Our group is a private group in Tampa, FL. We are recruting but have had struggle attracting candidates. It used to be that we would post jobs on the ASTRO board and get tons of applicants, now we struggle to get any. We are a private group that is lifestyle friendly (4 days per week) and partnership track. It appears most applicants these days prefer employed jobs at academic health systems. Where do physicians go these days to apply for jobs, if they're not using the ASTRO board? Thanks for your advice.
I can only speak for myself, so maybe I'm way off base, but:
I'm in the Northeast, the land of the snowbirds. I have family that chose to move to Florida and many of my patients do the 6 months north/6 months Florida lifestyle.
Or, at least, they used to. All I've heard about for the past year or two are the INSANE homeowners insurance issues happening in Florida. Family members have had their rates triple. Some people I've talked to can't even find a company willing to offer a policy. I've seen people move back north permanently because of it.
Second, Florida has always had a certain...reputation. Certainly in Radiation Oncology, all of our most salacious "events" seems to come out of that state. At this point, it feels like EVERYONE is leery of practicing Radiation Oncology in Florida. The "safe havens" are perceived to be the academic systems (Moffitt, UF, Miami, Mayo Jax).
"Florida Private Practice Radiation Oncology" was personally something I never even had on my "potential job search" list.
Third, while Florida has always been perceived on the national stage in a...certain light ("Florida Man"), since the pandemic (and Mar-a-Lago, and Epstein, etc), the state has...well, it's certainly unique. I know that influences things as well.
Fourth, as was mentioned above...the $300k/3 years to partner thing DOES NOT FLY anymore. That's the same deal that was offered a decade ago, and it feels like the practices offering this package forgot that there was such a thing as inflation.
My previous job had that package, and I knew it was a trade-off I had to make in favor of geography. But my preferred geography is fairly difficult for Radiation Oncology.
Tampa? Tampa is not exactly a linac desert. There are options. I know the ballpark of Moffitt's starting package and to a new grad, or someone with experience who would have to "start over" at a new place...the $300k/3 years will not fly anymore.
Finally: how's the reputation of your group? Any of your members been in the news recently, local or national? The name of your practice? Been associated with anything negative?
It's A LOT easier in the internet age to quickly find "dirt". The first thing I do, looking at a job posting, is Google search the practice name and see what comes up. Then the names of the group members.
What comes up when you do that with your practice?