How to hire a chief of internal medicine

How to hire a chief of internal medicine, step by step

Here's a step-by-step chief of internal medicine hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a chief of internal medicine job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new chief of internal medicine
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a chief of internal medicine do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The chief of internal medicine hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A chief of internal medicine's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, chiefs of internal medicine from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents chief of internal medicine salaries for various positions.

   Type of Chief Of Internal Medicine	Description	Hourly rate
   Chief Of Internal Medicine	Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses. Physicians examine patients; take medical histories; prescribe medications; and order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests... Show more	$41-161
   Endocrinologist	Endocrinologists specialize in the glands and the hormones our body makes. These doctors deal with the biochemical process, like how your body changes food into energy and how it grows... Show more	$66-188
   Emergency Room Physician	An Emergency Room Physician provides medical treatment to patients requiring acute and life-saving care. They keep them alive so they can receive the proper treatments.	$35-164

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Patient Care
   • Pediatrics
   • Diagnosis
   • Medical Care
   • Epic
   • Family Practice
   • IV
   • Physical Examinations
   • ICU
   • Grand Rounds
   • Financial Statements
   • EKG
   • Internal Audit

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Monitor patients' drug therapy for safety and efficacy by reviewing laboratory values and evaluating their response
   • Perform statistical analysis of pharmacy customers in order to segment and target patients for specialize products and programs.
   • Develop an ambulatory pediatrics curriculum for family medicine residents
   • Develop an ambulatory pediatrics curriculum for family medicine residents

   More chief of internal medicine duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your chief of internal medicine job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A chief of internal medicine can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, chiefs of internal medicine' average salary in colorado is 35% less than in rhode island.
   • Seniority. Entry-level chiefs of internal medicine 74% less than senior-level chiefs of internal medicine.
   • Certifications. A chief of internal medicine with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a chief of internal medicine's salary.

   Average chief of internal medicine salary

   $170,137yearly

   $81.80 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level chief of internal medicine salary

   $86,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

   Average chief of internal medicine salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Florida	$178,094	$86
   2	Georgia	$172,297	$83
   3	Arizona	$167,135	$80
   4	Ohio	$165,697	$80
   5	Virginia	$162,560	$78
   6	California	$162,129	$78
   7	New York	$159,271	$77
   8	Massachusetts	$157,928	$76
   9	New Jersey	$156,459	$75
   10	Iowa	$156,114	$75
   11	Connecticut	$155,691	$75
   12	West Virginia	$154,890	$74
   13	North Carolina	$154,426	$74
   14	Illinois	$149,992	$72
   15	Minnesota	$146,131	$70
   16	Wisconsin	$140,828	$68
   17	Tennessee	$138,188	$66
   18	Pennsylvania	$135,763	$65
   19	Utah	$133,074	$64
   20	Colorado	$102,084	$49

   Average chief of internal medicine salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Sanford Health	$239,048	$114.93	220
   2	HealthPartners	$220,128	$105.83	193
   3	Circle K	$207,465	$99.74	8
   4	Kaiser Permanente	$207,448	$99.73	151
   5	Merritt Hawkins	$198,699	$95.53
   6	Integrity Locums	$191,670	$92.15
   7	Catholic Health Initiatives - Colorado	$191,380	$92.01	166
   8	University Physicians' Association, Inc.	$191,380	$92.01
   9	The Medicus Firm	$189,078	$90.90
   10	Kelsey-Seybold Clinic	$156,326	$75.16	31
   11	The University of Kansas Health System	$155,968	$74.98	58
   12	KPG	$147,032	$70.69
   13	Universal Health Services	$146,269	$70.32	368
   14	HealthTrust	$141,449	$68.00	6
   15	UnitedHealth Group	$132,042	$63.48	274
   16	UMass Memorial Health	$129,050	$62.04	93
   17	UT Health San Antonio	$128,994	$62.02	2
   18	Ochsner Health	$128,099	$61.59	262
   19	Allina Health	$124,922	$60.06	31
   20	University of Illinois Springfield	$118,631	$57.03	5

4. Writing a chief of internal medicine job description

   A job description for a chief of internal medicine role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a chief of internal medicine job description:

   Chief of internal medicine job description example

   Why Mayo Clinic
   You are invited to partner with the nation's best hospital (U.S. News & World Report 2021-2022), ranked #1 in more specialties than any other care provider. Practicing at Mayo Clinic provides a rewarding career that promotes excellence in patient-centered care. You can thrive in an environment that supports innovation and has a wealth of resources available to you - including an integrated EMR and collaboration with top specialists - to give your patients the quality of care you want to achieve.
   
   Position description
   

   • 80 provider multi-specialty practice covering a service area of 50,000
   • Practice consists of sites located in Owatonna, Faribault, Blooming Prairie, and Kenyon, MN
   • Call is an average of twice per month and is shared with the other 16 physicians in the department
   • Average of 18-25 patients per day in a 4 or 4 1/2 day work week
   • Minimum of 28 direct patient contact hours
   • 24/7 Hospitalist program covers the hospital
   • Generous comprehensive benefits package including 403(b) with match and pension
   • Hospital (owned and operated by Allina Health) is adjacent to clinic and comprised of 4 ICU beds, 4 OR rooms, 12 ED exam rooms

   
   
   License or certification
   Board Certified/Board Eligible in Internal Medicine
   
   Benefits eligible
   Yes
   
   Schedule
   Full Time
   
   Site description
   Owatonna, Minnesota a thriving community of over 25,000 people, boasting one of the strongest economies in Minnesota. Located just 38 miles west of Rochester, MN and 60 miles south of Minneapolis/St. Paul, Owatonna is home to more than 40 industrial business firms as well as the headquarters for Federated Insurance. Minnesota State University, Mankato is located 40 miles west in Mankato as well as renowned private colleges, St. Olaf and Carlton located in Northfield, 35 miles north of Owatonna. Kaplan's Woods Parkway offers 225 acres for hiking, biking, jogging, picnicking and cross-country skiing. Excellent golfing is available at public and private courses, several of which are staffed by full-time golf instructors. For the tennis enthusiast, both outdoor and indoor facilities provide opportunities for year-round participation. Because many residents love music and the arts, the Owatonna Arts Center displays the work of many local and national artists.
   
   Recruiter
   Jennell Prentice Endrizzi
   
   EOE
   Mayo Clinic is an equal opportunity educator and employer (including veterans and persons with disabilities).

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find chiefs of internal medicine for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any chiefs of internal medicine they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level chiefs of internal medicine with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your chief of internal medicine job on Zippia to find and recruit chief of internal medicine candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting chiefs of internal medicine requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new chief of internal medicine

   Once you've decided on a perfect chief of internal medicine candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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