Joseph Sewards, MD, chair of orthopedic surgery and Sports Medicine at Philadelphia-based Temple University, joined Becker’s to discuss why he’s concerned about the influx of private equity.
Editor’s note: This response was edited lightly for brevity and clarity
Question: If you were just starting your career as a physician, would you choose employment or private practice? What factors would you consider in your decision?
Joseph Sewards: If I were starting my career now, I would still keep an open mind regarding employment vs. private practice, weighing each on its merits, though I would be wary of being the new entrant in a private practice that is considering a partnership with private equity. There seem to be great rewards for established partners in a practice, but maybe not so much for the newcomers. They need to very critically evaluate the situation that they are entering, and I think that the established partners need to be cognizant of what things might look like to the new graduate looking to join them.
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