9-27-05

Doctors Fair

The annual Doctors Fair at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine provides opportunities for downstate Illinois medical facilities to recruit physicians.

The SIU School of Medicine's 25^th annual Doctors Fair held last Friday in Springfield, again brought together the School's residents and medical students with recruiters representing more than 70 hospitals and clinics from throughout the state.  John Record, assistant dean of rural and alumni affairs for the school, explains why Illinois physician recruiters attend the Doctors Fair. 

SOUND BITE:  " . . . they either have an immediate need for physicians or they realize that recruiting physicians is an ongoing activity of most health enterprises.  So whether the need was immediate or something that they anticipate in the next six months or even a year, they know that to keep their organization's healthy, they need new infusion of physicians from time to time."
 
Record says the Doctors Fair is very convenient for recruiters.  Within a couple of hours they can talk to a number of potential candidates.  The fair   also gives recruiters opportunities to develop relationships with medical students and residents, who will be starting their practices within the next few years.   

SOUND BITE:  "So it's very convenient for them.  It's a good way – sort of a fun, low key setting to find out some basics and know whether a community is the kind of place they really want to follow up on and investigate further."