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4/7/2024 0 Comments An Important Reminder This 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.
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I recently attended the college graduation for the eldest son of close friends from residency.
It’s a time of excitement and new beginnings. It’s also closing doors to a chapter in life. Change and uncertainty, whether viewed as positive or negative can bring a wide range of emotions. I don’t remember my own college graduation commencement address, but the speaker who was an alum, offered a few key points that I thought were valuable enough to share with you. Wherever you are in your journey, I think these are helpful reminders. You are not your degree. The path to becoming a physician is long and arduous. It’s not for the faint of heart. Not everyone who sets out on the journey arrives at the final destination. In this case, receiving a medical degree. It is easy to understand how the physician identity came to be so strong. The hours, effort, and sacrifices made through our undergraduate and graduate medical education occur during our young adult years. You earned your degree. No one can take that away from you. And, you are not your degree. You are the resilient individual who successfully met the requirements. This is important to remember as you consider the directions in which you want to drive your career. Expect there to be a grieving process when the time comes for you to hang up your stethoscope for the last time. Whether it’s because of retirement (voluntary or involuntary) or an intentional decision to pursue opportunities outside of clinical medicine, make space to grieve the loss of this important identity. You can explore different paths throughout your career. From clinical practice, academia, public speaking, corporate, entrepreneur, and more, there are endless opportunities for physicians. Most of us don’t learn about roles outside of clinician and researcher. This is the “traditional path” that’s neatly laid out. But there are so many ways for you to make a meaningful impact. Clinical medicine and investigator-sponsored research are only two of them. This is why an increasing number of physicians are seeking a non-traditional path. One that supports the life they want to live and makes an impact on the health of others without sacrificing their own well-being in the process. Explore what’s out there. Reach out to physicians who are doing something interesting that you’ve never heard of before or don’t know much about. Go live. These two words are everything. Go live your life. We get so caught up in the routine of day-to-day life that we fail to appreciate the many gifts the day brings. Busy days turn into busy weeks…months…seasons…and before you know it the years have slipped by. Give yourself permission to experience your life. And did you know that you can intentionally design the life you want to live? You can. I didn’t appreciate that for a long time. So, I’m sharing it often with as many people as I can. Don’t take everything so seriously. Build community. And consciously live your one wild and precious life. (Note: Life-threatening wake-up call not required.) Do not forget your core values. What got you here, will take you there. Remember the reasons that you embarked on this path. If you still have your personal statement, reread it. Better yet, write a new one informed by your experience and based on what matters most to you now. This can serve as your personal and professional mission statement. Use it to guide your path as you make decisions that shape the direction of your career path. So, there you have my takeaways from a motivational commencement speech filtered through the lens of a mid-career physician. May there be something of value to you in the offering above. My request is that if this sparked something useful for you, please share it with someone who may also benefit. And, if you’d like to learn more about intentionally designing your own life and career path, let’s talk. Send me a note at [email protected], and I’ll share the link to my calendar so we can get something scheduled.  What's the fastest way to find your next career opportunity? Networking! Now hang on, and stay with me for a minute. I know that you may roll your eyes or shudder when you think about networking. The experiences you've had with networking may have felt contrived or disingenuous. But in reality, in its simplest form, networking is a meaningful way to connect with another human being. Networking is a valuable tool for finding career opportunities. Building and nurturing professional relationships can help you expand your knowledge, uncover hidden job opportunities, and gain insights into different career paths. By connecting with others in your industry or desired field, you can tap into their expertise, learn from their experiences, and potentially receive referrals or recommendations for new opportunities. Here are a few reasons why networking is important for career growth:
However, it's worth noting that networking should not be your sole strategy for finding career opportunities. It's important to complement networking efforts with other job search methods such as online job boards, professional organizations, recruiters, and career fairs to maximize your chances of success. Overall, networking can be a powerful tool in your career development and job search process. By approaching it with authenticity and a willingness to connect with others, you can open doors to new opportunities and expand your professional horizons. It’s been invaluable to me personally and as well as many of my physician clients that I’ve coached and worked with over the years. Whether you’re considering a departure from clinical medicine and moving into a nonclinical role, or if you simply want to find other clinical opportunities and ways to leverage your medical degree, networking can be your secret weapon. Let me know how you feel about networking . Share your positive experiences or the reasons why you're hesitant to go all in networking in the comments below. You are also invited to email me if you'd like some personal tips for your specific situation, [email protected]. |
Life Beyond Clinical Practice with Dr. Michelle Bailey
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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. |
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