Can I leave a message?
Recently the Executive Vice President of the American Medical Association had written a letter to all Graduate Medical Education program directors requesting their help in stopping recruiters from unsolicited calling or paging of resident/fellow physicians in the workplace.
He has also wrote the National Association of Physician Recruiters directly asking for their help in ending a recruiting practice directed at resident and fellow physicians that interferes with physician training and patient care. In response to the increasing shortage of physicians, physician recruitment firms have become more aggressive in their outreach to physicians-in-training.
He says the American Medical Association (AMA) has received numerous complaints from resident and fellow physicians who report increasing interruptions throughout their work day by recruiters who often have them paged through the hospital or program’s main number. In some instances, recruiters are not always forthcoming in identifying themselves or the purpose of the call. Some have even alluded (wrongfully) to having an affiliation with the AMA. He feels unsolicited paging tactics are disruptive to patient care and add additional frustration to an already busy day. Over time, residents and fellows may develop animosity toward recruiting firms.
The AMA asks that the National Association of Physician Recruiters adopt voluntary marketing guidelines that will discourage unsolicited paging of residents and fellows at their places of work. They also ask that the association caution their members not to allude, implicitly or explicitly, to any endorsement by or affiliation with the AMA when contacting prospects.
Now I have no problem slamming the door on recruiters who misrepresent themselves. Clearly that is unprofessional. But on the other hand, their IS a huge shortage of physicians. Many of my clients are recruiting directly from second and third year students to ensure they are able to meet their needs. Is he asking the same of them…to not call the students at work?
Instead of making a blanket request across the board why not address the specific complaints. I would greatly encourage the AMA to ONLY work with board certified physician recruiters. Why not work with the ones who have invested in their profession just like the physicians we represent. Seems to Dr Mave’s request is greatly handicapping the folks he is trying to help…Stop throwing the baby out with the bath water…let me leave a message.
Bob Eskridge, CPC, CTS, PRC, CSP
President &
Board Certified Physician Recruiter
Eskridge & Associates
512.244.7023 (Office)
bob@eskridge-associates.com
www.eskridgeassociates.com
Member – National Coalition of Healthcare Recruiters
Member – National Association of Personnel Services