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4 Things to Know About Millennial Physician Candidates

Each generation is defined by more than just a span of years. Sometimes, a key demographic becomes known for motivating change and redefining expectations, such as Millennials.

According to birth-year data collected by the American Medical Association (AMA) and reported by the New England Journal of Medicine Career Center (NEJMCC), Millennials account for 94 percent of final-year residents and fellows. That makes them a valuable component to healthcare facilities’ staffing strategies, both for permanent hires and as locum tenens professionals. And this generation has set new guideposts for career satisfaction. Here are just a few distinguishing characteristics that set Millennial clinicians apart from other generations.

1. Millennials embrace being the original smartphone generation.

Familiarity with technology affects how Millennials communicate: they are as fluent in text messaging as in sending emails, or in posting video stories as in making phone calls. Still, when connecting on a professional level, NEJMCC reports physicians within this age bracket list email and phone conversations as their most-preferred modes of communication. For more casual, relationship-building communications, texting, video chats, and social media exchanges are certainly platforms worth engaging.

At All Star Healthcare Solutions, we enjoy the personal contact of speaking directly with providers and clients. Of course, whenever it’s feasible, we accommodate individual preferences, so we can expedite processes and place clinicians in jobs as soon as possible.

 2. Millennials rely on technology and research.

While everyone seems to embrace the latest and greatest in technology, Millennial physicians prefer to engage digital platforms more frequently than their predecessors. Not only do they spend more time online personally, they also devote more time to digging through digital libraries for medical research, according to a study by Decisions Resources Group.

That’s not to say younger physicians forsake opportunities to learn from more experienced providers. In fact, analysts suggest this group places a high value on collaboration, especially across specialties. Facilitating these relationships for permanent hires can encourage career satisfaction and discourage burnout. Even for clinicians who work locums full time or moonlight, an informal, temporary collegial relationship with peers while on assignment offers opportunities to advance their professional development.

3. Millennial medical school applicants and graduates are diverse.

Less than five years ago, women graduating from medical school began outnumbering men, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Evidence also indicates that matriculation among people of color continues to improve year after year. Greater gender, racial, and cultural diversity among younger physicians means a greater ability for doctors to identify with diverse patient populations. That’s beneficial whether facilities bring on regular or temporary staff members.

4. Millennials strive to carve out more personal time.

It’s not that they have landed upon the secret to a work-life balance that’s eluded previous generations. But younger physicians place significant value on having sufficient downtime. The AMA reports 92 percent of surveyed Millennial physicians say it’s important to strike that balance.

As a full-service agency, All Star Healthcare Solutions is committed to presenting high-quality providers and delivering “Red Carpet” Service to its clients. We stand ready to assist your healthcare organization with all its staffing needs.

Call 800-928-0229—or contact us online—to speak with a knowledgeable consultant from our Permanent Division or Locum Tenens Division today.