Consider the following tale of two orientations. Which one would you want if you were new to a practice?
Orientation 1: A physician arrives at his first job out of residency and is excited to start — until he learns that he will also be serving as clinic director because the other two physicians are leaving. During his first week, he finds out that the clinic needs to transition toward a patient-centered medical home (PCMH) and that patient satisfaction is low and needs to be addressed. The office manager gives the new physician a sheet of paper with a few notes regarding common patient forms and the time of staff meetings but no other information. He struggles for the next six months.
Orientation 2: After moving to be closer to family, a physician starts a new job with a new organization. She arrives feeling uncertain about what to expect but is pleasantly surprised by the clinic's efficient, organized, and well-thought-out orientation plan. The clinic director meets with her on day one and takes time to explain the expectations. The new physician then meets with all members of the team, including extended team members, who explain their roles and the ways they can assist in patient care. The new physician is given a reasonable workload that increases incrementally over the first six months. She stays at the organization for the next 20 years.