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When I first started working through the concept of Urology Job Search and just getting it off the ground, my buddy Kelly Stratton (also a PGY 4 GU resident) kept telling me: "Ian, you gotta make a database or a way for residents to search through all of the urology practices out there."  He would go on to explain that every resident must go through the same process, recreating the wheel, of going about finding urology practices. 

There are the traditional job boards and other advertised jobs, but we know that historically the best jobs are often not advertised.  So then, how do you know where those jobs are?

  1. A friend or someone else tells you about a group that is looking, or
  2. You just start calling around and asking groups if they're looking. 

Usually, a resident makes a list of cities in which they might like to live, searches for urologists in those given cities, and calls those urology practices to inquire about opportunities.  Maybe you've done this.  Kelly said, "There's gotta be a better way" and it would be great if it told things about the practice like: "Do they have robotics?"

Employers Need More, Too

Additional input I had early on came from a urologist that helps run a large group urology practice.  He said: "Ian, there's gotta be a way for employers to maintain a passive presence on your site even at times when they are not actively looking." 

Based on many conversations I've had with employers, it is obvious that they are always looking for potential candidates, even if they're not really looking.  BC/BE urologists are a finite commodity and from the employer's perspective, it is important to always keep a short list of potential candidates in case a need arises. 

Announcing Employer Pages

So, all of that input helped inspire this new feature we're calling Employer Pages.

  • These are free pages that Employers can post to maintain a presence representing their practice or hospital on the web site.
  • They are not included in the monthly emails.
  • Eventually, this will become a robust searchable resource for job-seeking residents and fellows to find every employer of urologists in any geographic region.

What can you do to help?

  • If you rotate with a private practice group as part of your residency: mention to them that they should create an Employer Page.  Maybe you can help them set it up and craft the page to include information you think other residents would be interested in.
  • If you talk to other employers during your job search process, encourage them to create an Employer Page.

Junior Residents, Take Note

If you think there is a possibility that you would go into private practice when you're done with residency/fellowship and you have a specific area or city you want to work/reside in, it is important for you to know who all of the employers of urologists are *and more importantly* they need to know who you are. 

Urology groups like to look several years down the road and plan accordingly.  If an employer knows you are really interested in a given city, even if you're 3-4 years away from finishing, and you have roots in that area... they may change their hiring plans to accomodate your finish date.  But, this will only happen if they know who you are. 

Also, if you are set on going to a certain area, this will make it easier for you to secure a stipend (see my previous post on stipends from hospitals).  This site is not just for chief residents. It's important for residents of all levels to be aware of the dynamic job market.  At the end of the day, all of this training is for you to get a job.