Contracts: making the transition from residency to work, work for you

Residents completing colon and rectal surgery training should take seriously the terms of contracts offered to them. Contracts should specify how and how much salary will be paid, what benefits the surgeon will receive, and what services are to be provided. However, contracts frequently fail to disclose what costs the surgeon will have to cover that will lower that salary, what hours the surgeon must keep, and what time off the surgeon may expect. Signing a contract is easily done, but getting out of a contract to take a better job or move to another community may be difficult because of the wording in the contact. Surgeons need to have professional help to determine whether to sign a contract and what that contract should provide. An attorney experienced in representing physicians can be recommended by the physician's medical association.