Landing a Job After Residency

You've done it. You've spent years working towards this. You stayed up into the wee hours of morning studying. You drank endless amounts of coffee to keep you going. You've finally made it. You just finished residency--you're now a licensed physician.

Finally being done with your schooling is a huge accomplishment, but what good is that schooling if you can't find a job after residency? You don't want just any job. You want to work in a location that suits you. You want to make enough money to pay your bills. You want to make a difference in a community that needs you.

To help you land your first job, there's a few things you can do:

Learn About Your Options

It's hard to decide what you want to do without knowing what your options are. You know your specialty, now look into where you can use it. Connecting with a recruiter makes this easy. Chat about what your choices are. There could be positions open in cities you've never even heard of. Ask questions and take in all of the information they give you to help narrow down your choices to a few that you really feel good about.

Think About Locum Tenens

Fresh out of residency, it's normal to be uncertain about which medical facility you want to work for. That's one reason why locum tenens is great. You can try out different facilities and different locations to find a place that's a good match for you. Although you just spent years learning, it doesn't stop there. Now is the time to learn about what you like and don't like. You might not enjoy a facility in Ohio, but could find one that you love in Texas. This is what your recruiter is here for. After they've placed you, tell them what you like about your current locum tenens job, and what you hope to have from the next one.

Stay Sharp

So now you've been matched with a medical facility and you're helping to improve the lives of patients every day. But it doesn't end here! Make sure you keep up with the changing world. Continuously freshen up your skills, update your resume, and ask questions along the way.