Ready to Associate?

8 minutes

Joining a practice as an associate is a great learning opportunity for new DCs. You get to dive into patient care and the day-to-day workings of a practice under the guidance of a more experienced practitioner. But before you commit to a practice, there are several things to ask the practice owner about. These “gotchas” can likely be avoided if you know what to watch for.

The Owner’s Goal

When a practice owner decides to hire an associate, they’re generally looking for one of two things: 1) more free time, or; 2) practice growth/more money.

These are two very different objectives. If you’re being hired to basically relieve the hiring DC so they have more time in their personal life, you may be expected to see more patients and treat them in a similar manner as the practice owner. They’ll want you to keep the practice going.

If the doctor wants an associate to make more money and grow their practice, you’ll probably be expected to bring in your own patients and do your own marketing. Your new ideas may be more appreciated.

Too many practice owners and new DCs get into hiring conversations without clarifying the objective. If you are a new DC who wants to get out into the community, actively recruit new patients and try out new marketing ideas, you may not want to sign on with a doctor who wants to keep the status quo.

On the flip side, if you’d rather start your career a little more slowly by transitioning into an existing practice and its procedures, you may be better off with the doctor who is looking to free up his or her own time.

Both scenarios can be great opportunities; it’s just a matter of what you’re looking for. Talk with the doctor. Find out exactly why they are hiring to see if you would be a good fit.