4/7/2024 0 Comments An Important ReminderThis month marks the 8 year anniversary of my last pediatric clinic. It’s hard to believe that so much time has passed.
As I think back over my medical career, particularly the clinical aspects, I have a lot of things that I am truly grateful for and also things that I’m proud of. This week I listened to a podcast episode where Brooke Castillo (The Life Coach School) is celebrating 10 years of consistently publishing a weekly podcast. Listening to that podcast reminded me of the importance of celebrating. When was the last time that you celebrated...YOU? So often we’re focused on “the next thing”. We aspire to a goal. We reach it. And instead of pausing to really celebrate and appreciate what we’ve accomplished, we move on to the next thing. And so, this is your reminder to take the time to reflect on the things that you feel proud of, so that you can celebrate the accomplishments achieved over the course of your medical career. Spend a few moments thinking about each of the following: 1. The impact you’ve had, both directly and indirectly. Recently, my very first pediatric patient reached out to me with a friend request on Facebook. My introduction to him and his family was being the first physician to show up as he was coding. It was my first day of internship. I was on my way to meet the family when the code was called. He was not given much hope for survival due to multiple neurologic complications that were expected to result in a poor quality of life, if he survived. I was honored that the family chose me to be his pediatrician, and celebrated every milestone he made with them as he defeated one odd after another. After accepting his request, he sent me a direct message to share that I had been on his mind and he wanted to reach out to let me know that he graduated from college, got married, and became a father last year. So, sometimes you will get direct positive feedback and you’ll understand and appreciate the impact that you've had on the lives of your patients, and their families, maybe even their friends…people that they touch and that you touch indirectly. And for the times when you don’t hear anything, trust that you are making an impact. 2. The challenges that you’ve overcome. What are the things that you stuck with when it was really, really, hard. Maybe the difficult call nights where you thought about just calling it quits. Unplanned life events that showed up that presented additional obstacles for you to overcome. The unimaginable days and nights that only you (and maybe a select few in your inner circle) know about. Be proud of the ways in which you met all of those challenges, big and small. And honor the fact that you kept going, and you stuck with it. 3. The ways that you’ve grown as a person, both personally and professionally. Sometimes the focus is on the outcome or attainment of the goal. And we don’t really appreciate the ways that we grow and change in the pursuit of that goal. The skills that you acquire. The emotional ways that you mature. The additional insights and education that you obtain. All of it shapes the person that you are today. Celebrate who you are because of your experience in medicine. And thank the "past you" for being willing to tolerate the discomfort of moving out of your comfort zone to become the person that you are today. So, as you reflect back over your medical career, what are the moments that you’re most proud of? How are you going to celebrate them? Send me a note and tell me. I want to know. I want to hear about your celebrations and I want to hear about the moments that you’re most proud of so that I can celebrate with you. Know that you are making a difference whether you’re practicing clinically and/or leveraging your medical expertise in nonclinical ways such as speaking, writing, researching, advocating, leading…it’s all important. It all matters. The other pearl I gleaned from listening to that podcast episode that I want to share with you is the concept of “re-deciding”. Thinking about everything in your life and periodically re-deciding. If you had to do it all over again, would you still choose the things in your life today? Whether that’s the relationship you're in, the neighborhood where you reside, the house that you live in, the place that you work, the work that you’re doing, etc. Today, would you re-decide to do what you are doing? It's a really powerful question. If you’re struggling with finding or creating a list of things that you feel proud of about your career right now, or if you (re)decide that you would not choose to continue on your current career path, I encourage you to reach out and schedule some time for us to chat. You can use the link below to schedule some time on my calendar for a complimentary career consultation, and we can talk about where you are versus where you want to be. https://calendly.com/callwithmichellebailey/30min Whether that’s transitioning from a clinical to a nonclinical position, finding a new clinical opportunity that may be a better fit for you at this stage of your life and career, or figuring out how you can negotiate and reimagine your current clinical position if you’re not interested in leaving it, how can you reform it so that it’s better aligned with matters to you and supports you in meaningful ways. Thank you for your time in reading these words. I hope this has provided some value to you as you continue in your medical career. May you find inspiration and insights from this message that help you to be better poised to enjoy the journey.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Life Beyond Clinical Practice with Dr. Michelle Bailey
|
|
Hi, I'm Dr. Michelle Bailey.
I help physicians who are unhappy or unsatisfied with their current career find a nonclinical career that they love. Retiring early from clinical practice after almost 20 years as a board-certified pediatrician I successfully made the leap and transitioned to a nonclinical career. I'm thriving in my new career and am on a mission to help other physicians do the same with the support, guidance, and community that I wish I had when I was struggling with this decision. You're invited to connect with me in my private Facebook community for physicians to learn about all things related to your nonclinical career transition. Join here. |
Archives
April 2023
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
July 2020
April 2020
December 2018
June 2017
December 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
February 2014
Categories
All Being Present End Of Year Energy Drains Exercise Feel Free Fitness Free Yourself Getting Things Done Goals Health Leadership Life Lessons Life Vision Mind Body Connection Mind-body Connection Mindfulness Recharging Your Batteries Ritual Self Care Self-care Success Women's Empowerment Women's Health Work Life Balance
Copyright 2023. Michelle Bailey & Company, LLC.
www.drmichellebailey.com. All Rights Reserved.
www.drmichellebailey.com. All Rights Reserved.
Proudly powered by Weebly