Today's doctors need to understand the wide array of professional opportunities. Medical training and career guidance are traditionally focused on preparing doctors for clinical practice. If you want to find a non-clinical position, you can learn how to make your search effective with these 7 steps. 

7 steps to Finding a non-clinical Job

Finding a non-clinical job requires an organized and systematic approach
Step 1- Do you really want to leave medicine? Decide whether you want to take the leap to a job that is not centered on direct patient care or whether you need to make a change in your job situation and remain in clinical practice or whether you want to combine patient care with non-clinical work. Take this quiz to see if you would be happier leaving clinical medicine.

Step 2- Decide what your professional priorities are. Money? Prestige? Flexibility? An opportunity to make a difference? There are hundreds on non clinical jobs for doctors. Over 50 of the most common categories are listed here. If you are going to take the time to look for another job, make sure it fulfills your own priorities. Rank these professional priorities to ensure that you will search for a job that fulfills your needs - and stick to what you value the most.

Step 3- Learn about the features of non clinical jobs. Find out what to expect in terms of salary, the day to day life and the potential for professional growth so that you can avoid these common job search mistakes. How can you get this inside information about non-clinical jobs? You can find exhaustive details in Careers Beyond Clinical Medicine, you can get a general idea through Physician Success Stories, and you can ask people who work in non-clinical jobs for their insight. Find links to companies that hire physicians for non-clinical work here. 

Step 4- Match up your priorities with the job options that fulfill those criteria. Stick with a few industries that would meet your professional needs. At this point you might decide that you want to work in the health insurance industry and that clinical research is not for you. Or you might determine that investment research is what you want and that teaching is not going to be a good fit. Whatever you decide- make a short list of industries and jobs so that you can focus your job search. Find links to companies that hire physicians for non-clinical work here. 

Step 5- Find out what you need to do to get the job you want. To learn more about the requirements for the most common non-clinical jobs in the medical field, you can use Careers Beyond Clinical Medicine for details and instructions or read this article for a quick overview of the requirements of some of the most common non-clinical jobs. At this point, you might be able to skip straight to Step 7, or you may need to enhance your experience and your CV a little bit- Step 6.

Step 6 -Become a stronger candidate for the job you want. You do not want your job application to be overlooked. You want your networking to be effective. Don't apply for a job that you will be passed up for. Take the time to become the best candidate. These successful physicians have shared what they needed to do on the journey to non-clinical jobs.

Step 7- Apply for the job as a strong candidate. Many non clinical jobs for physicians can be found on the useful links page, which is frequently updated. Be sure to understand the rules and regulations of your industry of interest to ensure that your cover letter and interview present you as a knowledgeable candidate who is ready to shine.  The last step in your career transition is to accept a good job offer!