Hospitals and healthcare systems have continued to struggle with recruiting and retaining top pediatric medical talent. Effective recruiting and retention have long bedeviled professional institutions and organizations of all stripes. Now, the prospect of an acute shortage of primary, specialized, and critical care medical professionals for children in the United States is upon us.
“Many hospitals and healthcare systems fail to factor in the importance of the family/life balance of their recruits when designing benefits and compensation packages for their pediatric specialist recruits.”
Recognizing the need to address this urgent problem, the Association of Administrators in Academic Pediatrics (AAAP) partnered with MillicanSolutions to determine the key drivers in the successful recruitment and retention of pediatric medical specialists. A survey of dozens of pediatric physicians from various specialties was conducted. The primary goals were to benchmark key similarities and differences in their processes and identify any positive or negative impact these processes have had on physician recruitment and retention efforts. The survey was conducted in conjunction with the AAAP and serves as a complimentary tool to the AAAP Annual Compensation Survey.
Survey Findings Filled With Surprises
One of the most surprising findings among those surveyed is that quality of life, along with familial and spousal considerations, are as important or, in some cases, more important than compensation or upward career mobility opportunities. It should be noted that many hospitals and healthcare systems fail to factor in the importance of the family/life balance of their recruits when designing benefits and compensation packages for their pediatric specialist recruits. A large percentage of those surveyed accepted offers where the holistic benefits
