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myMDcareers Supports The Fight Against Pancreatic Cancer

Posted on 10/24/2014 1:11pm by Michael Lawrence

On Nov. 2nd we will walk to make a difference for pancreatic cancer. For the fighters, survivors, and to honor those who've died from this awful disease.

Last year pancreatic cancers of all types caused over 300,000 deaths world-wide, the seventh most common cause of deaths due to cancer. Here in America, it is the fourth most common cause of deaths due to cancer. The disease occurs more often in the developed world and often has poor outcomes. We hope to start changing those odds.

Representatives from myMDcareers will be walking on November 2nd in Sunrise, Florida at 8:00 a.m. Please Join or Donate to the cause. The link below will detail how you can do that in support of Stan Finklestein, a friend of the company, who is currently battling against this disease.

 Click to learn more about donating or joining the walk!

 

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This Week's Hot Job: Phoenix, AZ

Posted on 06/09/2014 8:42am by Michael Lawrence

Internal Medicine, Family Practice, Hospitalist 

 

Beautiful weather, major metro but most importantly a practice that not only provides quality care for their patients but one that takes great financial care of their providers as well.

 

Located in greater Phoenix, this practice offers several opportunities to prospective candidates.  Whether your desire is to work in an all out-patient setting or as a hospitalist, we’ve got you covered at this exceptional practice.

 

Patient care is paramount and although you’ll make a generous salary, you’ll never be asked to see an uncomfortable volume of patients.  

 

The medical side of the practice is run by experienced physicians, while their MBA partners run the business side.  

 

After 18 months at the practice you will be asked to join as a partner where the economic opportunity becomes even greater.

 

Sounds too good to be true?  Contact David at 561-218-4952 or by email david@mymdcareers.com

 

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Thoughts From The Waiting Room: Service Counts!

Posted on 06/02/2014 2:50pm by Michael Lawrence

If you could improve your business and customer service with no financial investment, would you do it?

 

Of course you would!!

 

This was the thought going through my mind waiting for my physician this week.  I was already on my third issue of TIME magazine before I learned the doctor wasn't even in the building.  Made me wonder why I rushed out of my important meeting to be there on time....(even more ironic it took time away from me helping the various medical practices we work with).

 

Hard to believe this would be good for any business?  Yet, we all dismiss this as par for the course for a medical practice.  

 

Is your physicians time more valuable than yours?  Well, most of our doctors certainly believe this. 

 

Can this be improved?  Or should we all accept this as business as usual?  

 

In this day and age of social networking and internet reviews, we can hold our physicians to a higher standard!!  Bad service?  Long wait times?  Only we can hold our physicians accountable.  Take some time after your 'appointment', or better yet while you are in one the various waiting rooms to jump online and review your doctor and their staff's performance.  

 

These sites will get you started:

 

www.healthgrades.com

 

www.ratemds.com

 

www.vitals.com

 

Our time is valuable too!  And our physicians need to know this!

 

Please share you positive and negative experiences with us at info@mymdcareers.com

 

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Final Piece of the Job Search: Financing Your New Home

Posted on 05/21/2014 12:24pm by Michael Lawrence

Mortgage Program Created Exclusively For Physicians

Quite a few of you are about to finish residency or fellowship, you’ve already taken the boards and you’ve also committed to that first opportunity.  All that’s left is sizing up your white lab coat, ordering a new stethoscope and relocating to the home of your dreams close to your new job.

Lab coat, EASY!  Stethoscope, EASY!  Mortgage for that home?  Well that’s a whole different matter all-together, especially in this day and age of credit restrictions.  

Even though you’ve just signed on for that high-paying job, if you’re carrying school loans (especially in the 100’s of thousands) this can throw off your entire debt-to-income (DTI) ratio when qualifying for a mortgage loan.

As a result of this ratio, conventional lending may be difficult for many physicians to obtain.

But there’s an option:  Fifth/Third Bank has created a program especially with you in mind….

  • • School Loans not taken into account in DTI calculation (for residents and fellows).
  • • Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) is waived on loans with less than 20% down
  • • “Make sense” underwriting
  • • Loans up to $1.5MM

For details on the program please call Robert Curtis, Loan Officer 5/3rd Bank, at 773-732-9444 or robert.curtis@53.com.  Tell him myMDcareers sent you!

 

 

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myMDcareers supports The League Against Cancer

Posted on 05/05/2014 12:32pm by Michael Lawrence

Join myMDcareers in supporting The League against Cancer…

 

La Liga Contra el Cancer was founded in Miami in 1975 as a community-based, non-profit organization

that provides free medical care to cancer patients of all ages with no financial resources or health insurance.

More than 350 Florida physicians, who are board certified in their specialties, volunteer their services

to La Liga Contra el Cancer.

 

Saturday, May 10th the annual Silvia and Benjamin Leon Jr., Miles of Hope Walkathon

to benefit The League will be taking place.  The event begins at 101

SW 27th Avenue and culminating at La Liga’s offices located at 2180 SW 12 Avenue, Miami, FL 33129.

 

The goal of La Liga Contra el Cancer is to find cures, help patients get well and stay well.

Your donation will provide access to lifesaving treatments for many that would otherwise go untreated.

 

For more information or to make a donation online, please visit:

 

English: http://ligacontraelcancer.org/leonmedical

 

Spanish: http://ligacontraelcancer.org/es/leonmedical

 

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$64,000 Question?? How Will Obamacare Affect Me?

Posted on 04/09/2014 1:40pm by Michael Lawrence

The first quarter of 2014 is in the rear-view mirror and most practices and physicians still have more questions than answers when it comes to how Obamacare will affect them.  Reimbursement?  Hiring plans?  Income projections?  Can I afford to stay in practice?  Candidates are wondering if private practice, even well established, stable ones, will become extinct.

Below are some links with various takes on the affordable care act (ACA) and how it affects private practice:

At myMDcareers we’d love to get YOUR feedback on how the ACA affects your practice.  Call us at 561-451-221 or info@mydcareers.com

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Finding a (New) Job in 2014

Posted on 01/30/2014 10:28am by Michael Lawrence

The holidays are in the rear-view mirror, the year-end bonus check has been cashed and it’s time to re-evaluate and plan for 2014. 

On the flip side, hospitals, practices and clinics are also re-evaluating their budget and hiring plans for the year.

Coupled with the above, 2014 residents and fellows are beginning to look for jobs as well, resulting in potentially a flooded candidate pool in your desired market during the first half of the year.

Make sure you put yourself in the best position possible: HAVE A GAME PLAN!

Items to put on your game plan check-list…

  • Are you currently licensed in the state you want to practice?  (If it’s a desirable job you can bet other candidates will be licensed already)
  • Do you have a house that needs to be sold?  Start looking into average timeframes to get through the process.
  • Do you have a spouse that also needs to find a job before committing?
  • Do you have a visa requirement that needs to be satisfied?
  • What is the non-compete in your current contract?
  • How much notice do you need to give your current employer?
  • Do you have any already planned vacations or time off?
  • Are your current benefits changing in 2014?

Of course, the above is just a start, your recruiter will advise you on all the necessary considerations during your job search.  For more information on available physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant opportunities please contact myMDcareers at 561-451-2211.

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Your Interview Starts……NOW?!

Posted on 11/26/2013 3:24pm by Michael Lawrence

The suit is perfectly pressed, the brief case is dusted off, the shoes freshly polished, in additional to all the other “to do’s” to get ready for that interview – that first impression! 

……PAUSE…REWIND

The day of your interview is usually far from being the first impression the employer gets of you.  Is your CV neat?  Did you email it in an easy to open attachment?  If you are being introduced by a recruiter, you can bet the employer has asked your recruiter their impression of you, for example, are you responsive, are you the type of person with a list of deal breakers or are you the flexible type?  Count on the employer asking your recruiter to size you up.

Once your CV gets to the right person and assuming there is interest, typically an initial phone call comes next.  Make sure when you commit to a phone call it’s a time you can be prompt and available to receive.  If you get hung up seeing patients and need to reschedule, make sure you do it in a timely fashion with regret.  If your cell phone gets bad reception, make the necessary adjustments.  At this point in the process, most employers will have a genuine sense of whether you will be a strong candidate or not—well before the interview suit comes off the hanger!

Hopefully at this point you’ve been invited to make a FINAL IMPRESSION on your potential future employer.   The face to face interview!

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Death, Taxes and (that darn) Non-Compete Clause

Posted on 09/26/2013 12:00am by Michael Lawrence in recruiting

They say the only certainties in life are Death & Taxes, unless of course you happen to be a medical provider, then you can add a restrictive covenant (or non-compete clause) to that short list.

In many ways, it is the equivalent of a pre-nuptial agreement, as starting  a new professional opportunity, is much like a marriage.  And as we all know, a successful one always has the traits of compromise, trust and good will….amongst other things.  We all go into these new endeavors, jobs or relationships, with the best intentions.  Both parties need to have some faith they’ve made the right decision.  But we also know no one has a crystal ball and taking a step back to consider the worst case scenario is natural for both parties. 

Sometimes, this part of a contract can be negotiated, however in most cases (especially in private practice) there is typically little lee-way.  In all cases, this will be part of your agreement.  Understanding the mileage radius or mechanics if the practice adds offices is just one piece.  Understanding the bigger picture and the spirit of the clause is a whole different ‘ball of wax’.

Practice Point of View

Many private practices are built upon the blood, sweat and tears of a doctor or group of doctors.  Given the hard work and time it takes to build a successful, growing practice, we can all appreciate why the employer doesn’t want to lose patients and potentially his or her livelihood.  Practices also don’t want to be used as a vehicle for an out of town provider to ‘get his feet wet’ in their market before opening up their own practice. 

In most cases, you’re building relationships with a patient base provided through the investing in marketing of you and the practice by the practice.  After a physician leaves a practice, the period of time of the non-compete decreases the risk of that investment.  Additionally, the practice is investing heavily in you, if they can’t realize a return on that investment they certainly don’t want to be in worse situation by losing patients.

Candidates View Point of View

  • What if the unforeseen happens?  Will I be able to work again in the area?
  • What if the practice wants to get rid of me before the contract is fulfilled 
  • What if the practice adds locations?
  • Why is your non-compete 10 miles and my friend just signed a contract with a 5 mile non-compete?

Although their might not be a significant amount of lee-way with regards to the terms, understanding them completely, as well as the ‘spirit’ of the clause, is essential.  Additionally, non-compete clauses cannot be legally enforced if deemed ‘unreasonable’, in a worst case scenario.

Ultimately, both parties need to feel comfortable and understand all the facts.  Your recruiter will help you navigate through those facts and decrease the amount of “faith” placed in the agreement.

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Tags: physician, opportunities

Summer Vacation Tips / Pros and Cons of Private Practice vs. Large System

Posted on 07/08/2013 12:00am by Michael Lawrence in recruiting

As many of you plan your summer vacations (and contemplate your next career move), one of the best options out there include a trip on a giant cruise ship, with lots of amenities.  Sounds great?  No?  Maybe you’re the more spontaneous, adventurous type and a smaller, chartered yacht is more your style. 

Along with summer comes hurricane season, so perhaps stability of a large ship is your personal preference to weather a potential storm.   Or maybe the smaller vessel, with the ability to make quick decisions and turn quickly is the right choice for you and your family.

On the major cruise-line, of course there will also be more predictability, less unknown and for most people is the safe choice.  The large ship comes with great benefits like four star restaurants, nightly shows and clean towels by the pool.  There is a manual for when things go wrong and stuffing your face at the buffet is not only welcomed but encouraged!

The most glaring difference of the charted, smaller vessel is the economic risk of this endeavor.  There certainly will be more of an upfront investment with this choice but the unique memories will last your entire life.  The captain meets with you on a daily basis for your input, quick decisions to change course are easy and welcomed.  Fresh fish are caught every morning.   You chart your own course without any limits.

Much like in your career, at some point you may contemplate what makes most sense for you, a large, hospital based system or a private group practice.  Both have their pro and cons as you know, but much like the dilemma above, it comes down to personal preference, what stage you may be in life and career and how hard you want to work.

Things to consider when weighing the options:

  • Do you deal well with bureaucrats?
  • Do you want to achieve partner level?
  • Are you the entrepreneurial type?
  • Do you prefer production based comp or are you willing to take less for a “guarantee”?
  • How important are top notch benefits?

These are just the tip of the iceberg (which hopefully you won’t encounter if you do take that cruise!) when considering which way is best for your career and family.  Please call my MD careers at 561-451-2211 to discuss further.  Don’t miss the boat!

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Tags: physician, opportunities