Contract & Benefits

Physician Recruitment Process and Compensation Overview

This Internal Medicine position is structured as a 1099 independent contractor arrangement with a flat base salary and no RVU, productivity, or collections-based bonus. The compensation model reflects the clinic's quality-first care philosophy by removing volume pressure and allowing physicians to focus on clinical care rather than production metrics.

Compensation Structure

Market Context

Based on 2025 MGMA benchmarks for Internal Medicine: Ambulatory Only (No Inpatient Work), the $320,000 base aligns near the market median for outpatient Internal Medicine. Referenced against Internal Medicine: General, the compensation sits at approximately the 55th percentile nationally.

Loan Repayment Eligibility

Because Valley Springs Health & Wellness Center is a federally designated Rural Health Clinic, providers are eligible for multiple loan repayment programs. Five providers at the clinic are currently receiving active loan repayment support.

• National Health Service Corps (NHSC): Federal loan repayment for clinicians serving in Health Professional Shortage Areas
• County Medical Services Program (CMSP): County-level loan repayment available to qualifying providers
• Internal Loan Repayment Program: Additional loan repayment option offered directly through the clinic

Eligibility requirements and benefit amounts vary by program. The clinic can coordinate application support for incoming providers.

Professional Development Access

• Weekly Tuesday education conferences featuring case presentations and topic-based discussions
• Opportunities to teach and mentor nurse practitioners and physician assistants
• Participation in on-site specialty clinics, including hepatology and dermatology
• Support for developing a clinical sub-focus alongside primary care

Practice Lifestyle

• Providers out of the building by 5:30 p.m. with no after-hours charting expectations
• Structured appointment model: 40 minutes for new patients, 20 minutes for follow-ups
• Gradual patient panel ramp-up starting at 3 to 4 new patients per day, building to approximately 15 per day
• Clinical support includes referral management, case management, billing and coding, and AI-enhanced clinical scribes
• Approximately 1.5 medical assistants per provider

1099 Independent Contractor Structure

As a 1099 independent contractor role, this position does not include traditional employer-provided benefits. Candidates evaluating this opportunity should consider:

• Self-employment tax: 1099 income is subject to self-employment tax (approximately 15.3% on earnings up to the Social Security wage base, plus 2.9% Medicare thereafter), payable quarterly
• Self-funded benefits: Health, dental, vision, and retirement benefits are the physician's responsibility
• Malpractice insurance: The physician is responsible for securing and funding their own malpractice coverage
• Business expense deductibility: Many 1099 expenses (malpractice, CME, licensing, home office, mileage) may be tax-deductible; candidates should consult a tax advisor familiar with physician independent contractor arrangements
• Retirement flexibility: 1099 status allows access to retirement vehicles such as Solo 401(k) or SEP-IRA, which can offer higher contribution limits than traditional employer plans

Contracting Process

• Term sheet outlining position, full-time status, and compensation
• Independent contractor agreement (standard template, approximately one-week turnaround when expedited)
• Physicians can begin work once licensed, with a DEA in place, and after completing a background check and drug screen; full credentialing is not required to start