Know Before You Sign: Exclusive Contract Review Support for MSSNY Members
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For physicians, signing a new employment contract can be one of the most important and risky steps in their careers. Between dense legal language, ambiguous clauses, and hidden obligations, contract reviews can feel overwhelming. Yet, failing to review carefully can lead to years of avoidable stress, financial loss, or limited professional flexibility.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid:
Too often, physicians rush to sign a Letter of Intent (LOI) or full contract before understanding its implications. Although LOIs are typically nonbinding, employers often treat them as final, making it difficult to negotiate better salary, malpractice coverage, or relocation terms later. Another common oversight involves unclear job duties—contracts may omit details about call coverage, administrative time, or flexibility in location, which can quickly lead to burnout. Finally, many physicians neglect termination clauses, which dictate how and when they can leave a position, whether they must repay bonuses, and how restrictive non-compete terms may be.
To help physicians navigate these complex agreements, MSSNY offers members exclusive access to Resolve, a physician-founded organization built to bring fairness and data transparency to contract negotiations. Physicians can use Resolve’s Contract Scorecard to compare compensation and benefits and verify data from other contracts in their specialty and region. Entering details like salary, signing bonus, and paid time off generates a customized benchmark report that highlights whether terms are below average, fair, or exceptional.
For deeper analysis, Resolve provides expert, physician-focused review and negotiation support to ensure every clause aligns with your professional goals. Their fee-only fiduciary model prioritizes the physician’s interests—empowering MSSNY members to negotiate from a position of knowledge, not pressure.
Whether you’re reviewing your first contract or considering a career move, understanding your agreement today will protect your freedom tomorrow.
