Jillian Dolan
Jillian Dolan
Director of Physician Recruitment, TidalHealth
Jillian Dolan’s journey into recruiting didn’t begin in HR—it started in interior design.
With a degree in interior design and a background in sales, Jillian was building a career helping clients transform their homes. But over time, she found herself craving work that felt more meaningful and connected to her community. That unexpected pivot came during a kitchen renovation project for a local physician.
In conversation, the physician mentioned an open physician recruiter role at the local health system and encouraged Jillian to apply. With her sales experience and deep understanding of the region, she was uniquely positioned to help attract medical professionals to a community that, while close-knit and welcoming, isn’t always top-of-mind for job seekers.
She took the leap—and found her calling.
Jillian quickly discovered that physician recruitment combined everything she loved: relationship-building, strategy, and making a tangible difference. The impact became deeply personal when family members would mention being treated by doctors she had recruited. Knowing her work directly influenced access to care in her own community gave her a sense of fulfillment she hadn’t experienced before.
After several years as a recruiter, Jillian stepped into a leadership role and now serves as Director of Physician Recruitment. Her team has grown alongside the health system—from just two recruiters figuring things out as they went to a structured team that now includes four physician recruiters, a coordinator, and two onboarding specialists. Together, they support a growing system while continuing to refine processes and elevate their function.
What Energizes Her Most
Right now, Jillian is most energized by building and developing her team.
As the department matures, she finally has the space to move beyond just keeping up with demand and begin focusing on strategy, structure, and long-term process improvements. One recent milestone she’s particularly proud of is hiring a physician recruiter who already has direct experience in the specialty—something her team hadn’t had before. Historically, most team members came from different professional backgrounds and learned physician recruitment on the job.
Seeing the team evolve, strengthen its reputation, and attract experienced talent of its own is both validating and motivating.
How Recruiting Is Changing
In physician recruitment—a field built entirely on relationships—Jillian sees AI as a powerful support tool, not a replacement for human connection.
AI has created major efficiencies by helping manage administrative and organizational tasks that previously consumed hours of recruiter time. From organizing candidate pipelines and setting follow-up reminders to streamlining job postings and outreach lists, automation allows her team to stay organized while handling the high volume of touchpoints required in recruitment.
Because physician recruiting relies heavily on proactive sourcing rather than inbound applicants, AI has also improved how her team identifies and reaches potential candidates. Tools that help generate targeted outreach lists or analyze regional compensation trends give her team a competitive edge while saving valuable time.
But Jillian is clear: technology will never replace the personal side of recruiting. Conversations about schools, hobbies, and community fit—those human details that help someone picture their life in a new place—remain irreplaceable. AI simply gives recruiters more time to focus on those moments that truly influence decisions.
Jillian’s Advice for 2026
As healthcare systems grow and evolve, Jillian believes one of the most important lessons for talent leaders is to secure a seat at the table early.
Too often, recruitment teams are brought in after strategic decisions are already made—after leadership has defined a vision, compensation model, or structure that may not align with market realities. Jillian advocates for recruiters to be involved from the very beginning of workforce planning conversations.
By participating early, talent leaders can provide insight into competitive salaries, scheduling expectations, and candidate preferences—ensuring that hiring strategies are realistic and set up for success from the start, rather than requiring course correction later.
For Jillian, recruiting isn’t just a support function—it’s a strategic partner. And making sure talent leaders are present in early decision-making is essential to building sustainable, effective growth.
