After 12+ years of #college, #medicalschool , and #residency#fellowship, itis only natural to align yourself on a traditional, well-travelled career path. Most young doctors will combine their passion in a medical specialty with academia or private practice across the States. Here are a few things to ponder:
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• Rise up to the system. You’ve put in countless hours with thousands of patients. This opens your eyes to the patterns of health care delivery in your specialty, many leaving much to be desired. Your youth and energy can bring problems and “near-misses" before untoward consequences occur.
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• Change your setting. In anesthesia, for example, one can fall into routine of doing the same 2-3 cases, day in and day out, at the same center for years. As a “lifelong learner,” you should try to maintain your breadth of practice and a fund of knowledge and experience different healthcare settings. You should also learn about the “business” side of medicine and learn about the insurance payer and billing practices at your organization, which can vary widely based on location.
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• Let your entrepreneur prowess rip. You are around professionals in non-medical spheres, be it translational research, engineering, computer science, social media and marketing, and so forth.
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• Find a work-life balance that allows for work, life, AND work-life synergy. It is important to “compartmentalize” and prioritize your clinical work in the hospital and your family life at home. Overlap is inevitable, and you should involve your loved ones and your friends with your pursuits. They will appreciate your ingenuity and sincerity and can provide a very different but complementary perspective.
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• Write. I personally believe that to prevent “burnout,” our mind, full of darting ideas and emotions from the day’s heated experiences, must decompress through creative means.