The Truth about Faculty Recruitment/Retention

1. The Truth about Faculty Recruitment/Retention John H. Eichhorn, M.D. Professor and Chairman, Department of Anesthesiology University of Mississippi SOM and Medical Center, Jackson

2. Key Factors in Recruitment/Retention • Open, honest evaluation of these five key issues, especially weaker aspects • Not every point can be perfect, or even good, for every department • Play up strengths • Outline plans to overcome weaknesses, if at all possible (but don’t overstate or deceive)

3. “Professional Inspiration” • Different for each recruit or current faculty • Each person has some “key” to why will consider being academic faculty • “Intellectual stimulation/curiosity” certainly can be valid but often it’s much more • Ego can be central component • Probe from first contact for the “key”

4. Time • Probably most important issue overall • Has to be better than private practice offers • 2 separate but related parts: • Lighter schedule/call than private practice • “Academic time” for meetings (all types), didactics, research, writing, administration, etc. • Must “non-clinical” time be “productive” ??

5. Conditions • Often the hardest things to create/influence • More than just hours, includes environment: • Number/location rooms & personnel supervised • Respect from: surgeons, OR/dept. staff, hospital • Tone/appearance of OR, offices, institution • Conveniences such as parking, amenities (lunch) • Neighborhood surrounding institution • Inevitable comparison to private practice

6. Community • Can be under-appreciated as critical factor • Family, friends, school/training ties all key • “Tone” of area is biggest point and attitude of recruit must be addressed from very start • Schools are, by far, greatest issue for families with children - your leading card! • Child care, spouse career potential also key • Ethnic community can be double-edged

7. Money • Has to be enough to allow consideration of all the prior points • Not match busy private practice but is  , as seen in 2001 SAAC survey • An academic survival tactic ? • However good this may be, shift to maximize take-home pay is limiting use of $ for academic development, projects, etc. - a sad truth today

8. Summary • Chairs must be honest about all these points • Face and address “truth” of weaknesses, whatever they are; every place has some • Try hard to overcome these - with very public and visible efforts (? windmill tilting) • Don’t gloss over: “It’ll work out !” - festers • Always emphasize the dominating strengths