ABSTRACT
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, what 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 contract. 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 medical association.
KEYWORDS
Contract - employment - lawyer - job offer
