Voicemail templates for physicians

Q: How long should a physician voicemail be?

Target 15 seconds. If you need more than 20 seconds, move the details to email and keep the voicemail to one reason, one next step, and the callback number twice.

Ben Argeband, Founder & CEO of Heartbeat.ai — Recruiter-realistic language.

What’s on this page:

Who this is for

If you’re a recruiter leaving physician voicemails, you already know the friction: clinic flow, procedures, call coverage, and gatekeepers mean you rarely catch a physician live. Your voicemail has one job—earn a response without oversharing—and it has to fit into a tight callback window.

This page gives you timed voicemail templates (10–20 seconds, target 15 seconds) plus follow-up rules so voicemail works as part of a sequence, not a one-off attempt.

Quick Answer

Core Answer: Use 15-second physician voicemails: who you are, one reason, one next step, and your callback number twice—then trigger an immediate follow-up touch.
Key Insight: Voicemail is a sequence trigger: short message + immediate written follow-up + next call block, with no private details.
Best For: Recruiters leaving physician voicemails

Compliance & Safety

This method is for legitimate recruiting outreach only. Always respect candidate privacy, opt-out requests, and local data laws. Heartbeat does not provide medical advice or legal counsel.

Framework: “15-second VM” pattern

Most recruiter voicemails fail because they’re too long or they try to sell the whole job. The “15-second VM” pattern forces discipline so your message gets saved, not skipped.

Who: Name + company + that you recruit physicians.
Why (one reason): One relevant hook only (location, schedule shape, scope, or timing).
Next step (one): Call back or reply to my email. Pick one.
Callback: Say it slowly and repeat number at the end.

The trade-off is… you can’t explain everything in the voicemail. That’s good. Details belong in a written follow-up or a live call.

When to leave a voicemail (and when not to)

Leave a voicemail when you reached a personal line or a direct extension and you can keep the message generic.
Do not leave a detailed voicemail if there’s any chance a staff member or family member could hear it. Keep it non-sensitive.
Do not leave a voicemail if you can’t immediately follow with an email that mirrors the same single reason.
Do not leave a voicemail if you’re unsure the number is correct—verify first, then reattempt in your next call block.
Leave a voicemail when your next step is clear (one ask) and you can answer quickly if they call back.
Stop if they opt out or ask not to be contacted; suppress across channels.

Callback number cadence (so they can write it down)

Say the number at a steady pace (not faster than your name).
Group digits naturally (for example, by area code, then the next three, then the last four).
End the voicemail with the number and repeat number once more.

What not to say in a physician voicemail

No compensation. Save pay details for a live conversation or a secure written follow-up.
No patient-related language. Keep it strictly about recruiting.
No personal data. Don’t reference home address, family, or anything that could feel invasive.
No “I saw your CV/profile” specifics. Keep sourcing context generic.
No urgency pressure. Avoid “need you ASAP” or deadline pressure in voicemail.
No multi-ask. Don’t ask them to call and email—pick one next step.

Step-by-step method

Step 1: Pick the single reason before you dial

Choose one reason that’s true and easy to restate in writing. Examples that usually fit physician reality:

Location fit (region, commute, or “near where you trained”).
Schedule shape (one detail only, and only if you can support it later).
Scope/service line (inpatient vs outpatient, procedural mix, coverage model).
Timing (“quick question about your next move this year”).

If you need multiple bullets, that’s an email—not a voicemail.

Step 2: Choose one next step (call OR email)

Make the next step frictionless. Pick one channel and commit:

Call back if you can answer quickly and route fast.
Email if you have a clean one-paragraph summary ready to send immediately.

Don’t ask for multiple channels. That’s multiple decisions.

Step 3: Deliver the voicemail in 10–20 seconds

Stand up, slow down, and read a single line you’ve practiced. If you can’t say it in one breath, it’s too long.

Step 4: Trigger follow-up rules immediately

Voicemail is not the sequence. Voicemail is the event that makes your next touch feel expected.

Right after the voicemail: send a short email that mirrors the same single reason and includes your contact info.
Next call block: call again at a different time window and reference the prior message in one sentence.
If they opt out: suppress immediately across channels.

To align voicemail with a full workflow, use: physician recruiting sequence (email + SMS + call).

Step 5: Batch calls so voicemail doesn’t eat your day

Leaving voicemails one-by-one between meetings kills speed to submittal. Batch calls into blocks, then batch follow-ups. If you haven’t operationalized this yet: call block math for physician recruiting.

Diagnostic Table:

Use this to diagnose why your physician voicemails aren’t converting into replies and what to change today. The goal is the “15-second voicemail moat”: timed templates (10–20 seconds) with a single reason + single next step + repeated callback, plus follow-up rules.

Symptom	Likely cause	Fix (15-second standard)	Follow-up rule
No callbacks, but emails get opened	Voicemail too long or too “salesy”	Cut to 10–15 seconds; remove job details; one reason + one next step; end with the number and repeat number	Send a 3-sentence email immediately after VM; next call block uses a different time window
Callbacks happen but they don’t remember who you are	Name/company unclear; number said once; rushed delivery	Say name + company twice; slow down; number twice; end with the number	When they call back, confirm identity in the first sentence and offer two time options
Gatekeeper blocks you from leaving VM	Office line routes to staff; wrong number type	Keep message generic; avoid details; prioritize direct lines when available	Switch to email-first for that record; document best time window; verify contact data before next call block
Physician emails “Who is this?”	VM didn’t anchor context; written follow-up missing	In VM: include “recruiting” + one reason; in email: mirror the same reason and ask one question	Reply with 2-sentence context and ask for a 10-minute call
Complaint about privacy or “how did you get my number?”	Over-specific voicemail; no opt-out path in writing	Remove specifics; keep it professional and minimal; avoid sensitive details	Add opt-out language in written follow-up; suppress immediately if requested

For the live-call version of these patterns, pair this with: physician recruiter call script.

Weighted Checklist:

Score each voicemail before you use it. If it doesn’t hit 8/10, rewrite it. This keeps your team consistent and prevents long messages.

(3 points) Timed to 10–20 seconds (target: 15 seconds).
(2 points) One reason only (location OR schedule OR scope OR timing).
(2 points) One next step only (call OR email).
(2 points) Callback number said clearly twice (end with the number; repeat number).
(1 point) No private details (no compensation, no patient-related language, no personal data).

Pass rule: 8+ points. If you fail timing, you fail the voicemail—cut words until it fits.

Outreach Templates:

Copy/paste these. Each template includes a timer target and a follow-up rule. Swap the bracketed fields and keep the structure.

Template	Target seconds	Single reason	Single next step	Follow-up rule (VM left → next action)
Quick question	12–15	Timing/next move	Call back	Send 3-sentence email immediately; next call block uses a different time window
Location fit	15–18	Specific area	Call back	Email immediately with one location line; next call block uses a different time window
Schedule hook	15–20	One schedule detail	Email	Email immediately with the schedule detail in one line; ask for two time options
Data-quality check	10–12	Confirm identity	Call back	If no response, verify contact data before repeating the same attempt pattern; switch to email if available
Referral ask	15–18	Who to speak with	Call back	Email the same referral question; stop if they opt out
Post-connection follow-up	12–15	Next step reminder	Call back	Bump the existing email thread with one line; call only if there’s a clear reason

Template 1: “Quick question” voicemail + matching email

Timer target: 12–15 seconds

Voicemail: “Hi Dr. [Last Name]—this is [Your Name] with [Org]. I recruit physicians in [City/Region]. Quick question about your next move. Call me at [Number]. Again, [Number].”

Follow-up email (3 sentences): “Dr. [Last Name]—[Your Name] here with [Org]. I’m recruiting physicians in [City/Region] and had a quick question about what you’d want next. If you’re open to a 10-minute call, what’s better this week: [Option A] or [Option B]?”

Follow-up rule: Send the email immediately after the voicemail. Next call block: different time window.

Template 2: Location-specific (when you have a real tie)

Timer target: 15–18 seconds

Voicemail: “Dr. [Last Name], [Your Name] at [Org]. I’m calling about an opening in [Specific Area] and thought it might fit your geography. If you’re open to a quick chat, call me at [Number]. Again, [Number].”

Follow-up rule: Email immediately with one location line and one question. Next call block: different time window.

Template 3: Schedule hook (only if you can support it)

Timer target: 15–20 seconds

Voicemail: “Hi Dr. [Last Name]—[Your Name] with [Org]. I’m recruiting for a role with [one schedule detail]. If that’s relevant, reply to my email or call me at [Number]. Again, [Number].”

Follow-up rule: Email immediately with the schedule detail in one line and ask for two time options.

Template 4: Data-quality check (when you’re not 100% sure)

Timer target: 10–12 seconds

Voicemail: “Dr. [Last Name], [Your Name] with [Org]. If this isn’t Dr. [Last Name], sorry for the interruption—if it is, quick recruiting question. Call me at [Number]. Again, [Number].”

Follow-up rule: If there’s no response, verify contact data before repeating the same attempt pattern. Switch to email if you have it.

Template 5: Referral ask (when you truly can’t reach them)

Timer target: 15–18 seconds

Voicemail: “Dr. [Last Name], this is [Your Name] at [Org]. If now’s not a fit, I’d value a quick referral—who’s the right person to speak with in [City/Region]? Call me at [Number]. Again, [Number].”

Follow-up rule: Email with the same referral question; stop if they opt out or ask not to be contacted.

Template 6: Post-connection voicemail (after you already spoke once)

Timer target: 12–15 seconds

Voicemail: “Dr. [Last Name], it’s [Your Name]—following up on our call. I emailed the next step. When you have a minute, call me at [Number]. Again, [Number].”

Follow-up rule: Resend the email thread with a single-line bump; call again only if there’s a clear reason (deadline, scheduling constraint, or they asked you to).

Heartbeat note (workflow fit): When you’re dialing at scale, the fastest teams route calls to the best numbers first. Heartbeat supports this by using ranked mobile numbers by answer probability so your first attempts are more likely to reach a human.

Common pitfalls

Leaving a “job description voicemail.” If it can’t fit in 15–20 seconds, it belongs in email. Voicemail is for permission to talk.
Multiple asks. “Call or email me” creates indecision. Pick one next step.
Not repeating the callback. If they have to replay the message to write it down, you lose them. End with the number and repeat number.
Overselling. Keep tone calm and professional. Your voicemail should sound like a colleague, not an ad.
Including private details. Don’t mention compensation, personal data, or anything sensitive if someone else hears the voicemail.
Voicemail without follow-up rules. If you don’t trigger an immediate email and a planned next call block, voicemail becomes random activity instead of pipeline movement.

How to improve results

Improvement here is operational. You’re trying to increase responses while protecting candidate experience and compliance.

1) Standardize your “VM → follow-up” flow

Write your follow-up rules down so every recruiter executes the same way:

VM left → immediate email that mirrors the same single reason
Next call block → different time window
If contact data seems wrong → verify before repeating the same attempt pattern

Keep it consistent with your broader workflow: email/SMS/call sequence for physician recruiting.

2) Use the 15-second cut-down worksheet

Write your voicemail as one paragraph. Read it out loud at a normal pace. Cut words until it fits 15 seconds. If it still runs long, move details to email and keep voicemail to: who + one reason + one next step + number twice.

3) Compare templates by call-block outcomes

Measure this by… logging, per call block, how many voicemails were left and how many replies/callbacks you received within 72 hours, then comparing templates side-by-side. Keep the winning template and retire the rest.

4) Fix connectability before you rewrite scripts

If you’re consistently going to office lines or outdated numbers, no script will save you. Improve the inputs: verify the best number, call at different windows, and use a system that supports clean suppression and fast updates.

Legal and ethical use

Physician outreach has to be respectful and compliant. Keep voicemails professional, minimal, and non-sensitive. Avoid leaving messages that could expose private information if overheard by staff or family.

Follow applicable calling/texting rules (including consent requirements where relevant) and honor opt-out requests immediately across channels. For U.S. teams, review the TCPA overview here: FCC: Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).

Heartbeat does not provide legal advice. If you operate across states or countries, get counsel and document your internal policy (especially around texting and suppression).

Evidence and trust notes

This page is written from a recruiter-ops perspective: short voicemails reduce friction, and sequences create predictable follow-up. We avoid performance promises and we don’t recommend leaving sensitive details in voicemail.

How we think about data quality, verification, and suppression: Heartbeat trust methodology.
Regulatory reference (U.S.): FCC TCPA overview.

FAQs

How long should a physician voicemail be?

Target 15 seconds. If you need more than 20 seconds, move the details to email and keep the voicemail to one reason, one next step, and the callback number twice.

What should I say in a voicemail to a physician?

Say who you are, that you recruit physicians, one relevant reason for the call, one next step (call or email), and your number twice. Keep it calm and non-specific.

Should I mention compensation or the facility name in the voicemail?

No. Avoid sensitive or overly specific details in voicemail. Save compensation, facility specifics, and any personal context for a live conversation or a secure written follow-up.

When should I send the follow-up email after leaving a voicemail?

Immediately after the voicemail—while your name is fresh. Mirror the same single reason from the voicemail and ask one clear question or propose two times.

What if the physician never calls back?

Assume it’s timing, channel preference, or contact data quality. Keep the voicemail short, switch to a written follow-up, call in a different window during your next call block, and verify the number before repeating the same attempt pattern.

Next steps

Copy the templates into your outreach tool and enforce the 10–20 second timer.
Align voicemail with your full sequence: see the physician recruiting sequence.
Operationalize call blocks so voicemail doesn’t slow submittals: use call block math.
If you want to move faster with cleaner routing and suppression, start here: create a Heartbeat account.

About the Author

Ben Argeband is the Founder and CEO of Swordfish.ai and Heartbeat.ai. With deep expertise in data and SaaS, he has built two successful platforms trusted by over 50,000 sales and recruitment professionals. Ben’s mission is to help teams find direct contact information for hard-to-reach professionals and decision-makers, providing the shortest route to their next win. Connect with Ben on LinkedIn.