Negotiate Your Physician Contract With Confidence: Your Guide to Contract Negotiation Strategies

Financially Free Physicians

Contracts might not be the most exciting part of starting a new job, but they’re one of the most important. It’s not just about salary — it’s the full picture: benefits, time off, call schedules, and all the details that affect your day-to-day life. We’re joined by financial planner Jared Costigan, CFP®, CSLP®, who’s had a front-row seat to the physician career journey. His wife’s about to be a fellow, and their circle of friends has been navigating these same conversations. Learn about the leverage you may not realize you have, the questions you should be asking, and how to look at an offer with your long-term well-being in mind. We also get into some surprising stats from Medscape that show how physicians across specialties think about money, benefits, and lifestyle. Whether you're signing your first contract or sizing up your next move, we’re here to remind you: you’re worth negotiating for.

Key moments:

(03:18) Money talk can feel awkward, but sharing compensation info with peers can give you major clarity and leverage (06:37) Medscape’s physician compensation report helps you find average pay by specialty (11:32) These early negotiations give you a glimpse into how future conflict might be handled at your workplace (16:36) The two main types of malpractice insurance, and why occurrence-based is usually the safer bet (25:40) Negotiation strategies — your strongest leverage is knowing your value, and being ready to walk if the offer falls short

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