When I decided to return to practicing medicine, the process of gathering information was so arduous. I had been a stay-at-home mom for two years so my job search mostly took place during my two kids’ nap time or after everyone was in bed for the night (with so many interruptions because my kids don’t like sleeping through the night). The whole process seemed daunting, but it was doable when broken down into phases. Here’s some lessons learned as I transitioned my mindset from 24/7 mom to mom on a job hunt.
1. Get Organized
One of the first things I did was put together a file on my computer that organized all of my work documents. The first thing I did was update my CV and included a separate page that explained my gap in work history. My advice is to be forthcoming about why you have a break in your work history. Just be honest because there are more people who take time off from work than you think. Most employers are fine with an explained gap in work history as long it was voluntary, and you weren’t forced out due to drug abuse or work/license violations.
Besides the CV, I did do some occasional online CME courses during my years at home with the kids. If you do any CME courses, keep the certificates as proof. I had maintained my state medical license and DEA license, but I had to update my information with those agencies. Then I found time on the weekends to recertify my BLS, ACLS, and PALS.
2. Use Your Network
Most of the interviews I set up were from me simply contacting the Department Chair of my desired hospitals on my own!
Contact your physician friends and old coworkers to find out about any potential job openings. You’ll be surprised by who will be willing to help you. Even if it doesn’t produce any leads, you’re no worse off than you were before. I also searched job boards which lead to being contacted by recruiters. The two recruiters I spoke to provided some options, but they were usually not the kind of job I was looking for or they were outside of my preferred location. Most of the interviews I set up were from me simply contacting the Department Chair of my desired hospitals on my own!
3. Learn The Rules
One thing I found out as I was researching about physician reentry and the hiring process was that 2 years was the magic number. If your state medical license has become inactive and you haven’t done any medical work in two years – the process to regain your medical license becomes more involved. That does not mean it’s not achievable! It just means you may have to consider physician reentry programs or start a shadowing program with a willing physician. Don’t worry if this is you. I am compiling all of the state and specialty reentry requirements and will post them to this site. I’ll do the work for you.
Two years is also important in regard to obtaining work privileges at most hospitals. After you’ve been hired for a job, in order to work at said hospital they usually ask for a list of procedures for the past 24 months. You can usually obtain this from your previous job’s medical records department. I had to ask a friend about this one – because when I had to supply a list of all my anesthesia cases from my old job, I didn’t know who to ask! In my new job, I’m going to try to keep my own tally just to make this easier.
4. Ask For Help
When I was lining up interviews (across the country from where I was living at the time), I knew I needed some help with the kids. My husband had recently left to start his new job on the east coast (they needed him to start immediately). I had one week when I could fly across the country to conduct interviews. I acted as my own secretary and coordinated five interviews in five days! Thankfully my parents lived within driving distance of my job search area. I flew out with the kids and asked my parents to watch them for several days so I could go on these interviews and my husband didn’t have to miss work.
5. Find Support
When I began the job search process I didn’t know if a gap in my work history would be a big or small issue. I didn’t know how I should explain my time away on my CV. None of my friends stopped working (outside of short maternity leaves) so they weren’t able to help me. I felt like I was the only one who was in my position. My family of course supported me, but they weren’t able to help with my job search questions. If you feel like you have no one else to discuss your plans for returning to work or you’re trying to figure out your next steps outside of medical practice you can use our ReEntry MD group as a support system. You can bounce your questions to me, and the other members and we can help you figure out your path whether it’s medical practice or a totally different career.
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