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There was a great article in the January/February 2008 issue of Unique Opportunities, entitled ”Oops, Did I Do That?” by Therese Karsten. Therese characterized much of the in-house industry in her article, but there is an even broader group of in-house Physician Recruiters across the U.S. and Canada who are ready to assist physicians who are either looking for their first positions or for a new opportunity.  Our membership was enthusiastic about the information Therese gave our physician audience, but we wanted to take this opportunity to expand it.   WHO WE ARE To quote from our website (www.aspr.org) “Established in 1990, the Association of Staff Physician Recruiters (ASPR) is a professional organization of more than 1,000 members whose primary role is to recruit physicians and other healthcare providers to staff the hospitals, clinics, and managed care organizations where the members are employed.  Our membership represents each of the 50 states, and some provinces in Canada.  ASPR is the only organization EXCLUSIVELY for in-house Physician Recruiters--our members are not headhunters or agency recruiters.  ASPR is also dedicated to the education of our members, and hosts meetings throughout the year on various recruitment issues.” A reasonably accurate definition of an in-house Physician Recruiter is a person who recruits physicians, and is an employee of the hospital, clinic, managed care or other health care facility that they are representing.  These recruiters are part of the staff, with most of us reporting to the Chief Medical Officer, Chief Executive Officer or Chief Operating Officer of the facility.  We are also part of the community, and are therefore looking for the “best fit” for both the incoming physician, and the organization for which we recruit – these physicians will work along side us and live in our neighborhoods. OUR PURPOSE The purpose of this organization, from our bylaws, is “to promote the professional and personal development of its members and to enhance the physician recruiting profession through educational programs and other activities.”   ADVANTAGES TO PHYSICIANS LOOKING FOR POSITIONS On our website, physicians have free access to our member listing – this gives them names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses for in-house recruiters across the US and Canada.  Physicians can search by facility name, by region, or by state – or even by Physician Recruiter name.  This can considerably decrease the time a physician needs to spend researching an area in which they may be interested. ASPR members utilize our live chat feature to obtain advice, network with one another, and often, help physicians in their own areas or residency programs to relocate.  If a physician meets an in-house Physician Recruiter at a conference, and perhaps they do not have the perfect opportunity available at their own facility, they can contact colleagues across the country to locate just the opportunity for which the physician is searching.  A typical posting might list a physician’s specialty, type of practice for which they are searching, and the geographic area.  Usually, within minutes, several other Physician Recruiters have posted their contact information, requesting to be put in touch with the physician. Another free service of the organization is that physicians can send their CV’s to ASPR, and their CV will be shared with the membership matching the physician’s geographical preferences. In addition, the ASPR website contains a section listing opportunities throughout the country, which physicians can search without cost to themselves. ADVANTAGES TO PHYSICIAN LEADERS IN HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATIONS An ASPR meeting is a great place to send your in-house Physician Recruitment staff for both initial training and continuing education.  There are a variety of venues from which to choose.  The most comprehensive offerings can be found at our annual conference – we offer our fellowship courses - the 101 (for new Physician Recruiters or as a refresher), the 201 (more advanced coursework for experienced Physician Recruiters) and soon the 301 course.  In addition to the

fellowship courses, there are two full days of networking and continuing education coursework for all in-house Physician Recruiters.  There are also numerous regional meetings available to ASPR members throughout the year. ASPR offers our Mentor program as well.  New in-house Physician Recruiters who join ASPR are offered the opportunity to be matched with an experienced in-house  Physician Recruiter who volunteers his or her time to mentor the new Physician Recruiter and assist with any questions or challenges they may have.   Your in-house Physician Recruiter is eligible for a variety of members-only discounts by joining ASPR.  The website and membership of ASPR can be the “go to” resource for tools, information, ideas, and any number of resources to assist them in finding quality physicians for your hospital, practice, medical group, or healthcare organization. WRAPPING UP We all know that both the near and foreseeable future will hold considerable challenges in recruiting physicians.  As physician recruitment becomes more and more competitive across the United States and Canada, in-house Physician Recruitment departments must be better prepared to address the changing challenges faced by their medical facilities in today’s competitive environment.  Since ASPR’s primary goals are education and networking, we are able to offer both resources and support to our membership as they address their individual facility’s physician staffing challenges. ---------------------------- Marci Jackson is the President of ASPR and also Director, Physician & Provider Recruitment & Retention, at Southwest Medical Associates in Las Vegas, NV.  Marci has proudly identified herself as an “in-house Physician Recruiter” for over 14 years.  She can be reached at mjackson2@sierrahealth.com or through ASPR at www.aspr.org.  Laura Screeney is the Co-Chair of the ASPR Journal Committee, and an independent consultant for in-house Physician Recruitment departments, working for specific facilities to assist them in building their own in-house departments.  Laura, too, has proudly carried the title “in-house Physician Recruiter” for over 20 years.  Laura can be reached at lscreeney@earthlink.net or through ASPR at www.aspr.org.