Mastering Physician Contracts
Understand your contract — use it to create the life you want
Negotiate what’s
best for you.
In one weekend, learn the foundations of a contract that:
Allows you to practice how you want
Offers fair compensation for your hard work
Provides the right work-life balance
Sets you up for long-term success
Physician contracts can get gnarly.
Navigating your first attending contract can be daunting, especially with the demands of residency or fellowship. You may feel bogged down in legal jargon, worry about making costly mistakes, or wonder how to objectively compare offers.
The truth is
These contracts are not always what they seem.
With physician turnover costing $500k to $1 million, employers are motivated to lock you into an ironclad contract.
That may be fine if you truly found your forever dream job. However, 40% of first-contract physicians change jobs within five years.
What’s at stake?
Your first attending contract represents $1 – 8 million in income over the next five years, but there’s more to consider than just your base salary:
Exit Strategy
Will you have to uproot your family and relocate when you quit?
What are the penalties for leaving early?
What happens if your noncompete or nonsolicit is enforced?
Compensation
Can your employer “claw back” money you’ve already been paid?
Is the compensation structure misleading?
Work Obligations
Where will you actually work?
What can your employer require you to do?
How much control do you have over your daily work?
Money is important,
but it’s not everything.
After seeing a generation of doctors burn out, many new physicians want different things — like autonomy, work-life balance, or better long-term options.
We’re here to help you think deeper about your contract: What do you want your life to look like?
Mastering Physician Contracts
Plan your career with clarity and confidence.
We created this course so you can advocate for yourself in a world of ultra-powerful healthcare organizations. In just one weekend, you’ll:
Get clarity on how physician contracts work
Know what questions to ask
Identify red flags
Compare different options objectively
Plan out a satisfying career
What You’ll Get
8+ hours of video lessons broken down into easily digestible modules
Downloadable checklists and worksheets
A private, members-only community for ongoing support
Lifetime access to course content and future updates
Why Mastering Physician Contracts?
Jargon-Free & Practical
No abstract theory-land. You’ll get the clarity you need to take your next step with confidence.
Based on Real Life
We’ve guided over a thousand physicians and navigated this ourselves, so we know what comes up (and how it feels).
Definitely Not Cookie-Cutter
No generic, one-size-fits-all approach. We’ll equip you with the tools to get you where you want.
Continually Evolving
As the landscape changes, we change up the course. (That’s why this is a course, not a book.)
Meet the Instructor
Hi, I’m Michael Johnson, lawyer and medspouse.
I met Ally in the spring of 2016 — one week before Match.
Luckily, she matched in New Orleans (where I lived). We were engaged before the end of the year and got married the next.
Around that time, Ally started looking at part-time moonlighting contracts, and some of them were wild! I quickly realized that there was little out there to help physicians (or even a lawyer medspouse) navigate physician contracts. Still, I wanted to learn more, so I reached out to mentors and read everything available.
In 2019, we had our first child, and Ally was busy with her last year of training. Balancing everything became untenable under my traditionally employed law firm job, so I launched my own firm for physicians. Since then, my team and I have helped over a thousand physicians navigate contracts that align with their goals and values.
As a physician spouse, I understand the unique pressures you’re facing. Your first attending contract and transitioning between contracts are both big deals, with implications for where and how you practice now and in the future. It doesn’t just affect you — it matters for your family, too.
I want to equip you with the knowledge you need to approach your interviews with confidence. My hope is that this course brings all the legal jargon to life so you can understand what it means for your career and create the life you want.
Course Outline
Module 1 - Introduction
- Intro to contract basics
- A different perspective on practice settings
- How compensation structures work
- Aligning your contract to your goals
- Employer and macroeconomic issues
Module 2 - Exit Strategy
- Ways contracts can make it difficult to leave
- Myths and realities of the noncompete clause
- The nonsolicit clause (the noncompete’s little brother that can kick your a**)
- Additional covenants that restrict what you do post-employment
- The option every physician should have on their contract
- All the different ways employers can make you pay back money
- Moonlighting and other activities outside regular employment
Module 3 - Compensation
- It’s NOT all about base salary and signing bonus
- Practice setting norms and work RVUs
- The different types of compensation models
- The ownership pathway
- Benefits, time off, and one-off sweeteners
- Maternity leave (and how “paid” leave can often be misleading)
- Legal limitations on physician compensation
Module 4 - Obligations
- How to compare interview promises to your contract
- The harsh reality of work location clauses
- Defining your day-to-day (call, collaboration, and more)
Module 5 - Negotiation
- Why is there a job opening? (the importance of turnover vs. growth)
- The benefits of starting your job search early
- What to ask for and who will back you up
- Navigating the offer letter
- The contract — how to avoid signing with incomplete info
- Contract evaluation and negotiation strategy
- Contract renegotiation and exit
- What to know before you get into a potential dispute with your employer
Module 6 - Conclusion
- A summary of the concepts you’ve learned and how they apply to your situation
You don’t have to be stuck.
As a physician, you have more power than you realize. With the right knowledge, you can advocate for yourself and create the career you want.
FAQ
How long will I have access to the course?
You’ll get lifetime access to all the course materials, including any updates we make.
Will this course help me negotiate a higher salary?
While compensation is a key part of this course, it’s not the only focus. We also look at how, when, and where you work. Many physicians have been able to negotiate higher compensation with this knowledge. However, success can also look like flexibility or a more sustainable career.
Can I find these resources elsewhere on my own?
When I dug into this topic for the first time, I was surprised at how few resources existed. While you could technically spend hundreds of hours researching it like I did, this course will save you the headache. I consider this similar to studying for the MCAT or boards. Courses can often make the process more efficient and effective.
Does this mean I don’t need to hire a lawyer?
This course is not a mini JD or mini MBA. I still encourage you to hire an experienced lawyer at the offer letter and contract stage (or earlier).
However, we provide the information you need to get to the offer letter and contract stage with clarity and confidence. You’ll learn to ask the right questions in interviews and compare your potential options.
Plus, it can help you get more value out of your time with a lawyer. That way, you can spend more time on the finer points of negotiation strategy and less time on the intro-level basics.
The employer said the contract is not negotiable. Why do I need to know what it says?
I like to think of “negotiation” as the process of gaining clarity. At a minimum, you should be able to make informed decisions when you evaluate how a job or contract impacts your career.
A physician’s first attending role is usually a $1 – 8 million contract in the first five to ten years. It’s important to understand the details of this business deal before you’re locked in.
I believe it’s on us to look a gift horse in the mouth and double check that everything is in order. You have the power to say no!
I’ve signed my first contract and I’m looking for a way out. Is it too late?
There’s still value in understanding this course material. Whether you’re leaving your current contract or comparing your options for your first attending contract, this course will help you navigate everything from a position of clarity and confidence.
How long does it take to complete the course?
The course includes 10+ hours of video lessons which you can complete at your own pace. Many physicians find that they can finish the course over a weekend.
Navigate your contract with clarity and confidence.
Gain the knowledge and tools to secure a contract that supports your goals.