As a resident physician, are you thinking about where you want to build your future in medicine? Meet Justin Buzick, MD, a hematologist-oncologist and palliative care physician and a featured voice in the AMA’s “Finding My Place in Medicine” series.
In this series, physicians reflect on what influenced their decisions when choosing where to work—and what they wish they had known earlier. Explore his journey to help guide your own path toward a fulfilling medical career.
If you are looking for your first physician job after residency, get your cheat sheet now from the AMA. In addition, the AMA Transitioning to Practice series has guidance and resources on deciding where to practice, negotiating an employment contract, managing work-life balance, and other essential tips about starting in practice—including in private practice.
"Following” Dr. Justin Buzick
Specialty: Hematology/medical oncology and palliative care.
Practice setting: Community-based oncology group with hospital-embedded and standalone clinics.
Employment type: Employed by Mission Cancer + Blood, a part of University of Iowa Health Care, in Des Moines. University of Iowa Health Care is part of the AMA Health System Member Program, which provides enterprise solutions to equip leadership, physicians and care teams with resources to help drive the future of medicine.
Years in practice: Less than one.
Key factors that led to me choosing University of Iowa Health Care: I'm an Iowa native—I grew up in Pella—so it's always been important to me that states with more rural populations have access to care and homegrown health professionals. That idea has always been in the back of my mind and something I’ve always valued.
I did my medical school training in North Dakota, where my parents are originally from, and they really emphasized rural medicine there as well. That focus on underserved areas and expanding access to care became a through-line during my training, and it influenced how I approached my job search. While it wasn’t my number one priority, it was still something I cared about.
Mission Cancer + Blood really stood out in that regard. Compared to other practices in Iowa, its outreach network and commitment to reaching as many patients as possible really appealed to me. I knew coming out of my fellowship that I was interested in a more community-based practice—whether that was private practice or part of a health system—and Mission Cancer + Blood fit that vision well.
Mission Cancer + Blood was preparing to become a part of University of Iowa Health Care while I was interviewing, so there were still some unknowns, but I liked the idea of seeing a broad range of cases rather than being super specialized in one tumor type or just benign hematology. That variety was a big plus.
What stood out to me during the interview and hiring process: I first heard about Mission Cancer + Blood through one of my fellowship colleagues who had interviewed with them. I also knew a couple of others who had met with the team and had really positive things to say about their experiences.
My own experience was great. I felt like they genuinely went out of their way to introduce me to everyone involved in the practice—not just the clinicians, but also the ancillary staff. They took me around to the community outreach clinics, which gave me a really good sense of what working there would actually be like.
Everyone was incredibly welcoming, and you could tell they were truly interested in having me join the team. It felt sincere. Even though it wasn’t guaranteed that I’d be working there, they still offered career advice and shared how they navigated their own job searches. That meant a lot to me.
How feedback from peers and mentors influenced my evaluation process: I talked quite a bit with my colleagues, especially those at the same training level as me, about their experiences in residency. Everyone’s looking for something a little different, so it’s hard to directly compare, but I tried to get a sense for what they liked or didn’t like at different places.
One thing that stood out in my conversations about Mission Cancer + Blood was the flexibility they offer health professionals. Some practices require you to be in clinic five days per week with a set number of patients, and some clinics don’t allow much of a say in your schedule or the types of patients you see. Mission Cancer + Blood allows for more flexibility when it comes to these aspects of practicing, which was something I was really paying attention to.
Why I chose to work in this practice setting: Early on, I was looking at a mix of both private practices and more institutionally-backed groups. There are definitely aspects of true private practice that are appealing, but rising drug costs and complex insurance negotiations mean that most places are moving away from that model.
Having the support of a larger institution started to feel more important. Mission Cancer + Blood is interesting in that it had been a private practice for 40 years but became a part of University of Iowa Health Care at the end of 2024. Overall, having that institutional support helps the practice run more smoothly and benefits both patients and clinicians. Ultimately that’s what guided my decision.
The top three qualities for a great place to work for physicians: For me personally, one of the biggest things is autonomy—having some control over your schedule, your team structure and how you spend your time day to day. Burnout is such a big issue in medicine right now, and from what I’ve read, one of the biggest contributors is feeling like you don’t have control over your career or life. So, I think that autonomy is really important.
Second, I’d say collegiality. You spend so much time with your coworkers—sometimes more than with your own family—so it’s important to have people you get along with and can lean on, especially when dealing with tough patients or challenging situations.
And third, support for whole-person care is key. That means having resources in place not just for treatment, but for addressing all aspects of a patient’s well-being. I trained in palliative care, so that’s something I really value. Conditions like cancer and blood disorders affect more than just physical health, so having support services to address those other dimensions is important to me.
How my current practice supports physician well-being and work-life balance: I’ve definitely noticed a sense of autonomy, such as being able to make decisions about my schedule and team structure. There is also a culture of hosting events for physicians and staff that are just fun and social, and there is a real sense that building community is important. A few clinicians have already reached out to invite me and my partner over for dinner, which has felt welcoming and adds to that sense of camaraderie.
The workplace attributes that contribute most to my job satisfaction at University of Iowa Health Care: At Mission Cancer + Blood, much of the structure of how we work revolves around relationships between patients, clinicians and staff. When you work closely with people and really get to know them, it creates a smoother, more supportive environment.
That emphasis on relationships extends beyond Mission Cancer + Blood too. I’ve already seen how much the clinicians and leaders value partnerships with other practices and specialties in the community. We really work to maintain strong connections, which ultimately benefits patients. With cancer rates rising in Iowa, there’s unfortunately no shortage of need, so collaboration is key to making sure patients get timely, high-quality care.
The biggest challenges I faced when transitioning from residency to practice: This is my first position after training, so I still have many things to experience and haven’t had many challenges yet. One thing I have appreciated is that I have been able to ramp up gradually with my schedule and patient load so I am not starting out feeling completely overwhelmed.
Of course, there are complex patients and situations that come up where it’s more challenging than some of the things I saw in training, but overall, it’s been a positive start. Everyone has been very helpful with logistics and day-to-day support.
It was surreal walking in that first day and realizing, “Okay, I’m not the fellow anymore—I’m actually doing the work I’ve trained for all these years.” It’s a mix of emotions, and it’s exciting to finally be here.
What I wish I had known about evaluating a job offer before choosing my first position: One of the biggest adjustments has been moving from a large academic center to a more community-based practice. At the university, I saw a lot of highly specialized cases and clinical trial patients. In the community, I see more common presentations, which is actually nice when you’re just starting out. It’s less overwhelming and helps you build confidence before diving into more complex cases.
What I would have done differently when choosing my first job after residency: There are so many positions available—at one point I was getting 50 recruitment emails a day—so it’s important to figure out what matters most to you and look for places that align with that. I think I did that for the most part, but there’s always room to do a little more.
It’s kind of like interviewing for residency or fellowship. There were places I didn’t fully understand until I was actually there, meeting the residents and program directors. That’s when you really get a sense of whether you can see yourself there—not just based on what’s written online or what others say. Being able to ask questions in real time and observe how people respond tells you a lot.
