Frequently Asked Questions

How long have you been recruiting physicians?
We’ve been specializing in physician and physician executive search since 1993.

How do you go about your sourcing process?
We use advertising, direct mail and word-of-mouth referrals. In addition, we source candidates through attendance at conferences, residents’ meetings, our website and Internet resources. We have established a good reputation as a knowledgeable and ethical company. Candidates frequently call us on the basis of our reputation. Canadian-trained physicians who have been working in the US sometimes call for placement back home in Canada.

We can also source candidates through our association with The Alliance of Medical Recruiters and The National Coalition of Health Care Recruiters. AMR and NCHCR are two groups consisting of over 200 US physician recruiters who share resources to give the best service. We work with Canadian, American and International candidates.

What specialties do your firm cover?
We cover all physician specialties as well as Physician Executives.

How in-depth is the screening of candidates?
The screening process begins with an in-depth telephone interview with the candidate, and continues with conversations with the spouse (if possible and appropriate) so that we can get a clear focus on what the candidate is looking for and how the family might fit with your community. When a site visit is arranged we check the status of the candidate’s license. To protect confidentiality, we normally check references only when there is serious preliminary interest between candidate and facility. We send you these references written in a form that is almost verbatim so you can get an accurate feel for the information.

How familiar are you with each client?
We like to know the details that will help us sell your facility and the community, the details of the job, and what you want in a candidate. We need to know compensation ranges and specific details of each situation, including any political landmines that might exist. We also want to learn how you personally like to work so that we can accommodate your style and needs. With retained searches we will visit and work with the recruitment committee to develop suitable materials and plans for recruitment.

What will you do for me that will make my job easier?
We use your time effectively. We help you develop a search strategy that accounts for various contingencies and accommodates the candidate’s needs. We provide standardization among candidate presentations that includes CV, our profile, and detailed notes and points that will help you attract the candidate. We work with you to determine the best approaches and selling points. We can work with your committees and the community to develop strategies for interviewing and selection.

To attract a good candidate the phone and site interviews must be done right and the follow up should be excellent. We help you take a professional approach. We provide a full service and attend to any other specific additional tasks that you would like us to undertake.

How in-depth do you get with record checking, license checking and reference checking before you present the candidate to a client?
The candidate will have been interviewed by phone or in person. We check licenses in advance of a site visit. If any red flags come up, we will check references in advance, although usually this is not done until later. Some clients prefer to check references themselves for due diligence or staff credentialing reasons. In these cases, we provide a list of referees and contact information.

If the facility has difficulty connecting with the prospective candidate, will Susan Craig Associates assist?
Absolutely! We will be happy to arrange a time and date convenient for both of you for both phone and site interviews.
Do you assist with itinerary development or do you have the in-house recruiter perform that function?
We like to work together with you so that both the candidate and the spouse’s needs are taken into consideration and all the little things that the family wants to see are covered in the site visit. We help you take the right approach.

Once the facility has made an offer to the candidate, can the firm assist in the negotiation process with the doctor?
Certainly. Since we have established a relationship of trust with our candidates they often like to know what we think of an offer. Many Canadian physicians have never seen an employment agreement and would like another opinion to see if the offer is in the right ballpark. We can’t remain in business unless we support fairness in financial outcomes and create win-win situations.

Are you a member of any professional organizations?
We are members of the National Association of Physician Recruiters and subscribe to its ethical code. We also belong to the Alliance of Medical Recruiters and the National Coalition of Health Care Recruiters, Internet consortium of vetted recruiters who share resources and ethical standards. Susan Craig sits on the Ethics Committee of the Alliance of Medical Recruiters. Susan is also a registered mediator with the Alternate Dispute Resolution Institute of Ontario and has recently completed four years of advanced leadership training at the Gestalt Institute of Toronto.