Now is the time to recruit physicians from the 2013 graduate pool, according to Cejka Search, a division of healthcare staffing firm Cross Country Healthcare Inc. (NASD: CCRN). Residents and fellows are likely to interview at multiple locations before the holidays and sign a contract by spring break of 2013.

A Cejka Search survey found that 51 percent of the class of 2012 began interviewing in December 2011, and 41 percent signed contracts by the end of March 2012.

The most popular methods for finding physician opportunities included networking with colleagues, 63 percent; online job boards, 57 percent; and emailed opportunities, 54 percent.