West Tennessee Healthcare has structured a compensation package for this position that recognizes both the importance of the role and the realities of recruiting a skilled surgeon to a rural community. The total compensation opportunity significantly exceeds what the base salary alone suggests, with multiple income streams that reward your commitment to this practice and community. When you add the base salary, call compensation, and retention bonuses together, this position offers a financial opportunity that competes favorably with metropolitan practices while providing a cost of living that stretches your income considerably further.
Your base salary of $415,000 annually positions you well above the median for general surgeons nationally, and this figure represents just the starting point of your total compensation. The organization has layered additional compensation elements that can bring your total annual earnings well above $600,000 depending on your productivity and call participation.
Beyond your base salary, you earn additional compensation for productivity exceeding established thresholds. The wRVU-based incentive pays $61.76 for each work RVU generated above 1,619 units per quarter. This structure ensures that if you build volume beyond baseline expectations, your income grows accordingly. The threshold is set at a reasonable level that reflects sustainable practice patterns rather than demanding unsustainable production.
This incentive model aligns your financial interests with the organization's goals without creating pressure to see more patients than you can care for properly. You control your productivity through the quality of your practice and the strength of your referral relationships, and you benefit directly when that productivity increases.
The call pay structure for this position deserves special attention because it represents a substantial additional income stream. You receive $1,200 for each call day beyond the first 10 days per month. With 21 days of call responsibility monthly, this translates to 11 compensated call days each month, or 132 days annually. The math is straightforward and impressive: 132 days multiplied by $1,200 equals $158,400 in additional annual income from call pay alone.
Remember that this compensation comes with minimal actual disruption. The call volume in Dyersburg typically generates only one to two calls per month that require your involvement. You are being paid for availability, not for sleepless nights and constant interruptions. This structure essentially adds over $150,000 to your annual income for carrying a pager that rarely demands your attention.
West Tennessee Healthcare demonstrates its commitment to physician retention through substantial bonuses that reward your continued service. The personal loan repayment program provides $120,000 that can be applied to student loans or personal debt, forgiven at $40,000 per year over three years. This benefit effectively adds $40,000 annually to your compensation for your first three years while helping you eliminate debt faster.
The rural retention bonus adds another $50,000 annually, paid at the completion of each 12-month period of service. This ongoing bonus recognizes the value of physician stability in a rural community and rewards your commitment to staying and building your practice over time. Unlike sign-on bonuses that front-load compensation, this structure provides consistent annual recognition of your continued service.
Your transition to Dyersburg is supported by a $40,000 sign-on bonus and $10,000 in relocation assistance. These funds help offset the costs of moving and establishing yourself in a new community, ensuring that the financial logistics of relocation do not create unnecessary stress during your transition.
When you combine all elements of this compensation package, the financial picture becomes compelling. In your first year, your total compensation opportunity includes:
This brings your first-year total compensation to approximately $703,400 before any productivity incentives. In subsequent years, even without the sign-on bonus, your annual compensation remains above $663,000 with continued retention bonuses and loan forgiveness. Add productivity incentives for volume above threshold, and your income can climb higher still.
West Tennessee Healthcare provides a comprehensive benefits package supporting your health, retirement, and professional development. Details on specific benefit offerings should be confirmed during the interview process.
This compensation structure reflects West Tennessee Healthcare's understanding that attracting and retaining a skilled surgeon requires more than competitive base pay. The layered approach to compensation, with its emphasis on call pay, loan repayment, and retention bonuses, creates a package that rewards your commitment while providing financial security and growth potential that few positions can match.