Physician Contract Glossary · Restrictive Covenants
Covenant Not to Compete
A covenant not to compete restricts you from practicing within a defined area and time after you leave the employer.
A non-compete bars you from practicing medicine within a set geographic radius for a set period after you leave, often one to two years. Enforceability varies sharply by state: some cap the radius or duration, some require a buyout option, some courts narrow overbroad clauses rather than void them, and a few states bar physician non-competes outright. This single clause can dictate whether you have to move your family to change jobs.
Know your state's rule and negotiate the radius, the duration, and a buyout. A non-compete measured from every practice location the employer owns can fence you out of an entire metro area, not just your office.
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