9 Things to Keep in Mind When Recruiting Millennial Physicians

It might seem a little early, but millennial physicians have begun entering the workplace. As articles circulate online about the difficulties surrounding working with a new generation of employees that have vastly different priorities and needs than previous generations, many organizations are finding themselves at a loss when deciding how best to recruit and retain them.

While it might seem that recruiting millennial physicians – and retaining them – is difficult, any physician can be brought on board and kept engaged if you know what it is that they want and need in an opportunity. Below are nine things to keep in mind when recruiting millennial physicians, from what they prioritize in a job search to what makes them truly love where they work, to help you meet your physician recruitment goals.

1. Flexibility is Key

Whether it’s working part-time (now or in the future), the ability to pursue professional interests, or greater work-life balance, many millennial physicians find flexibility to be key to avoiding burnout and providing them with satisfaction in the workplace. Organizations that work on providing these physicians with flexible schedules and opportunities for growth will find themselves better able to recruit and retain them.

2. Employment is Preferred

Survey after survey of graduating residents and fellows over the past few years have shown a marked decrease in young physician’s desire to enter private practice. Instead, graduating physicians have consistently showed a strong preference for hospital-employed or medical group employed positions.

3. Mentorship Is Essential

As younger physicians enter the workplace, they are finding that they are not nearly done learning yet. Because of this, many of them prefer to join practices that have more seasoned physicians already there, offering mentorship and guidance as they enter their first few years of practice.

4. They Crave Feedback

Many younger physicians are goal oriented and prefer to have concrete benchmarks to meet in the various areas of their professional life. But in order for them to be able to pursue and achieve these goals, they require feedback on what they’re doing wrong or could use improvement on. Without it, many will assume that they are doing something wrong, becoming frustrated and disengaged.

5. Technology is a Must

Most millennial physicians have never seen a paper chart, and many are used to having access to the latest technology and equipment at their training programs. When they begin looking for practices they expect the same access as before to integrated EMRs, the latest equipment, and the ability to utilize cutting edge treatments.

6. They Are Team Players

graduating physicians are coming out of a world where collaboration and team work have been emphasized, and they tend to prefer opportunities that offer this. Whether it’s working with a colleague to diagnose a difficult case or discussing treatment options with other physicians, millennials thrive in a team-oriented environment that will help them provide the highest quality of care to their patients.

7. They Crave Diverse Opportunities for Growth

Millennial physicians often view their careers as long, winding paths that offer a variety of opportunities to acquire skills along the way. Providing them with a variety of opportunities to grow both professionally and personally will give them greater satisfaction in the long run and cause them to become more engaged in the workplace.

8. Compensation is an Important – But Not the Only Important – Part of Their Job Search

One thing most graduating physicians of every generation have in common is hefty student loan debt. Because of this, these physicians find that compensation (and loan forgiveness programs) factor heavily into their practice decisions as they look for ways to pay down their debt. But while compensation is important, millennial physicians also place an emphasis on work-life balance and quality of life just as much.

9. Collaboration is Crucial

Like we said before, millennials are team players. As such, they need an opportunity to collaborate with colleagues and the administration  to find new and better ways to treat patients, improve practice efficiency, and patient satisfaction. By providing opportunities to make them feel included in decisions on how to improve care delivery and encouraging physicians to consult one another on patient care, millennial physicians can gain greater satisfaction in the workplace.

Key Take Aways:

• Millennial physicians are team player who crave collaboration and input on their careers and practice improvements
• Professional and personal growth are key – providing physicians with these opportunities and having strong mentorship programs can help them achieve their goals
• Compensation is important, but flexibility is essential. To keep millennial physicians on board for the long run, practices must consider a variety of employment options that provide physicians with the work-life balance they need