Choosing the right practice to begin or advance your dermatology career is crucial for long-term success in such a specialized field. The right practice placement can help you build your reputation as a trustworthy physician, building your patient base for years to come.
This ideal career placement might not be available in your local area. Finding the right job opportunity might require you to consider relocation. Such a major life decision shouldn’t be made without careful consideration.
As a board-certified or certification-eligible dermatologist, here are the top five things to consider before relocating for a job opportunity.
Assess the Job
It’s easy to get swept up by a seemingly amazing career opportunity, especially as a new dermatologist. However, taking the time to assess the job opening and whether it aligns with your career goals is necessary.
Consider the service mix, skill set requirement, licensing, and workload, as well as other factors such as:
- Marketing assistance to build your patient base
- Referral network participation
- Training support and availability of advanced technologies
- Growth opportunities within the practice
Evaluate the Location Before Relocating for a Job
This tends to go hand in hand with assessing the position itself. While dermatologists can practice just about anywhere in the country, building a successful career is undoubtedly more difficult in certain areas than in others.
The practice location can tell you a lot about the type of patients you’ll see and even the types of cases you can expect to come across. But beyond those considerations, relocating for a job means having to settle down in a new area and start anew.
When evaluating the location of a potential job opportunity, ask yourself:
- Does the area support your lifestyle?
- Is there an opportunity to enjoy your favorite hobbies or explore new ones?
- If you have a partner coming with you, is there opportunity for them and their career?
- If you have or plan to have children, how are the local schools? Are there family-friendly recreational areas?
- What is the housing situation like? Will you be able to find the space you and your family need to live comfortably?
- What will your monthly and yearly expenses look like? Are there tax breaks you can take advantage of?
Consider Your Support Network
On the topic of re-establishing a life in a new area, thinking about the types of support you and your family will need is also an important consideration. If being near your immediate and extended family is important to you, looking for career opportunities in areas where you’ll have that close familial support system is a good place to start. However that might not always be possible.
While having extended family nearby can help to ease the process of settling into a new area, other support resources may be available. When researching areas you might want to relocate to for a job opportunity, investigate the types of support networks and organizations they might have in place. These can include:
- Churches, synagogues, temples, and other religious organizations
- Sports teams and groups
- Chapter for organizations you already belong to or would like to join
- Volunteer or charity organizations you might like to get involved with
- Cultural experiences and events that offer opportunities to meet new people
Examine Compensation and Benefits When Relocating for a Job
Compensation and benefit packages can be a deciding factor when choosing to relocate for your career. A great compensation structure can make the transition to a new area easier and more lucrative than staying near your hometown.
A few things to look for in your compensation and benefits package include:
- Competitive base salary + production-based compensation
- Relocation assistance/bonus
- State licensing assistance
- Health insurance including dental and vision coverage
- 401 K + company match
- Paid malpractice insurance coverage
- CME allowance
- Paid time off
Starting Your Career with DermCare Management
Choosing the right practice to launch your career can be a nerve-racking decision to make on your own. You want to start off in the best position possible, and our physician services team is here to help you do just that.
DermCare Management was founded by physicians, for physicians. Our mission is to provide all our providers with the tools and support they need at every stage of their career. This includes creating the best possible environments for newly certified dermatologists to launch a lucrative and fulfilling career. We want to make sure you’re not only comfortable, but thriving wherever you choose to relocate.
With more than 65 practices across Florida, California, Texas and Virginia, we have open positions in some of the best practice areas for new and established dermatologists. As a part of our provider network, not only will you receive the compensation your skill set demands, but we also provide additional support services to help you build the career of your dreams. These include:
- Comprehensive marketing support
- State licensing assistance
- Robust patient bases with established referral networks
- CME allowance for keeping up with new innovations
- Comprehensive health insurance, including dental and vision
- 401K + company matching, and more
To learn more about our current openings, visit our career portal now.