS Annual Meeting, where learning that Jackson Physician Search is the Exclusive Physician Recruiting Firm of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons helped establish immediate confidence and credibility. With employer-branded searches that maximize candidate acquisition, leading to a faster time-to-fill, decreased lost revenue, and improved access to care, the decision to begin a partnership was easy.
Soon after, the practice’s newly appointed Vice President of Recruitment became the primary point of contact and worked closely with Senior Search Consultant Megan Corbett. With no internal recruiting team in place, he was managing hiring efforts independently and needed an experienced partner who could move quickly and strategically.
Filling a Long-Standing Adult Reconstruction Surgeon Need
The partnership began with one adult reconstruction surgeon search that had remained open for nearly a year. A physician’s retirement, combined with the early departure of a newer surgeon, created urgent demand and added pressure to an already stretched organization.
With strong support from internal leadership, who provided in-depth organizational background and highly responsive communication, Megan was able to launch a targeted, informed search process immediately.
Proactive Sourcing Uncovers Additional Candidate
While marketing the adult recon opening, Megan posted the opportunity on 10+ national job boards, sent detailed text and email campaigns, and looked through the vast Jackson Physician Search database. Each day, she closely monitored candidate engagement and sourcing activity. After she sent out her first email campaign, she reviewed the candidates who engaged and identified a foot and ankle surgeon whose background aligned with another need the group had been trying to fill.
Within our database, Megan learned that Dr. T is originally from Canada and was practicing in Tennessee. He hoped to relocate closer to family and was interested in a private practice setting similar to his employer model at the time. Megan didn’t want the group to miss out on this strong candidate and decided to explore if it was a potential match.
After Megan initiated outreach, mutual interest developed quickly. The group was pleasantly surprised by Megan’s proactivity and was excited about the opportunity to finally fulfill this long-standing need. Once they met Dr. T, it was obvious this was the right fit, and Dr. T was thrilled to accept the offer. In fact, he purchased a home before finalizing the contract — an early indicator of long-term commitment.
Balancing Immediate Needs with Long-Term Vision
As the adult reconstruction search progressed, Megan received interest from many candidates, but one stuck out above the rest. Dr. B was completing fellowship training in New York City when he began browsing for his first physician job on Doximity, the largest community of healthcare professionals in the country. He and his wife are from NYC, and with twins on the way, location was a top priority. Using Doximity’s search filters, he explored opportunities nearby. Luckily, Jackson Physician Search provides each of its recruiters with a license to the platform, so it wasn’t long until he saw Megan’s job post and reached out.
Although the orthopedic group initially preferred a practicing physician, Megan recognized the long-term value of his training, cultural fit, and commitment to the region. She encouraged the practice to meet with him.
The result was a strong mutual fit. Dr. B was drawn to the established patient panel, high surgical volume, incentive structure, and long-term growth opportunity. Despite competing opportunities, he chose the organization and signed shortly after interviews concluded.
Experienced Surgeon Added Through Unique Candidate Engagement
At the same time, Megan was in discussions with another adult reconstruction surgeon who had spent two decades focused exclusively on total joint procedures. Though not fellowship-trained, Dr. S brought impressive experience and respected training credentials, including connections through a nationally recognized institution with alumni ties already within the practice.
Interestingly, initial outreach came through the physician’s spouse, who had seen a job posting while helping explore relocation options. After visiting Upstate New York and seeing the area’s family-friendly lifestyle and schools firsthand, the family became serious about making a move.
The practice demonstrated flexibility by adjusting its hiring timeline to accommodate the surgeon’s personal schedule — another factor that helped secure the placement.
The Outcome
Through a consultative partnership and strategic sourcing approach, Megan Corbett successfully fulfilled all three of the group’s needs, while initially only recruiting for one. These hires helped the organization address long-standing vacancies, expand specialty coverage, and strengthen its physician team for future growth.
Whether your organization has an urgent recruitment need or is simply planning for future growth, the team at Jackson Physician Search is eager to help. Our time-tested digital recruitment strategy, executed by a recruiter with regional expertise and national reach, is set to deliver results. Contact us today to begin a dedicated physician recruitment partnership.
