I’ve been advised by my program director to nail down an employment contract – negotiated and executed – many months prior to completing my training? What’s the rush?

There are some very good reasons to work toward the goal of having an employment contract executed 12-6 months prior to completion of training. For instance, if you are moving to a new state, you will need to obtain a license to practice in that state. 

The amount of time and effort required for the licensure application and approval process will vary from state to state, but you should allow at least 3-4 months. Once you have obtained a license, you may then apply for hospital privileges and for provider status with various health plans. It can take 1-2 months to be granted hospital privileges and another 6-12 months for approval from health plans.