Job hunting harder for older doctors

Physicians with lots of experience get fewer job offers from hospitals and physician placement firms than their younger, less-experienced peers, a new study has found.

Physicians more than 16 years out of residency applied for an average of eight positions over the previous 2 years and received an average of 2.1 offers. Physicians less than 15 years out of residency applied for an average of 8.3 positions and received an average of 7.9 offers.

Nearly 29% of the more-experienced physicians reported receiving no responses to job applications, but only 8% of the younger physicians reported that experience.

"At such a critical time of increased demand for the physician workforce, many qualified, capable physician candidates are possibly being overlooked by recruiters and employers," a Medicus spokesman said.