Look for these 7 elements of a physician-focused contract

Resident physicians looking for their first physician job post-training will have another new experience to add to the list: getting a look at a physician employment contract.

While it may be difficult to see past the physician salary and benefits—which will represent a sizable jump from the pay most physicians get during residency training—there is much more to a job offer than the money at hand. Experts who specialize in physician employment contracts counsel residents not to let themselves be blinded to factors that could wind up having a bigger impact on their physician job satisfaction down the road.

In this story, residents and fellows transitioning to practice will learn about the aspects of a contract that can lead to trouble down the road, including:

• When a termination clause is unfair.
• Why physicians might not want production bonuses tied to quality.
• Whether noncompete clauses apply to all physicians.
• What contracts might say about repaying bonuses.
• When a nonsolicitation agreement is too restrictive.
• When to get an attorney to review their employment contract.