Conclude each discussion with a request for at least three other contacts. This is the time to ask for a letter of recommendation. After contacting your referrals, send a note or letter to the person who referred you to inform them of your progress. Staying in touch with all your contacts keeps doors open for future help. This process of networking is an important and efficient means of getting the right career position.
Professional organizations can offer assistance in a variety of ways.
Organizations like the American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine and the American Medical Association have local, regional, and national chapters that will assist you. If you are looking for a position in a geographic area different than where you trained, contact the local chapter for that region. They typically maintain lists of practices, hospitals, and communities looking for partners and physicians. This information can often be found online, at the organization's Web site. Publications from professional organizations are also a valuable resource.