Benefis offers competitive, flexible compensation that reflects the value of providing cardiac care in a region with limited access. Base salary guarantees are set using AMA, Sullivan Cotter, and MGMA data, typically at the median for non-invasive cardiologists, with the CEO able to approve up to 110% of median without committee review.
The guarantee provides security during the first two years while you build your practice. Given high regional demand and long patient wait times, full productivity is achievable quickly. An RVU-based bonus from year one is recommended, transitioning to a productivity-driven model afterward, with no artificial earning caps.
Unlike many employed positions, the large 42,000-square-mile service area and lack of competing cardiologists ensures consistent patient volume, allowing high productivity without compromising care quality.
The benefits structure provides security for you and your family while supporting the work-life balance that makes long-term practice sustainable. Eight weeks of paid time off annually (six weeks PTO plus two weeks dedicated CME time) exceeds the standard four weeks many systems offer, recognizing that physicians need genuine time away to avoid burnout. The separation of CME time from general PTO means you can attend conferences and maintain board certification without sacrificing family vacation time or personal recovery periods.
The retirement benefits include employer matching at 5–7% of salary, with contributions going into a 403(b) program that provides tax-deferred growth. Additionally, you have access to a 457(b) deferred compensation plan that allows further tax-advantaged retirement savings beyond the 403(b) limits, particularly valuable for high-earning physicians who want to maximize retirement contributions. This dual-plan structure creates flexibility for physicians at different career stages with varying retirement planning needs.
The financial package extends beyond direct compensation to include support that makes your practice more efficient and professionally satisfying. The CME allowance covers registration, travel, and accommodation for conferences where you maintain board certification, learn new techniques, and network with colleagues addressing similar practice challenges. The system's commitment to teaching, with internal medicine residents and medical students available for education, provides intellectual stimulation and keeps you engaged with academic medicine without the grant-writing pressures of traditional academic positions.
The monthly meetings with highest-level physician and administrative leadership create direct access to decision-makers who can address practice concerns, approve equipment purchases, and implement workflow improvements. This physician input mechanism differs from systems where doctors submit feedback through bureaucratic channels that rarely produce meaningful change. When you identify opportunities to improve cardiac care delivery, expand services, or address patient access barriers, you can present those ideas directly to leadership with authority to act.
Benefis supports international physicians through the Conrad State 30 J-1 Visa Waiver Program, which includes cardiology in this underserved region. The program requires three years of full-time service, aligning with sustainable practice building, and Benefis has a 100% approval record, demonstrating both community need and organizational expertise.
H-1B visa holders and other international physicians seeking permanent residency receive full immigration counsel support, with experienced attorneys handling green card applications. The regional cardiologist shortage strengthens labor certification cases, and all immigration support costs are covered by the health system.