-
IR Private Practice Job
Hi folks, just wondering if some of the IR’s on AM could illuminate how the IR PP job hunting/recruiting works. What enables a candidate to stand out at a competitive practice: prestige/renown of training site, case logs, letters of recommendation, personal connections, connections of your attending, etc? Does going the integrated-IR vs independent-IR pathway make any difference? Just wanted to start getting a better idea of how this process works.
-
18 Replies
-
Right now the market is wide open. A warm body would suffice.
In usual times I honestly put the most weight on personal connections and candidates that have been through tough clinical programs.
I am more likely to hire you if I know your attending and they give an honest good rec. I can teach you the stuff you didn’t learn in training (pad/aorta/pae). I just need hard workers that have good clinical judgement and know when to ask for help.
Things that I don’t care about: case logs, which pathway, publications, how many oncology cases you did.-
Really appreciate the insights and suggestions from Robotrad. Curious if some of the other PP IR’s would be willing to share their thoughts and experiences as well? Thank you again.
-
IR recruiting is interesting. Lots depends on what youre looking for. 100% IR or not. If youre looking for 100% IR youll limit some of your private practice options as practices like ours look for IRs that also will read bread and butter diagnostic cases. Thats my 2 cents. You can certainly be employed by hospitals and do 100% IR. Your choice, Im a private practice IR doing 50-60% IR and love it. Gives me options when I want to slow done and just do diagnostic Tele one day.
-
A lot of the job search hinges on if group X happens to be looking to fill a spot due to retirement, turnover, etc at the same time you are looking. Some groups may only hire an IR every 4-5 years if stable.
-
-
-
I’m a PGY-5 IR resident at a top program who has had trouble getting any traction in the job market despite applying/cold calling/having calls made for me to multiple cities through the US (i.e. not stuck on CA or NY like some people). Sure, crappy Rad Partners groups are available, but in the true private practice world the IR job market is much softer than DR. I have had multiple groups tell me “nope, we’re completely set on IR, but hey if you do a DR fellowship we will hire you any time”. Frustrating to say the least.
-
xxxxx
-
As someone who has been in the IR job market a couple times over the past 5 years, the IR job market currently does not feel nearly as robust as I’m constantly hearing the DR job market is. It can be challenging to find an IR job in the location you’re set on, as the IR job market hiring schedule relies heavily on openings created through existing IRs leaving, either through retirements or other (whereas DR hiring can be reactionary to exploding DR volumes). On the flipside, when the DR job market crashes, IR job market still tends to be decent. It’s more of a steady state market.
That said, connections are the most important factor in finding a job, especially in groups that have a choice between multiple candidates. My own group mainly hires through word-of-mouth without ads, and I got my job because the group knew me beforehand and knew I was a strong candidate. One of our IR fellows was looking for a coastal CA job and was having a tough time, till fortunately a job popped up where the chief of radiology knew one of the rads in our group and reached out in regards to our fellow.
If the hiring group has no connections to rely on, then it falls to looking through the resumes to see whether the candidate will be the right fit for the job – the job may requiring 50/50 IR/DR or 100% IR, and it’s important that the career the candidate envisions aligns with what the position is offering. Would not hire a candidate only interested in 100% IR for a position that requires some DR.
If that matches up, it’s typical for the hiring chief to call the candidate’s references, maybe the IR fellowship program director or other attendings, to get the real scoop on the candidate. Procedural skills, clinical judgment, efficiency, and other skills needed in IR are skills that aren’t conveyed in resumes/cover letters, and I have heard of IRs in other groups being let go as their procedural skills were just plain bad (though not common).-
Connections are most important for IR jobs. I would say any job for that matter. My most successful IR colleagues do DR as well ( as more on call shifts). But IR is getting encroached by midlevels also, something the hospitals are capitalizing on more and more.
-
Only a few years ago it was nearly unheard of to interview PGY-5 candidates. You may get more traction in PGY-6.
-
hold out for a good job
do some longer term locums gigs if there isnt anything worth committing to initially. -
Quote from RadMon
Only a few years ago it was nearly unheard of to interview PGY-5 candidates. You may get more traction in PGY-6.
That’s fair. The PGY-6’s I know have had some trouble as well though. And in DR it is a completely different ball game. Nearly all of the DR residents in my class have signed good jobs already.
-
-
-
Quote from qxrt
As someone who has been in the IR job market a couple times over the past 5 years, the IR job market currently does not feel nearly as robust as I’m constantly hearing the DR job market is. It can be challenging to find an IR job in the location you’re set on, as the IR job market hiring schedule relies heavily on openings created through existing IRs leaving, either through retirements or other (whereas DR hiring can be reactionary to exploding DR volumes). On the flipside, when the DR job market crashes, IR job market still tends to be decent. It’s more of a steady state market.
That said, connections are the most important factor in finding a job, especially in groups that have a choice between multiple candidates. My own group mainly hires through word-of-mouth without ads, and I got my job because the group knew me beforehand and knew I was a strong candidate. One of our IR fellows was looking for a coastal CA job and was having a tough time, till fortunately a job popped up where the chief of radiology knew one of the rads in our group and reached out in regards to our fellow.
If the hiring group has no connections to rely on, then it falls to looking through the resumes to see whether the candidate will be the right fit for the job – the job may requiring 50/50 IR/DR or 100% IR, and it’s important that the career the candidate envisions aligns with what the position is offering. Would not hire a candidate only interested in 100% IR for a position that requires some DR.
If that matches up, it’s typical for the hiring chief to call the candidate’s references, maybe the IR fellowship program director or other attendings, to get the real scoop on the candidate. Procedural skills, clinical judgment, efficiency, and other skills needed in IR are skills that aren’t conveyed in resumes/cover letters, and I have heard of IRs in other groups being let go as their procedural skills were just plain bad (though not common).
As connections seem quite important for obtaining desirable jobs in IR, I am curious what the recommended strategies are for networking and building relationships in the PP IR realm. Would particularly appreciate suggestions for connecting with groups where the resident does not have a tie through their program.
Additionally, it has been mentioned that the first few years of independent practice are crucial to the development of IR procedural competence. When assessing PP groups, what are the qualities and elements to look for in assessing if it is a suitable environment for the early growth and long term development of one’s career?
Thank you in advance.
-
-
-
This sounds really bad.
Im assuming IR/DR graduates are still able to get general DR jobs, no? Or is an additional DR fellowship required?
For example for daytime general rads job or nighthawk ED jobs
-
Quote from kindest_mongoose
This sounds really bad.
Im assuming IR/DR graduates are still able to get general DR jobs, no? Or is an additional DR fellowship required?
For example for daytime general rads job or nighthawk ED jobs
I feel comfortable doing DR, but many groups want DR fellowship trained people. I recognize I could get a job at Rad Partners or some horrible telerads job tomorrow. I am just hoping for a real private practice gig.-
One universal truth in medicine, the more subspecialized in medicine you are, the more you limit your options for jobs. Despite the strong opinions from many SIR leaders, it is still necessary to be a DR atleast part time at most IR jobs.
-
I’m a current IR resident, what can I do to maximize DR learning during the IR portions of training?
Will I feel confident to do general radiology/teleradiology nighthawk work after IR residency?-
You shouldnt have to do night work or teleradiology unless you want to. The situation isnt that dire.
-
Yes, I understand you can still get jobs. But what if we want to specifically work teleradiology/ nighthawk / general radiology jobs?
What can an IR trainee do to maximize DR learning during R4 and R5 if they cannot find a way to transfer into a DR position?
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
