This job is almost assuredly a great one. Certainly in the minority of high MGMA jobs these days. It’s also in Iowa. As SaltyDog once famously asked about one of these great midwestern jobs, ‘Can I do this job from where I live on the coast?’.
Partnership tracks and large buy ins are common among most private groups as far as I can tell. The California MD only groups in my opinion are the exception and not the rule. Saying because X happens in CA or at some AMC job in Texas that it also needs to occur in every other private practice offering just isn’t realistic.
But yeah, you are all right in that the buy-in is whatever the partner track person isn’t making relative to the partners.