Negotiating the Career You Want

Negotiation is an important skill that physicians are rarely taught. Anees Chagpar, MD, MA, MBA, MPH, and Naman Desai, MD, speak with cohosts Winnie Hahn, MD, and Elizabeth Hecht, MD, about how preparation, practice, and a shift in mindset can help physicians negotiate with confidence and build careers that align with their values and priorities. Listen to their discussion in episode 3 of Mentorship Unfiltered, an AJR Podcast Series. https://www.ajronline.org/doi/10.2214/AJR.26.35921 *Key Takeaways The Collaborative Mindset: Negotiation is not a zero-sum, adversarial battle. Approaching the conversation as joint problem-solvers allows both the employer and employee to find creative ways to "grow the pie" and achieve mutual benefits. Expanding the Target: Candidates often make the mistake of focusing exclusively on base salary. Successful negotiators research historical precedents (like AAMC data) and ask for flexible perks, such as housing stipends, free childcare, CME funding, and specific call schedules. The Malpractice Trap: Understanding the difference between claims-based and occurrence-based malpractice insurance is critical. If a practice uses claims-based insurance, exiting the job requires tail coverage that can cost between $10,000 and $30,000; this should be negotiated upfront. Continuous Self-Advocacy: Negotiation does not end once the initial contract is signed. Mid-career physicians should continually reassess their value and leverage employer investments. *Chapters 0:00 - Why Negotiation Matters <span data-descript-pasteboard= "eyJ2ZXJzaW9uIjoxLCJkYXRhIjpbeyJzb3VyY2VUcmFjayI6eyJpZCI6ImJhZTMwZjgxLTVjNTUtNGU3MS04NzgxLTNkZjI1ODgxMzEwMiIsInR5cGUiOiJjb21wb3NpdGlvbiJ9LCJzb3VyY2VUcmFja0F1ZGlvUHJvcGVydGllcyI6eyJnYWluIjoxLCJwYW4iOjAsImlzTXV0ZWQiOmZhbHNlLCJlZmZlY3RzIjpbXSwic3VwcHJlc3NSb29tdG9uZSI6ZmFsc2V9LCJ2b2ljZXMiOltdLCJtZWRpYVJlZnNDb3B5RGF0YSI6W10sImhpZ2hsaWdodGVycyI6W10sInJlc3RvcmFibGVUcmFja3MiOltdLCJzZXF1ZW5jZVRyYWNrcyI6W10sInBpblRyYWNrcyI6W10sImNvcGllZFRhdXMiOlt7ImlkIjoiNzZiN2Y4ZTktNGZkZS00N2Y1LTgzZGItMGU3ZjY5N2JhMGYwIiwidGV4dCI6eyJzdHJpbmciOiIiLCJhdHRyaWJ1dGVzIjpbXX0sImlnbm9yZUFsaWdubWVudCI6ZmFsc2UsImlzQmxvY2tlZCI6ZmFsc2V9XSwiY29waWVkQ29tcG9uZW50cyI6W3sidHlwZSI6Im1hcmtlckNvbX