Audio Coursesby JellypodLesson 06 of 17
Overview
Beth Blimmer: Hi everyone, welcome back to Starting Strong! I'm Beth, and as always, I'm here with Mark and Vicky. Today we're digging into something we've all wrestled with: actually landing that first hospitalist job. You know, it feels like you do all this work for years and then suddenly, the real world hits and it's time to go from resident to applicant. Mark, how did you let leadership know you were interested, back when you were in PGY2?
Mark Krause: Oh man, Beth, I kind of stumbled into it actually. I remember getting the advice from an attending: just send the email to the boss. So I did, but found out I wasn't fully prepared. They emailed back about next steps and then I realized my CV was outdated. So, my advice is update your CV, like, by January of your PGY2 and be ready to go, not the night before you hit 'send'! And if emailing leadership directly freaks you out, Pathway directors are awesome for running interference, right?
Vicky Muller: Totally, and I feel like that's the way most people do it these days. Leadership's used to those emails, and they appreciate getting them early. Plus, it gives you time to line up your letters of recommendation. Oh! Letters. Okay, so you ideally want two, and both from a hospitalist—someone who actually knows your work, even if just from a few shifts together. If you're really in a pinch, your clinic preceptor works too, or just talk to your program director; they can usually pull something together using evals.
Beth Blimmer: Right, and after that, it feels like things speed up. I remember that first quick screening meeting, honestly, it was more like, are you human and not, like, a robot? It's really relaxed. But then for the actual interview—okay, not to throw you under the bus Mark, but do you remember how you almost showed up in scrubs?
Mark Krause: Oh, I absolutely do. I'm not proud, but I definitely almost walked out the door in my scrubs. I’d gotten so comfy treating it like ‘just another day at KU.’ Pro tip—interview is not workroom attire day. Put on some real clothes. It sounds obvious, but with everything going on, you forget. We joked about it later, but…it’s a big moment, don’t miss your chance to make an impression just because you’re too casual about it.
Vicky Muller: For sure. And, I mean, they’ve usually seen your CV already, especially if you trained here, so a lot of the interview is about you getting information—where you might work, team culture, stuff like that. But yeah, dress up, bring that A-game. Oh, and they’ll ask you to formally apply through the KU website eventually, so it’s all official and in the tracking system.
Beth Blimmer: Alright, so let's say your interview goes well—hopefully in business attire—then comes that next step: contracts. I think the word 'contract' can make people feel all kinds of nervous, but KU's is pretty straightforward, right?
Mark Krause: Yeah, KU uses what they call a 'big box' contract, which... If you’re hoping for some hyper-personalized agreement with ten pages of stuff custom-written for you, uh, lower those expectations. It's pretty generic. There are a few things you can ask about—what site you'll be at, how shifts get divided between campuses, day versus night rotations. But, honestly, even stuff like how many weekends you work might change every year as the system grows. So, it may not be in there for that reason.
Vicky Muller: And that's exactly why it's not really a negotiation situation, especially for new hires. Like, every conference has that panel on 'negotiation for your first job,' but it just doesn't apply much here. KU’s contract terms are set in stone for rookies. Still, it's smart to ask about future opportunities. Actually, I'll tell on myself: I remember being so worried about, like, even asking about teaching during my interview because I didn't want to seem, I dunno, pushy? Eventually I just said, “Hey, by the way, if there’s a way to help with students, I’m interested. How does that work at KU?” And everyone was super open about sharing the process.
Beth Blimmer: Yeah, and that’s such a better way in than wanting “guaranteed bought down teaching time” in year one. That can seem pushy to the people hiring you and if they have a big pile of applicants, they may just move on. Just show curiosity. And about contracts—if you really want to have a lawyer look at it, you can, but these things are pretty standard, and in all honesty, it’s not something that usually changes anything for new folks. I’d avoid the whole “my lawyer will need to look at this" vibe in any interview, right?
Mark Krause: Exactly. That’s a good way to kill the conversation fast. Better to say "I'd like some time to review it and make sure I understand everything." That is absolutely fine and expected as often people are not just signing for themselves--they may have spouse or others that need to weigh in. And this is where those directors and mentors we talked about in earlier episodes are so valuable—they know the ins and outs. If you’re lost, just ask your mentors or directors at KU. You don't have to go it alone.
Vicky Muller: So if you're looking outside KU, the whole system feels a bit different. It's definitely less centralized. Sometimes you're hunting down who to email, sometimes it's all through a generic application site, sometimes a recruiter is the preferred contact, and, honestly, it can feel a little cold.
Beth Blimmer: Yeah, and if you're sticking around Kansas City and you trained at KU, pathway directors here probably know someone at the other hospitals. That makes a huge difference. It’s kind of like what we talked about in the mentoring episode—a personal intro is worth its weight in gold.
Mark Krause: But, one big shift—contracts and negotiations get a little more... I wanna say 'variable.' Like, if it's a big health system, it's still probably a generic contract, not much room to wiggle. But if you look at rural or smaller hospitals, that's when you actually see real negotiation. They might offer things like relocation, loan repayment, or special time carved out for kicking off a new program.
Vicky Muller: That’s the vibe—you know when a place is actually recruiting you. I had a friend who ended up at this small rural hospital, and the CEO literally invited them to dinner at their house. It was like, “we want you; how can we make this work?” It’s totally different than being the eighth person in a row interviewed in a conference room.
Beth Blimmer: Which is honestly kind of awesome, right? But if you’re not sure how “recruit-y” a place is, or you don’t know anyone there, that's when running the contract past a lawyer or contract service might actually be worth it—just in case. Still, don’t lead with that in your first meeting. Like, “let me review this with my and I’ll get back to you”—way less confrontational.
Mark Krause: Yep, and as we said earlier, don’t fixate on just salary. Sometimes the best perks are those other incentives. And honestly, talk to people there about daily life, just like we talked about with transitions of care in our earlier episode—knowing the reality on the ground is key.
Vicky Muller: Absolutely. Okay, I think we’ve hit the big stuff. Even though contracts and job hunting can feel intimidating, a lot of it just comes down to asking the right questions—at the right time—and staying curious. We'll be back soon to tackle even more real-world hospitalist challenges. Thanks for hanging out with us!
Mark Krause: Always a blast. Good luck out there, everyone, and don’t forget to change out of your scrubs before your next big interview—unless, you know, it’s literally at the CEO’s house.
Beth Blimmer: Alright, see you all next time. Take care Vicky, Mark!
Vicky Muller: Bye guys!
Mark Krause: Bye Beth, bye Vicky!
