Healthcare Career Blog, Physician Blogs

Retired Physician Career Opportunities with Locum Tenens

Author Healthcare Career Blogger | 09.12.2009 | Category Anesthesiology jobs, Healthcare Career Blog, Locum Tenens, Medical doctor jobs, OB/GYN physician jobs, Physicians, Retired Physician, Surgery jobs

Locum tenens is ideal both for doctors in search of 20 or 30 hours of practice and for providers looking to supplement quality patient care. Top salaries are available, along with malpractice insurance, housing, paid travel and competitive benefits.

Read more

Physician Salary

Author Healthcare Career Blogger | 01.12.2009 | Category Healthcare Career Blog, Locum Tenens, Medical doctor jobs, OB/GYN physician jobs, Physician Career Path, Physicians, healthcare software, jobs

Despite the current economic climate, health care positions are still in great need. According to Medical Group Management Association, physician salaries continued to show a modest increase throughout 2008.

Of course not all physician jobs showed the same demand and salary increase. Though there continues to be a shortage of primary care physicians, including family practitioners, general internists, and pediatricians, general practitioners continue to show the smallest salary increases, while cardiac and neurosurgeons show the highest trends in physician salaries.

Locum tenens physicians also find themselves in these higher earning categories. Leading staffing agency, Candidate Direct, offers great benefits for locum tenens positions, including private housing, transportation, and malpractice insurance. Locum tenens jobs are posted on their easily searchable database and advertised on their live RSS feed, which sends updates on new physician job opportunities. The Candidate Direct website also offers links to financial resources to help physicians make the most of their salaries in these difficult economic times. Physicians can also increase their earnings by signing up for per diem shifts using Candidate Direct Stay Staffed Internal Staffing Management Software, which shows new shift openings in real time.

Locum tenens jobs offer the perfect career opportunity for young physicians just starting out and for retired physicians wanting to keep up with their careers, as well as for anyone looking to travel and earn strong benefits. Visit Candidate Direct to apply online today.

Physicians Key Players During Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Author Healthcare Career Blogger | 08.10.2009 | Category Family Medicine, Healthcare Career Blog, Medical doctor jobs

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month and a time when attention to the disease is at a year-long peak. While breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women in the US, the death rate from the disease continues to drop, according to a new American Cancer Society report. However, there still remains much work to be done in prevention, screening and treatment, in particular among lower income groups that may not have as much access to early detection procedures.

This month, as always, it is a key part of any medical doctor’s job to emphasize the benefits of healthy lifestyle changes and potentially life-saving procedures such as regular self-exams and mammograms. There are many misconceptions in the general population about causes of cancer, treatment options and survival rates. Patients (and friends and family, too) should be encouraged to consult knowledgeable experts like their family physician, or even reliable online sources such as the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org) or the Susan G Komen Foundation (ww5.komen.org) websites.

Often patients and their families grow anxious because they feel there is not enough they can do in the face of a frightening and somewhat unpredictable disease. Volunteering is a great way to regain some personal control, and October is the month to do it.

Physicians — along with all healthcare workers — will get a special boost out of participating in local breast cancer awareness events like walks and fundraisers. Being involved demonstrates your concern for the community and most medical doctors — just like the rest of the world — have family members who have been affected by breast cancer.

Want to participate in a neighborhood event? Check out the American Cancer Society’s local event finder tool: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PAR/PAR_9_Calendar_Of_Events.asp

And if you’re looking for a more extended volunteering opportunity, the ACS needs volunteers in advocacy, patient service, online support communities: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/emp/emp_2_volunteers.asp

How to Start Medical School

Author Healthcare Career Blogger | 28.08.2009 | Category Education, Healthcare Career Blog, Medical Student Loans, Medical Students, Medical doctor jobs, Physician Career Path, Physicians

The decision to become a physician is not one that should be made lightly.  Medical school is a long, grueling, and expensive process that is not for everyone.  Some students grow up knowing that they will become a doctor and grow into a physician career; others make that decision after several years in another career or perhaps after starting a family.  Whichever category you fit into, you should think long and hard about your reasons for wanting to pursue a medical career, taking time to weigh all of the pros and cons of your decision.

Why Choose a Medical Career?

The reasons a person chooses to become a physician are as varied as they would be for any other profession: intellectual curiosity, a desire to help people, money, prestige, family tradition, etc.  The question to ask yourself is whether or not your reasons for wanting to become a doctor are going to lead you to be happy in your medical career.  As a medical doctor, you will likely be working long hours with patients from all different walks of life; how does that fit in with your desire to become a physician?

The medical profession is an interesting one because, as heavily as it relies on the sciences, the humanities are also incredibly significant.  To be a successful doctor, you must have not only the scientific knowledge to understand what is happening in the body, but also the analytical and interpersonal skills to work well with your patients.

What next?

Once you have decided that a medical career is right for you, what next?  If you are still an undergraduate student, the first step is to take the required science classes and to be assigned a premed advisor who can walk you through the medical school admissions process.  If you are an older student who graduated college without taking the required science classes, you can look at classes at a local college and begin the process on your own, or you can consider a formal post-baccalaureate premedical program, which will give you more structure and guidance but may be more costly.

Choosing a Medical School

Choosing a medical school is not unlike choosing an undergraduate university.  Many of the same factors come into play as you decide what medical school is going to make you the happiest and most productive student possible:

Location may be one of the most important factors in the decision process.  Consider how far from your home and family you’d like to be.  Do you want to live in a particular region of the country?  Do you prefer urban, suburban, or rural areas?  How will location affect clinical or volunteer opportunities?  Is cost of living a factor?  Does the campus itself appeal to you?
Curriculum should also be a major influence.  Do you prefer the traditional lecture-based format, or is a problem-based learning format more effective for you?  What clinical opportunities are available?  Are you looking for research opportunities?  What is the grading system like (pass-fail or letter grades)?  How important is the reputation of a medical school for you?
Money, like it or not, must also be heavily considered.  How are you going to finance your medical education?  What financial aid opportunities are available at particular medical schools?  Would an in-state public medical school be the best option?

The student body could make or break your happiness at a particular medical school.  Think hard about the size of the school at which you see yourself.  How competitive of an atmosphere are you looking for?  Some people enjoy the cut-throat competition of many medical schools, while others prefer a more collaborative style.  Also consider the gut-feeling you get as you walk around a school; do you feel comfortable there?  Talk to current students and ask questions about their experiences.

College counselors at high schools around the country often share the mantra, “College is a match to be made, not a prize to be won.”  The same should hold true for medical school admissions.  While the U.S. News and World Report rankings may mean the world to some people, they do not necessarily make for the happiest and most successful students.  Decide what you personally value in a school, and make your decisions accordingly.

Candidate Direct Unveils New Physician Resources Page

Author Healthcare Career Blogger | 21.08.2009 | Category Anesthesiology jobs, Board Certification, Education, Healthcare Career Blog, Licenses, Locum Tenens, Medical Students, Medical doctor jobs, OB/GYN physician jobs, Physician CV, Physicians, Pre-Med Students, Retired Physician, jobs

Whether you are a medical student just starting your physician career or an established physician looking for a change, navigating the physician job market can be a daunting and confusing task; however, leading staffing agency Candidate Direct’s new physician resources page is geared to help both new and experienced doctors stay current on medical issues, find the dream jobs they deserve, and transition smoothly into their new employment.

The site boasts up-to-date information on their most recent locum tenens and permanent job postings and links to full lists of employment opportunities. New to the site is the “Design-a-Job” feature, which allows you to send specifications for your ideal job directly to Candidate Direct staffing agents to get started in your job search immediately. If you’re new to the physician job market, check out advice on how to write a physician CV and view samples of CVs for all levels of experience.

Once you’ve found that job you’re dreaming of, the physician resources page offers a number of links to help ease your transition. Learn about moving and shipping companies, find city guides to help you learn more about your new location, and get transportation information to make your travel go smoothly as you move into your new physician career.

Not looking to get into the job market? There is still plenty of valuable information to help all physicians stay up-to-date on happenings in the medical world. Resources include the Mayo Clinic Medical News site, KevinMD’s award winning blog, social networking sites for physicians, and medical humor from the New Yorker. Links to physician credentialing associations can offer networking and professional development opportunities for physicians of all experience levels. Finally, resources for your financial health and retirement planning finish off the site, making it one-stop shopping for all of your professional needs.

No matter where you are in your physician career, Candidate Direct’s physician resources page has something to help enhance your future in the medical profession.

Visit Candidate Direct or Apply Online today to start working with your recruiter.