Physician recruiters are individuals who help employers to find the best physicians for their companies’ open positions. A person who is interested in this career should complete some college, as employers often prefer an individual who has some post-secondary training. If aspiring to become a physician recruiter, you should also have solid communication skills, be willing to travel often, and be open to working more than 40 hours a week.
In order to become a physician recruiter, you need to complete at least a two-year associate degree program in the area of healthcare administration or business administration. Enrollment in these types of programs requires proof of a high school diploma or the equivalent certification. Your potential training institution also will require you to fill out an admission application and provide your high school transcript for review. In addition, you should be prepared to submit your most recent standardized test results as part of the process to begin training to become a physician recruiter.
Healthcare administration courses will teach you how the healthcare system works, which is valuable for entering the medical recruitment field. For instance, you will study medical terminology and health communication skills, which are necessary for speaking with physicians about their skill areas and levels of expertise. Medical law also is an important course as it teaches you about the legal responsibilities of physicians. You should study your region’s requirements for physicians to be licensed or certified if you want to become a physician recruiter.
Business administration courses will additionally help you to become successful in this career. These courses cover subjects including business law and business ethics, which are important because physician recruiters must follow established business regulations and ethical codes when developing relationships with hospitals and other medical facilities. Courses on business and human resource management additionally teach you how to appropriately select job candidates, interview them, and hire physicians based on their credentials.
While completing your degree program in preparation to begin your medical recruitment career, you should look for an internship that will give you field experience and also consider furthering your education. Internships are available at independent physician recruiting firms or at facilities that work to hire physicians through in-house processes. During your internship, you must learn how to help set up interviews with physicians and correctly match them to medical facilities. If you want to increase your employment opportunities when trying to become a physician recruiter, you can complete a four-year bachelor’s degree in business or human resource management and pursue certifications through industry associations.