This document provides advice on finding and evaluating academic job opportunities in pediatrics. It discusses important factors to consider such as mentors, collaborators, salary and benefits, clinical and research time allocation, protected time, start-up packages, grant funding options, and negotiating an offer letter. The document emphasizes finding a good mentor, having protected research time, supplementing start-up funds with grants, and negotiating to ensure your needs for success are met.

1. What to Look for in a Job and How to Get It…Or How Not To Make The Mistakes I DidKathleen O’Neil, MD

2. Plan for the HourGeneral comments on jobs in academic/ subspecialty pediatrics and jobs in generalHow to get the info you need about that “perfect” jobInterspersed tips on negotiating

3. The BIG IssuesMentorsCollaborators – the “supportive research environment”Salaries/BenefitsTime allocation – clinic, teaching, research“Protected” timeStart-up packages Ways to supplement start-up fundsFunding your time & research costs

4. Pediatric Job ListsAmerican Academy of Pediatrics sponsors PedJobs (www.pedjobs.org/) Your subspecialty societies may have website listing positions availableBulletin boards at meetings (PAS, SSPR, subspecialty societies, etc.)Specialty journal advertisementsAdvertisements in Peds, J. Peds, etc.List serve listingsWord-of-mouth

8. Options You Might FaceType of positionPharmaceutical industryPrivate practice or a blendAcademic positionJoin an existing group or individualStart a new service/practiceJoin multi-specialty groupInternal medicine subspecialists in your disciplinePediatric multi-specialty group (not yours)General pediatrics

9. Private PracticeEconomically feasible in large cities?This is sub-specialty dependentNeonatology, diabetology, GIMost must do some general pediatrics or other Might combine private practice with: ResearchTeaching Administration (peds training program director, chief of peds at local hospital)

10. Academic PositionsLarge volume clinical practice (F/T)Research (basic or clinical)TeachingGeneral Pediatrics teaching/clinicAdministration (asst. program director of residency, IRB chair, etc.)Other specialty care

11. Decisions, DecisionsJoin existing person/groupGo where there is nobody in your subspecialtyStay on where you did your fellowshipJoin an “adult” subspecialty groupBecome THE pediatric subspecialist in another division

12. The biggest issue:Find A GOOD MENTORTake a job with a good mentor, or find oneS/he does not need to be in your division, your practice/group, or even your departmentThe mentorship process is an active one for the recipient, not just the mentorSet up regular meetings with your mentor to set goals and monitor progressA mentor should look out for your career, your success/promotion/time protection, and should help you find opportunities to advanceA great mentor will also look out for your health and happiness, and be sure you keep balance in your life

14. Collaborators Are EssentialClinicians – I can’t imagine caring for sick SLE patients without pediatric nephrology, hematology, etc.Even if you are a solo pediatric subspecialist, you need colleagues – email, listservers, phoneResearchers – biostatistics and epidemiology consultants, molecular biologists, basic scientists in related fields…The “Supportive Research Environment” is essential to NIH funding success

15. Issues: Salary & BenefitsHow will your position be funded?State “line” or other “hard money?”Departmental guaranteed salaryClinical revenuesResearch dollarsProductivity incentives (work RVUs)BenefitsHealth, dental & vision insuranceLife insuranceDisability & long-term care insuranceRetirement – ON WHAT PORTION OF INCOME??Stipend for travel, professional memberships, journals, books ~$1-3000/yr

16. Salary – Where to get #sAmerican Association of Medical Colleges Report on Medical School Faculty Salaries (2009-2010)By specialty, by rank & region (all peds, all regions)RankNumber25th %ileMedian75th %ileMean

17. Median Salary in Midwest Region by Specialty - AAMC

18. SOUTHMIDWEST

19. Interventional Radiology(read it and weep) 2010Highest paid full professor: $579,500 in 20062009-2010 figures not published yet

20. BenefitsThese are generally pretty standard, but…Make sure you know if retirement is calculated on “base salary” or “total compensation”If it’s on your base, you might need to contribute to individual retirement acct.Don’t forget to budget for disability and long-term care insuranceSome (rare) universities have tuition for family members. This can be a HUGE bonus (i.e., Syracuse University plus Boston College fees exceed my take-home pay)

21. Time AllocationClinical timeResearch timeClinicalBenchTeaching responsibilitiesFellows?Inpatient general peds attending?Students of all sorts?AdministrationCommittees for Univ. - Dept. - Hosp. - National groups – Service organizations

22. Clinical Time IssuesEach ½ day of clinic is 10%, but Dictations, Editing letters, Triaging urgent referrals, Prescription refills, Prior authorizations for insurance coverage, Home care orders, Lab result review, Phone questions, ALL add to total clinical timeInpatient service and consultationsProcedures

23. Preserve Your TimeIn academic settings, the university’s promotion policies are usually onlineYou must do some “citizenship” duties and provide some serviceChoose your service commitments wisely. IACUC, IRB can take LOTS of timeBe sure it pays a % of your timeDon’t take on responsibilities you are not prepared to handle, e.g., division chief in year 2 or 3

24. Your Support Personnel and Your TimeWill you have a dedicated nurse (or even a ½-time nurse)PA, PNP, fellows, etc.Will you have a secretary who will do your work?Is there a GCRC, research office, departmental research nurse or group of them for clinical studies?Will you have a lab assistant if you are doing bench research?

25. The Myth & Reality of PROTECTED TIMEMost offers speak of “protected time.”How will your time be protected?Who will cover service if your boss is out?How often does s/he travel?Blocks of time are essential for most lab-based researchWho answers the phone calls and triages them?

26. Start-Up PackagesYour job offer should include the seeds you need to be successful – (not the whole tree)Office space, computer, secretarial support, +/- nursing supportLaboratory space – Might be sharedBasic equipment to get started – available and accessible research cores, shared facilitiesBasic supplies, typically for 2-3 yearsSome technical help (salary, benefits) for the lab for 2-3 years – unless you have > 75% protected research time

27. Letters of OfferHand-outs – examples of academic offerLetters are pretty standardAcademic rank, or administrative titleExpectations / conditions of employmentPay / benefitsTerms of renewal or promotionOften referenced in the faculty handbook or online policies if academicConditions for partnership or advancement in practicesNot a contract – a basis for negotiation

28. MedCenterToday Check List: The Must-Haves in Academic Med Center ContractsNegotiating an employment contract for your self? Quickly consider these basic things as a framework for conversation and contract...Strive for a clear description of job duties and the institution's short term and long term expectations of you as a faculty member.Request a detailed description of and timetable for career-advancement opportunities.Be sure that the contract contains fair and equitable contract term lengths and termination provisions.If you seek an academic life of teaching and research, get comfortable with the specifics arrangements of how "protected time" will be afforded and guaranteed.Have detailed conversations and include in your contract, well-defined terms regarding future ownership of intellectual property.Things may not work out, avoid unrealistic non-competition provisions. - MedCenterToday.com staff.

29. Supplementing Your Start-up PackageAre there institutional research grants?How competitive and how much $$?Are there foundation grants in the community?Does your chairman have cash for shortfalls if your first grant is close, but doesn’t quite get funded?Some universities have a transition program that funds young faculty while they begin independent research programs, often called fellowships

30. When to Apply for GrantsEach grant mechanism has a lag timeSome can be awarded only once to any one investigatorOthers must be relinquished if you get outside fundsKnow this in advance, and use your start-up funds first, and wisely

31. What Else Do You Need for Success?Do you need an MPH, or other training to achieve your goals?Can the university provide this as part of your start-up, or give you discounted tuition?Do you need 3 more months in your current lab to be ready to move the project to your new position?If you don’t ask, you won’t get it

32. Grants for New FacultySeed grants from the university or departmentFoundation grants (e.g., Arthritis Foundation, Lupus Foundation, etc.) are increasingly competitive at national level, but local chapters might offer moneyCOS (www.cos.com) Community of Science – you enroll, get periodic emails with grant opportunities from your keywordshttps://proposalcentral.altum.com/ - online proposal management service, a number of current funding opportunities

33. Other Grant Options: NIH

35. K (training) Awards

36. Resources for New Investigators button

37. K-Kiosk

38. Other NIH MechanismsR03 – the small grant$50,000/year for up to 3 yearsCannot have been PI on R01 or other major NIH grantGood way to get preliminary dataR21 – the exploratory/developmental awardUp to $275,000 divided over 2 yearsRequires less preliminary data than R01Allows some element of risk to the projectR15 – AREA grant, the academic research enhancement awardFor institutions with <$3M in research fundingSee website for excluded institutions

39. Funding Opportunities

40. SEARCH Function

41. New Announcements This Week

42. Further Down Page

43. SubscribingTo Subscribe to the NIH Guide LISTSERV, send an e-mail to listserv@list.nih.gov with the following text in the message body (not the "Subject" line): subscribe NIHTOC-L your name(Example: subscribe NIHTOC-L Joe Smith)Your e-mail address will be automatically obtained from the e-mail message and add you to the LISTSERV.

44. As You Prepare for the New Job…Apply for your license 6 or more months before your start dateApply for hospital privilegesApply for insurance plan provider status (often many, many forms)Keep everything in a safe fileKeep your CV up-to-dateSeriously consider credentialing company – they maintain permanent files

45. A Few Parting ThoughtsRemember your value during negotiationsValue = quality/cost. You bring quality - at some reasonable cost. The numerator drives the equationThe first offer is just that – negotiation is OKLook at all your optionsIf you and a spouse are job-seeking, both of you must be happy with the outcomeThe employer gets a bargain with 2-for-1 family deals – don’t assume you are lucky just to get an offer for both of youIt is common to move after a few yrs

46. Wherever you go andwhatever you doDo it with passionGet involvedRemember what a privilege it is to be trusted to care for someone’s child