Employment Contract Review Basics for Clinicians

By MedXL Editorial Team · Updated 2026-08-26 · 6 min read

The contract, not the interview, is the job. Whatever was promised across the table, the document you sign defines your pay, your schedule, your exposure if things go wrong, and your freedom to leave. Clinicians sign consequential agreements more often than almost any professionals — employment contracts, group agreements, locum arrangements — yet many sign after a single skim. This guide explains what to check, what commonly goes wrong, and when to pay for professional review in the United States and Canada.

Everything that matters goes in writing. Verbal assurances about schedule, support staff, or future partnership are unenforceable comfort. If it influenced your decision, it belongs in the document or an appendix.

"It's our standard contract" is an opening position, not a law of nature. Standard contracts are drafted to protect the drafter; amendments are normal and expected for professional hires.

In this guide

Ground rules before you read a single clause
Compensation: read past the headline number
Duties, schedule, and call
The exit clauses: termination and covenants
Liability and malpractice coverage
A practical review process
Quick answers to common questions
Key takeaways