Interview to offer to acceptance timeline

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beyondbethany

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3rd year fellow, I’m starting to get interviews for PP jobs and I am curious about timing with interviews. Those with experience - after a successful interview how long until you are extended an offer? How long after offer do you have to consider? I hope to be weighing multiple offers but not sure how long practice A will wait while I’m considering practice B.

As with everything I’m sure it varies but wanted some perspectives. Thanks.

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This was my answer to a similar question in Gen Res recently:
Depends on what/where, but, as a hiring employer, I got CVs starting last June up through this March for positions starting July/Aug of this year.

The timeline will also be quite variable once you've started applying. It can take 3-4 weeks to set up a good time for the interview. And there are likely to be multiple people interviewing for the same position(s) so another delay of up to a month or 2 after the interview. Academic jobs in particular will probably want a second visit as well.

Once an offer is extended, you will typically have a week or two to negotiate and sign the contract. After that, the credentialing/licensing process begins. This timeline will vary widely among jobs and states. Licensing in my state is relatively quick and straightforward (a month or less generally), but if you were to come work for me, you would need credentials at 4 different hospital systems. Our main (employing) system has a truly infuriating rule that the credentialing process takes 90 days, period. If it's done in 70 days (which it frequently is), you can't start work until the 90 days is up. This has led me to alter our offer letter to say that the start date is either a particular date or 90 days after the completed credentialing paperwork is accepted by the hospital, whichever comes later. As for most administrative things in medicine, what happens once the credentialing paperwork is received is a total black box. We get 2 notifications from the credentialing office, one when the paperwork is accepted as complete and in process, and another one when it is approved/rejected.
At the moment, I'm looking to hire one person to start ASAP and one to start in 9-15 months. I have good candidates for both and if the first person I make an offer to says "I'm not sure, I need to think about it and weigh my options" then I'm going to say "thanks but no thanks" and move on. I might get burned, but that's life. Like I said...I've got options too.

If you tell me, "hey, I'm going for a second visit at Place X next week, can I have until Date Y to respond", I'm more likely to give that to you than if you just ghost me or continually give me excuses for why you need more time to decide.

The most important thing you can do at this point is to be honest. With yourself and potential employers. If the job sounded good on paper but isn't really what you're looking for, just say "thanks but no thanks" and move on. No harm no foul. Don't try to convince yourself to take a job that won't work for you, you'll just make yourself and everyone you work with/for miserable.
 
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