How to hire an internist

How to hire an internist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step internist hiring guide:

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

What does an internist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The internist 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

   An internist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, internists 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.

   Here's a comparison of internist salaries for various roles:

   Type of Internist	Description	Hourly rate
   Internist	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	$57-199
   Physician	Physicians' general responsibility is to check, diagnose, and treat a patient's condition to improve their overall wellness. A physician could be General Practitioners or Specialist Physicians, wherein General Practitioners are physicians who provide regular checkups for patients depending on their needs and refer them to a Specialist Physicians who are more skilled in a particular field of expertise for a thorough diagnosis... Show more	$61-212
   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
   • Primary Care
   • EMR
   • Critical Care
   • Private Practice
   • Rehabilitation
   • MRI
   • Epic
   • Family Practice
   • Exam Rooms
   • ICU
   • Medical Care
   • Home Health
   • Outpatient Clinic

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Train and manage new interns/ volunteers assisting with the evidence-based hypertension management program.
   • Implement EMR solely in a huge practice.
   • Evaluate health education needs of patients and provide necessary training and instruction.
   • Provide overall quality prenatal health care, gynecological services, patient triage, refer patients with complications, provide patient education service
   • Perform uncomplicated surgical extractions, bone grafting and suturing as needed independently.
   • Provide physiotherapy, rehabilitation and chiropractic treatment for various conditions and injuries.

   More internist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your internist job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An internist salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, internists' average salary in hawaii is 23% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level internists earn 71% less than senior-level internists.
   • Certifications. An internist with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an internist's salary.

   Average internist salary

   $223,415yearly

   $107.41 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level internist salary

   $120,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 13, 2026

   Average internist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Ohio	$256,764	$123
   2	West Virginia	$245,509	$118
   3	South Dakota	$244,874	$118
   4	Arkansas	$238,459	$115
   5	Indiana	$236,830	$114
   6	Oregon	$236,746	$114
   7	Florida	$230,452	$111
   8	Massachusetts	$227,550	$109
   9	New Mexico	$226,786	$109
   10	New York	$225,895	$109
   11	Nevada	$222,994	$107
   12	Washington	$218,865	$105
   13	Illinois	$218,420	$105
   14	Louisiana	$216,493	$104
   15	Colorado	$216,214	$104
   16	Pennsylvania	$210,422	$101
   17	California	$204,141	$98
   18	Michigan	$201,816	$97
   19	Arizona	$200,539	$96
   20	Maryland	$200,482	$96

   Average internist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Central Ohio Primary Care	$347,099	$166.87	19
   2	Gwinnett, Newton, And Rockdale County Health Departments	$328,112	$157.75
   3	PeaceHealth	$327,378	$157.39	223
   4	MidMichigan Health	$318,117	$152.94	1
   5	Billings Clinic	$314,095	$151.01	1
   6	TJ Regional Health	$312,787	$150.38	5
   7	North Mississippi Medical Clinics Inc	$310,482	$149.27
   8	Missouri Delta Medical Center	$307,381	$147.78
   9	ProCare Systems	$301,063	$144.74	2
   10	Altru Health System	$298,221	$143.38	2
   11	Phelps Health Foundation	$297,764	$143.16
   12	Mercy Works Occupational	$291,874	$140.32
   13	Marshall University	$289,486	$139.18	3
   14	CarolinaEast	$286,552	$137.77	7
   15	Self Regional Healthcare	$284,611	$136.83	2
   16	Mercy Health	$283,848	$136.47	4
   17	Goodall Health Partners	$282,505	$135.82
   18	Claxton Hepburn	$279,080	$134.17
   19	Southeastern Lifestyle Fitness Center Lumberton	$278,107	$133.71
   20	Novant Health	$274,989	$132.21	86

4. Writing an internist job description

   A good internist job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an internist job description:

   Internist job description example

   Two outpatient health centers in Winnebago County, Wisconsin are looking to add an Internist to their teams. These facilities are located just 15 minutes away from Lake Winnebago, where you can fish, kayak, and sail. The area is also filled with parks, perfect for hiking, playing golf, and ice skating. This position is perfect for someone who loves the outdoors and year-round recreation, as well as those interested in exploring a vibrant local arts scene.
   Certification: MD/DO Title: Internist Board Status : Board Certified Residency/Training: Internal Medicine Setting : Outpatient Setting Experience Required : 3 years’ experience
   
   Compensation & Logistics
   Position Type : Locum Tenens 1099 Availability : Full-Time Scheduling : Starts ASAP – 6 month assignment, looking for day shifts, hours TBD
   
   KPG Provider Services is a West Coast Focused Company with offices in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. We are focused on offering the best, most rewarding opportunities while providing excellent compensation and support.
   
   Outstanding service is at the core of our culture. Our Medical Professionals will experience a service relationship characterized by respect, a sense of urgency, and attention to detail.
   
   Our team offers benefits like geographic expertise, understanding commuting times, and top market compensation rates.
   
   In short, we focus intently on the things that matter to you with a commitment to achieve exceptional outcomes. Call us and experience the difference!
   
   For a complete listing of our current openings visit www.kpgproviders.com!

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find internists for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your internist job on Zippia to find and recruit internist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with internist candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   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 internist

   Once you have selected a candidate for the internist position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new internist first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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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How much does it cost to hire an internist?