Secured the Bag.

I am just so glad to be at this place and space in my life. God is Grand. After a few months of interviewing, I have my very first post-residency gig all picked out (with hopefully one more on the way!) and I am so very excited to get started. Someone recently asked me, “Anya, have you already gotten a job?” My immediate thought was, “Already?!” I have been waiting, praying, and planning for this moment for 18 years. And especially for the past three, I could not wait for my dream job and my move home to become a reality. 

I am especially proud of my new employment because I worked really hard and hustled to get interviews and opportunities. For those who do not know, it is more difficult to get assistance from job recruiters when you are relocating. My LinkedIn inbox is full of messages from recruiters representing NYC clinics. At first I took the time to respond a nice, clean “no thank you” to each one. After a couple weeks, I noticed the pattern and shifted my focus to finding a gig on my own. Ultimately, I only worked with one recruiter for one interview. Outside of that, I did my own research. I sent my own emails. I used my own network. I made my schedule work for me and went on interviews whenever I could. And y’all, I’m proudest of the fact that I STOOD ON BUSINESS and will ultimately be practicing the type of medicine I love: reproductive health. It is so important to read the fine print and ask all the questions. Sometimes things change between the initial phone call, interview, and contract review. It is very easy for Family Medicine doctors to be pigeonholed into practicing geriatric medicine. That’s fine if you love it, but if you don’t, you have to negotiate, be patient, and find what works best for you.

The art of negotiation is an art indeed and I’m so glad I’ve learned how to do it. I have a mindset that always seeks to get the most out of a situation. I’m Worth It. As a content creator unsigned to any management team, I have a lot of experience when it comes to reading contracts, paying attention to certain language, and adding several more benjamins to sweeten the deal. I am not a resident who is seeing real money for the first time and jumping at the first offer. Nope. There are so many aspects of a job to consider before accepting. I am a Black woman in medicine—a hot commodity because we are so needed in our communities. Black doctors only comprise 5.7% of doctors in the US. Five. Point. Seven. Percent. I trained at a New York City hospital and federally qualified health care center with incredibly complex patients. I have a host of global health experiences that have made me an even more resourceful, conscious, and inspired clinician. I have been published three times. I have real life work and research experience before, during, and after med school. I am competent in multiple procedures. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I am Family Medicine-trained, but I refused to be pigeonholed into only knowing how to manage hypertension and diabetes. I go above and beyond for my patients. I care deeply about my community. I’m. Worth. It. I conducted myself as such and I’m so glad I did. 

After residency, I will be working at a reproductive health center living my dream. I also plan to do some per diem work at a student health center and/or doing procedures. I did it, y’all. I really did it. God did it. If you remember, I got such flack at the very beginning of residency because I reiterated I wanted to be a reproductive health doctor. This was already common knowledge based on my residency application and chats with my program directors before moving to NYC, but…ya know…people be bored. To stay in NYC, to stay at my residency program, to advocate for a reproductive health track, to get the training I needed, and to get the job of my dreams ANYWAY?!?! Oh yes, I am blessed. God favors me. He looks after me. Psalm 86:17, m’kay?! I am grateful. One of my biggest flexes is I’ve done what I said I was going to do over and over and OVER AGAIN and you know what?

I’m just getting started.

Now y’all know I’m not going to leave you hanging. I always want to make the path easier for those coming up next. Here is a list of questions and requests to consider when negotiating your attending contracts:

• What will be my daily tasks?
• What will be my daily schedule?
• How will my time be split between procedures, regular office visits, and admin time?
• Does your site qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness?
• Does your site qualify for HRSA loan forgiveness?
• What is the annual CME fund allocation?
• Do you offer a relocation stipend? What expenses qualify? When do I receive reimbursements?
• Do you offer a sign-on bonus? When is it disbursed?
• Is there a case manager to assist with MyChart messages?
• What kind of malpractice insurance do you provide for your clinicians? Do you have an occurrence policy or a claims-made policy? An occurrence policy works to the benefit of clinicians because upon leaving the job, you are not responsible for paying the malpractice tail
• How many weeks of vacation are included in the benefits package?
• Does your clinic cover Up To Date access?
• Does your clinic have the medical equipment necessary for me to do my job: NST, ultrasound, colposcope, tischlers, speculum with lights?
• What is your credentialing process for procedures? How many do I need during residency? How long must I shadow in your clinic before I am signed off?
• What is the RVU bonus system? How many clinicians actually achieve the bonuses?
• Be aware of non-compete clauses in your contract
• Ensure there is an out clause in your contract – typically 90s days
• If you are asked what salary you would like, always lead with a range. Know the floor and ceiling for that position in THAT city. I don’t want to hold y’all, but (especially Family Medicine) doctors get paid significantly more in ATL than NYC. I knew that and I absolutely ensured my asks reflected that. Lead with a range and negotiate up from there.

I hope y’all find this helpful. As always, thank you so much for cheering me on and I hope my story encourages you…Never Give Up!

xx,

Photos by Sweetie Mensah