Radiologists, Plan Ahead Before Leaving Your Job

As the owner of Smart Physician Recruiting, I have spent 12 years recruiting and placing radiologists for permanent and locum tenens positions throughout the country. Last week I took a call from a radiologist that was desperate for me and my company to find him new employment.

I placed this radiologist over three years ago with a stable group in South Florida. This radiologist claimed he left his position with that group because of a health condition that prevented him from working effectively. After his health improved he then took a new position (not with my aid) in another state. Apparently that wasn't the right fit either as he has now moved back to Florida and wants work immediately.

Wanting work immediately isn't what is alarming. It's the fact that he called and claimed he will be in financial ruin if I don't place him with a few our clients that have immediate needs for a radiologist.

First of all, it's not in my control whether our clients accept the candidates that we submit for consideration. In fact, I go out of my way to screen candidates like this whom we feel are not the right short- or long-term fit for our clients.

That brought me to this lesson. Why do people, even physicians, leave jobs before they have another job? I always remember my parents using the age old employment wisdom: "You don't leave a job until you have another one." I think that most people in our American society would think that a physician is safe being unemployed at least for a short period of time. Unfortunately that must not be the case with this radiologist.

Lesson to be learned. Get your house in order before leaving a job, no matter how much you don't like it or it's not the right professional or personal fit. We all have bills to pay. Be smart, ride it out, find a new job and then leave. Taking those calls are alarming but too often are calls that we have been taking the past three years since the radiology downturn. Use all your assets available to find a new position. We are one of them.