Career Planning
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Preparing for Your Interview
Questions to Evaluate a Practice
Once you have identified several potential practice options, you’ll need to evaluate each in more detail to ensure a good fit.
Using a structured process or practice assessment template can be a good way to keep responses organized and to allow for more effective comparisons between programs.
Once you have identified several potential practice options, you’ll need to evaluate each in more detail to ensure a good fit.
Using a structured process or practice assessment template can be a good way to keep responses organized and to allow for more effective comparisons between programs.
Use the questions below to help guide you.
Answers to these questions can be obtained from talking with recruiters, the hiring director, or providers during a phone interview or onsite visit.
By the time a job is offered to you, you should have a full complement of answers to help you assess the practice, review a job offer, and make the right choice to accept or not.
Before tackling your list of questions, be sure you have identified your professional goals, practice preferences, and personal needs so that your inquiry is tailored towards your ideal recipe for success.
- What type of physician are you looking for to fill the position?
- What are you looking for in an ideal candidate?
- Describe the job requirements.
- Does the practice have a physician mentor who can show me the ropes?
- What is the process used to bring a new physician on board?
- What training should I expect to receive?
- What type of coaching will be available?
- What is the location of the office where I’d be working?
- How many physicians would I be working with?
- What is the ratio of support staff to physicians?
- Is it a hospital-owned practice?
- How many physicians does the group have?
- What is current patient volume and coverage model?
- Why do you need a new physician in the group?
- Are all the physicians in the group board certified?
- Are there any upcoming retirements or potential staffing changes within the group?
- Are there residents, fellows, physician assistants, nurse practitioners?
- What kinds of other staff does the department include — nurses, RTs, house staff, etc.?
- What is the ratio of physicians to patients?
- What does a typical week look like?
- How is call-coverage handled? Home or in-house?
- How many physicians are on the call schedule?
- How many hours per week would I be scheduled, and how often?
- How many patients a day would I typically be expected to see or how many are normally seen?
- How many night shifts are required?
- How much vacation time is offered?
- How are holidays covered?
- How much call will I have?
- Is there any accommodation for Board preparation time?
- How many hospitals does the practice cover?
- What are the different nurseries and acuity levels for each?
- What are the patient volumes for each?
- Does the group cover normal newborns? At which site(s)?
- What are the demographics of the patients?
- Is the hospital for-profit or not-for-profit?
- Is the hospital a teaching hospital or non-teaching?
- How would you describe the organization?
- What is the community perception of the hospital or Health System?
- How many physicians are employed?
- What can you tell me about the organization’s values and culture?
- How is the organization doing financially?
- Are there any plans for major changes in the next five to 10 years?
- How are records kept?
- How are the charts organized?
- Does the practice use computers?
- Is there an EMR in use?
- Do the systems ever go down?
- How is your IHT support? Is it timely?
- What are your plans for further computerization?
- How efficiently are you able to practice?
- What inefficiencies in day-to-day tasks slow you down?
- What is the admitting process and structure?
- How are new consults covered?
- How are procedures covered? Is there a PICC team?
- Is there a code team? High risk resuscitation team?
- What deliveries are Neos expected to attend?
- Describe daily bedside rounds.
- What teaching opportunities are available?
- What are your typical ventilatory approaches?
- Do you do ECMO? HFV? POCUS? NIRS? aEEG?
- What practice guidelines, care pathways, or standardization practices have you developed? Are they written?
- What subspecialty support is available either in-house or nearby?
- What subspecialties are presently unavailable?
- What patients are required to be transferred out due to unavailable services or for a higher level of care?
- When a patient dies, what kind of support processes are in place for families? Staff? Providers?
- Is there a Morbidity and Mortality review? Debrief process? Root cause analysis process?
- Who does the daily professional services billing?
- How much feedback do physicians receive about their coding and billing practices?
- What is the group’s decision making process?
- What group meetings should I expect to attend?
- How does the group discuss the practice or systems used to provide care?
- How frequently does the group meet as a whole?
- Does the group engage in strategic planning or annual retreats?
- If so, when was the last one and what were the initiatives?
- What were the most recent major decisions or changes the group made?
- How are disagreements handled?
- How are practice changes or operational changes communicated to the group?
- What committees or administrative opportunities exist for the group?
- Is committee participation a requirement?
- What is the Pediatric Medical Staff structure like? Is it distinct from the practice structure?
- Is there a fair and functional Peer Review process?
- How responsive is the leader I will directly report to?
- Describe any leadership challenges that have been experienced in the last year.
- Would you say physicians are well represented in hospital administration roles?
- Is this a physician-led organization?
- As a physician leader, who do you interact with the most outside of the group?
- How would you describe your level of influence outside of the group?
- Do you find it difficult or easy to get stuff done on behalf of the group?
- Where do you typically deliver presentations or updates on behalf of the group?
- How do the individual group members attain time with you?
- Would you say you have an open-door policy or leadership style?
- Do you find decisions are made out of you control or involvement? How often?
- How is the relationship between the practice leader and hospital administration?
- What is the nursing leadership structure in the NICU like?
- How would you describe your relationship with the NICU nursing leaders?
- Do the medical director and nursing directors meet regularly together? How are their interactions?
- What are the various leadership roles across the group?
- Who are the formal and informal leaders of the group?
- How are leaders selected or promoted?
- Are there opportunities for junior faculty to grow into formal leadership roles?
- Is there support for leadership training?
- What support will you have from RNs or LPNs?
- How would you describe the quality of the nursing staff in the NICU?
- Is there a primary nursing or nurse champion process for patient care?
- Do you feel the nurse to patient ratios are safe and appropriate?
- How are high-census times and surges managed?
- Are competent float staff available?
- Does the unit frequently rely on travelers?
- How are the relationships between providers and nurses?
- Are their opportunities for social interactions with nurses and other staff?
- How are nurses and other disciplines involved in daily rounds?
- Why are you recruiting?
- Do you have much turnover in the group?
- What is your typical turnover rate?
- If a person has recently left the group, what was the reason for them leaving?
- What is the current tenure of the group?
- How many vacancies do you have to fill?
- Are there any upcoming retirements of anticipated staffing changes to still come?
- Who is responsible for filling staffing gaps?
- Do you use locum tenens coverage? Are they available for emergent needs?
- What are the biggest challenges facing the group right now?
- What do see as the biggest challenge in the next 5 years?
- How would you describe the group culture?
- What does the group do for fun?
- Are there any group or family activities the group engages in regularly?
- What are the various experience levels of the group members?
- Is it a collegial group and practice environment?
- Is there any competition within the group?
- Does the group function well together?
- Are there any challenges with group functionality or team dynamics?
- Who were the last three physicians that left the group? Why did they leave?
- What are some achievements the group is most proud of?
- Are there any growth plans in place for our group of neonatal perinatal services?
- Are there any areas of service expansion planned? Contraction?
- What is the current volume of patients?
- How does the current volume compare to previous years?
- Do you expect any shifts or changes in patient volume?
- What is the market competition like for the hospital? For Neonatology specifically?
- What is the compensation plan?
- What is the starting salary?
- How does the compensation formula work?
- What are the motivating behaviors intended in this comp model?
- Is there a signing bonus?
- Is there an income guarantee?
- How is productivity measured?
- Are there any incentive compensation structures? Productivity? Quality?
- If so, how are they calculated?
- How are non-clinical work or tasks compensated, if at all?
- Are there any salary advancement schedules?
- What can I expect to make in five years?
- What is the income-distribution formula for the group?
- What costs will I be expected to assume?
- Is there a practice buy-in requirement?
- What sorts of benefits does the organization provide?
- Do you offer loan repayment options?
- Are there any sign on bonuses?
- Is there any relocation assistance?
- Is malpractice coverage included?
- What other insurance is available, and what premiums are paid by whom? Dental? Health? Disability?
- Are CME funds provided?
- Will I be an independent contractor or paid employee in the group (1099 or W2)?
- Do you offer a 401K or other retirement plan(s)? Is there any matching?
- Are there recruiting or job placement services for my spouse?
- Are there child care options or benefits available?
