Use at least three references when hiring a new doctor

To get the most out of the reference-checking process, speak to a minimum of three professional references for each candidate. References should include referring physicians, physicians in the same specialty, or other colleagues who have relevant knowledge of the candidate's practice, patient rapport, and clinical competence.

For example, for a candidate who is a surgeon, ask for contact information from

• current partners
• anesthesiologists
• operating room directors
• administrators, the chief of staff or medical director, or the director of the department (if applicable) where the surgeon had privileges
• head of the surgeon's residency program or medical school program

In combination, these references will paint, in most cases, a reliable picture of the prospective associate.