Preview · Coming soon

Interview prep

Either side of the table. Resume highlights and probing questions for interviewers — or company intel and angles to land for candidates.

briefing.pdf · Dr. Mark Chen · EM physician interview
Cascade Locums
Provider-first staffing
Dr. Mark Chen · EM physician interview
Meeting Prep · May 15, 2026 · 11:00 AM CT · 45 min · Confidential
8y
EM tenure
3
Locum stints
IA/AL
State licenses
Strong
Reference signal

Account snapshot — what we know

  • Background: EM residency at U Iowa (2018). Boarded ABEM 2019. 3 locum assignments since 2022 (Sioux City, Cedar Rapids, Mobile AL).
  • On the market: Coming off a 9-month Cedar Rapids assignment. Says he wants steadier weekend rotations near family in Des Moines.
  • Comp expectations: Asked for $290/hr days, $340/hr nights — at the high end of our IA panel but defensible given his ATLS and pediatric EM cert.
  • Reference signal: Pre-call with Cedar Rapids CMO confirmed: 'Solid clinically, low-drama, picks up Saturday shifts when asked.' Strong signal.
  • Yellow flag: Three locum stints in 18 months. Each one has a clean reason in the resume — but worth probing in person.
  • Why this hire matters: Mercy pilot starts May 18. Chen is one of two physicians on our pilot bench. If he won't take Saturday rotations we lose half the pilot capacity.

Cascade Locums product fit

  • ✓
    ED solo coverage (high-volume)IN SCOPE

    Cedar Rapids was 65k visits/yr. Mercy is 58k. Comparable acuity; he handled it.

  • ✓
    Pediatric EM (under 5)IN SCOPE

    Pediatric EM cert (2021). One of three on our IA panel with this. Mercy hasn't asked for it but it's a future-fit advantage.

  • Trauma surgery backupDISCUSS

    Mercy is Level II trauma. Chen has ATLS but limited recent trauma volume. Probe his comfort level — if low, we route trauma cases to Dr. Hayes.

  • Critical care / ICU coverageOUT OF SCOPE

    Not boarded in CC. Don't surface this — out of scope for the Mercy pilot anyway.

Known objection & intel

Three locum stints in 18 months — turnover risk?
His resume shows Sioux City (6mo), Mobile AL (3mo), Cedar Rapids (9mo). Standard locum cadence is 12–18 months on assignment. Probe whether this is restless career instinct or genuine fit-finding.
Key counter-points when it comes up
  • •Stated reasons hold up: Sioux City was a planned 6mo block. Mobile AL ended when his daughter was born. Cedar Rapids ended on schedule.
  • •Reference data is consistent: Both prior CMOs called him 'reliable' and 'low-drama.' Neither flagged turnover as an issue.
  • •Family-anchor signal: His ask for weekend rotations near Des Moines suggests he's looking for a longer hold. We anchor on that.

Meeting attendees — May 15, 2026

MC
Dr. Mark ChenIN MEETING
EM Physician · Candidate
mchen.md@gmail.com
  • •Direct over the phone; comfortable talking comp without flinching.
  • •Asked good questions about credentialing turnaround — signals he's evaluating us, too.
  • •Mentioned wanting to be home Sunday nights — confirm Saturday-only rotations work for him.
YO
You · Recruiting leadIN MEETING
Cascade Locums
  • •Drive the conversation — open with his Cedar Rapids work, then probe the gap pattern.
  • •Don't lead with comp. He'll bring it up; let him.
  • •Goal: walk out with verbal commitment to the Mercy pilot blocks (May 18–20, June 1–3).
KW
Dr. Karen WellsNOT IN MEETING
Cedar Rapids CMO · Reference (NOT in meeting)
  • •Pre-call last Friday. Said: 'Solid clinically, low-drama, picks up Saturday shifts when asked.'
  • •Background context — don't name her in the interview unless Chen brings up his Cedar Rapids time.

Key questions to uncover — May 15, 2026

Behavioral
  • •Walk me through your last three assignments. What pulled you toward each, and what closed each one out?
  • •Tell me about a clinically demanding shift in Cedar Rapids — what made it hard and how did you handle it?
  • •Describe a time you disagreed with a charge nurse on a triage decision. How did it land?
Red flags
  • •What's your read on why your last three roles ended on the timelines they did?
  • •How do you feel about Saturday-only rotations long-term — say, 12 months?
  • •How do you handle Level II trauma cases when you're solo? Walk me through your last one.
Practical
  • •Mercy uses Epic. Last EMR you used was Cerner. How quickly do you ramp on a new system?
  • •Credentialing window: can we have your IA license verification, NPDB pull, and references within 7 days?
  • •Pilot dates: are you available May 18–20 and June 1–3 for the first two blocks?
Prepared by Cascade Locums · Confidential · May 15, 2026
Meeting Prep

Want this for your next meeting?

Sales-discovery briefings are live today. The other six flows are rolling out — this is what they'll look like.

Try Sales discovery free← See all use cases