Career Change Is a Growing Topic Among Physicians

By Robert F. Priddy
About 15 years ago I wandered into my own career change moment when I began speaking with a physician at a local healthcare consultants networking meeting. I learned about his counseling service for physicians dissatisfied with the state of medical practice and recognized a need that demanded and deserved high caliber career transition and management services.
That meeting resulted in a several years partnership and resulted in my third_Evolution in 2008. Since then, I’ve built on that base of understanding fostered both by my early physician partnerships as well as my 20-year career in hospital and consulting-based medical staff development and practice management.

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What I’ve learned, you might say, is what I offer. Medical practice is a very demanding profession. Demanding, not just in the focus and the results, but demanding in the nearly single-minded attention to the daily activities of patient care. I speak with physicians every day who tell me they are open to nearly any job that uses their skills and knowledge and pays reasonably. And, as I usually reply, that’s not a job description, it’s a cry for help.

Effectively, asking other people to tell you what job they have for you or what job they believe would be good for you is a complete nonstarter. That why you, just like every patient you treat, need a focus… or a diagnosis, a Career Diagnosis™.
 
I conduct a formal, structured process with clients to construct a Career Diagnosis, but you can and should emulate that process if you’re going on this journey. I suggest a SOAP note format in order to follow a system that is both familiar and effective. Take your time… consider subjective elements like your interests and passions and then couple those items with more objective definitions of your skills and knowledge. As you build each of these three categories in lists – I suggest literally a three-column listing, you can then start connecting those words and phrases.

You’ll see where certain interests are supported by knowledge you possess and skills you have. And, as your columns begin to connect, you’ll start to see logical steps for your career. Then, start asking yourself who and where do these interests, skills and knowledge come into play. Who needs them and where. With each layer of questions, you’re becoming more focused and, importantly, more appropriately focused.
Lastly, consider income and location. These are usually to very critical questions for every career transition. Consider your defined focus and then consider it in the context of how different applications will afford different income levels and make sure you can do whatever it is you want to do where you want to do it.

You see, most physicians, regardless of background simply don’t and won’t meet the job requirements or qualifications criteria of published jobs. So, as I say to my clients, let’s define the problems you want to solve and then find people or companies with those problems. This means applying for jobs only 10% or perhaps 20% of the time and networking for problem solving opportunities 80% or 90% of the time.
More advice by Robert Priddy- Self Protection is Self Defeating and The Resume Recruiters and HR People Hate
Robert F. Priddy, President
  rfp@thirdevo.com
  720-339-3585 voice
  208-979-2134 fax