Back to Basics

In today’s podcast, John dispels the myths about alternative jobs for clinicians.

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When you’re burned out and thinking about leaving clinical practice, you may feel overwhelmed. And you may buy into certain myths that can stop you before you even get started.

Your first step will be to learn that the following myths are easily dispelled:

  1. “There aren’t that many jobs available.”
  2. “All I know how to do is practice medicine.”
  3. “I won’t be able to make a reasonable income.”
  4. “I will be abandoning patients.”
  5. “My reputation and status will decline.”

Our Sponsor

We’re proud to have the University of Tennessee Physician Executive MBA Program, offered by the Haslam College of Business, as the sponsor of this podcast.

The UT PEMBA is the longest-running, and most highly respected physician-only MBA in the country. It has over 700 graduates. And, the program only takes one year to complete. 

By joining the UT Physician Executive MBA, you will develop the business and management skills you need to find a career that you love. To find out more, contact Dr. Kate Atchley’s office at (865) 974-6526 or go to nonclinicalphysicians.com/physicianmba.

Common Myths About Alternative Jobs

Here are the reasons that these common myths about alternative jobs are NOT true.

1.  “There are limited jobs”

There are jobs in pharma and medical device companies, in hospitals and health systems, and in the insurance industry (health, life, and disability insurance). And there are at least five distinct types of medical writing jobs.

There are jobs in consulting and consumer health. The federal government and public health organizations employ thousands of physicians doing nonclinical work.

There are nonprofit companies and educational institutions that need experienced physicians for nonclinical positions.

2. “All I know is medicine.”

As a physician, you have a deep understanding of biochemistry, pharmacology, physiology, microbiology, anatomy, epidemiology, and statistics. There are dozens of domains in which you have extensive training and experience (from informatics to billing to quality improvement). And you are knowledgeable about the healthcare system itself.

3. “My income will drop.”

When you consider the long hours, the medical liability, the frustration, the stress, and the lack of balance in your life, a slight drop in income becomes meaningless. While income may suffer temporarily, it’s usually associated with working fewer hours and taking time off for vacations. You’re going to sleep better; you’re not going to be on call; and you’re not going to be sued.

4. “I’m abandoning my patients”

If you’re working in pharma, you’re creating medications that help patients. As Medical Director for Quality Improvement or CQO you’re doing quality and safety in the hospital or outpatient setting and saving lives and improving the safety of those patients. If you’re in an insurance company, you’re keeping patients from getting the wrong tests and the wrong procedures. And if you’re a writer or educator, you’re teaching patients, colleagues, or medical students.

So, you will be improving healthcare and helping large numbers of patients rather than the few you would treat individually.

5. “My reputation and influence will decline.”

You’re still a physician, leveraging your clinical knowledge. You’ll often be managing a team. You’re seen as a content expert. And you’re often a leader in these positions.

As a primary care doctor in a hospital, you will be just one of many working at that institution. But if you’re a medical director or CMO, you are the person that others seek out to improve a process or solve a problem. And your standing and visibility improve.

Getting Started

Once you’ve accepted that the myths about alternative jobs are NOT true, the next step is to become familiar with as many potential nontraditional jobs as you can. You can do that by downloading a list of 70 nonclinical jobs here and reading books dedicated to the subject, such as Dr. Sylvie Stacy’s 50 Nonclinical Careers for Physicians.

Spend time thinking about your personality, interests, and skill sets. Then create a list of jobs that align with those 3 factors, as well as the demand for physicians for those jobs. 

Once you’ve narrowed the list to one or two options, get to work on learning, preparing a resume and cover letter, networking, finding a mentor or two, and building your LinkedIn profile.

Summary

The bottom line is that there are many alternative job openings for physicians, regardless of background and years in practice. The first step is to overcome limiting beliefs keeping you from looking. Then spend time learning about the nature of available alternative careers.

Furthermore, when you’re preparing to pursue an alternative career, it doesn’t hurt to stack other skills. And it could be anything: how to do photography; how to read financial statements; or becoming a better public speaker. Simply pick a few and work on them, and you’ll find that by adding them to your existing skills, you’ll become a unique applicant for one of these new positions.

NOTE: Look below for a transcript of today’s episode.

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Disclaimers:

Many of the links that I refer you to are affiliate links. That means that I receive a payment from the seller if you purchase the affiliate item using my link. Doing so has no effect on the price you are charged. And I only promote products and services that I believe are of high quality and will be useful to you.

The opinions expressed here are mine and my guest’s. While the information provided on the podcast is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge, there is no express or implied guarantee that using the methods discussed here will lead to success in your career, life, or business.

The information presented on this blog and related podcast is for entertainment and/or informational purposes only. I do not provide medical, legal, tax, or emotional advice. If you take action on the information provided on the blog or podcast, it is at your own risk. Always consult an attorney, accountant, career counselor, or other professional before making any major decisions about your career.