Strategies for Securing Physician Talent

J.G. Schaaf, MD
Chief Medical Officer
Shenandoah (Iowa) Medical Center

Our recruiting is fair to good. It is variable depending upon the time and the need. There has to be a commitment by medical staff to be really actively involved in that since we are a small rural hospital. We are starting earlier and earlier. Recently I did a tour for a young lady who is about to enter medical school. She has a family connection to our community and happened to be in town.

We've had actually some luck with seeing young people. Sometimes an early start is well worthwhile. Involve these people with the institution. Give them a commitment. Make them feel welcomed and they feel kind of like, "Gee, that is a place that really wants me and I want to work there."

By the time they are in their residency a lot of people have already made up their mind where they are going to go when they finish their specialty training. If we can get to some of these people earlier, we can hopefully present to them some good reasons why they might consider us when as a general rule we wouldn't otherwise be on the radar.