Many young health care practitioners are not aware that they have the right to have an employment contract reviewed by an attorney prior to executing it. We find in many cases that when these contracts fail or when the health care practitioner decides to terminate the contract there are few if any provisions in the contract to protect the health care practitioner. In some cases they are forced to extend the contract until its normal expiration date or terminate the contract earlier and face a potential litigation. Important terms in the contract should be a definition of not only the health care practitioner’s responsibilities, but also of the employer’s responsibilities, including which events result in breach of contract and which events will allow for early termination of the contract. Further, many contracts include provisions that a contract is to run for a series of years and will automatically renew at the end of the initial term if no intent to terminate the contract is given by either party. While this may imply that the health care practitioner has a long term contract, many times there are other provisions which will allow for termination of the contract with little or any notice, thereby offering very little protection for the health care practitioner who may believe that he/she has a contract for a period of one or two years, but in fact has one that can be terminated with as little as 30 days notice. Always have any contract examined prior to executing it, especially if you have no history with the employer. While often associations with other health care practitioners are productive and beneficial for both parties, there are cases where the employer has been sued by associates for breach of contract, has engaged in illegal activity or in practice behavior that is contrary to providing quality and competent health care treatment to patients, leaving the associate with little choice but to terminate the contract.