Job-Hunting Physicians Are Driven by Lifestyle Concerns, According to 20-year Updated Survey Produced by Jackson & Coker
Physicians who contemplate making a career move involving relocation are likely to consider lifestyle issues more important than potential or immediate income when selecting an opportunity, according to a newly released “Willing to Relocate Survey” issued by Jackson & Coker.
Alpharetta, GA (Issues Wire / PRWEB) February 5, 2008 -- Physicians who contemplate making a career move involving relocation are likely to consider lifestyle issues more important than potential or immediate income when selecting an opportunity, according to a newly released " Willing to Relocate Survey " issued by Jackson & Coker. The survey is a 20-year update to a similar survey commissioned by the company in 1987, which showed distinctly different trends among career-minded practitioners.
The firm surveyed 2,831 physicians in 25 major medical specialties to determine the chief motivators for accepting new full-time employment. Respondents included residents who are preparing to launch their careers along with seasoned physicians who are well entrenched in their practices.
Demographic statistics include the following:
- 53.3% of respondents were under the age of 50
- 68.7% were male
- 53.8% of respondents acknowledged having children
- 73.42% preferred to relocate to the Southwest or Southeast.
According to the current survey, physicians weighing employment options are greatly influenced by the quality of life that they and their families will enjoy in a new area, including flexible or fewer work hours. Potential income and immediate income rank second and third in physicians’ overall calculation of whether to accept a practice opportunity involving relocation.
By contrast, twenty years ago doctors were concerned with associating with hospital facilities where they could develop their practices and potentially stay for a considerable length of time. Potential earnings and lifestyle considerations ranked second and third among the majority of survey respondents in 1987.
Tim Sheley, Executive Vice President with Jackson & Coker’s Retained Search division, commented on the trends shown in the 20-year updated survey: “Living in a highly mobile society, physicians today have more career options and are more flexible in selecting opportunities that enhance their lifestyle and enjoyment of the new community.
“Doctors are certainly money-motivated, but they also want to enjoy the fruits of their labor outside the office,” he added.
Sandy Garrett, President of Jackson & Coker’s Locum Tenens division, echoed similar observations. “Knowing their market worth, today’s physicians can selectively choose from among many employment offers when they decide to make a career move. Along with potential income, they are greatly concerned with the overall lifestyle that they and their families will enjoy should a relocation move be involved.”
Given the acute shortage of physicians in major medical specialties, the survey results have direct implications for hospitals and medical groups in terms of hiring strategies. “If a hospital is really interested in hiring a doctor, they need to convince him of the benefit of taking the position in terms of how the relocation move can enhance quality-of-life considerations that drive his search,” advised Mr. Sheley.
‘In structuring employment offers, hospitals need to be sensitive to a candidate’s long-range earning expectations as well as concern to improve their life apart from their practice involvement,” added Ms. Garrett.
The entire survey results are available on Jackson & Coker’s Industry Report website at (http://www.jacksoncoker.com/newsletter/Long_1312008.aspx).
The Jackson & Coker primary site www.jacksoncoker.com also includes a useful Return on Investment calculator that hospitals and medical groups can use to calculate the economic impact of services provided by their staff physicians in various medical specialties.
About Jackson & Coker
Begun 30 years ago, Jackson & Coker is a prominent physician recruitment firm headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia. The firm places physicians in over 40 medical specialties and advanced practitioners in temporary (locum tenens) and permanent placement opportunities.
Jackson & Coker is a member of a “family of companies” known as Jackson Healthcare Solutions that provides information technology and human resources solutions to hospitals and healthcare organizations across the nation. For more information on Jackson & Coker, visit the corporation’s website at www.jacksoncoker.com.
For further information contact:
Edward McEachern
Vice President of Marketing
800.272.2707
emceachern @ jacksoncoker.com
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