How to Adapt to Extend Your Career in Medicine
The realm of medicine is changing - accept it or be left behind.
What worked 20 years ago is no longer standard of care, and the same expiration applies to knowledge. Medicine claimed several decades of your life to reach the starting blocks and carved deep scars along the way. The clock ticks at a faster clip for all, but despair does not apply.
Remember that oath taken so long ago? A component dealt with teaching and learning. Remain curious and committed to advancing oneself. There is so much to explore. Use the excitement and wonder of a challenging new topic or technology to reignite the soul.
A state of numbness or depression may impair clarity or prevent a clear vision of what is possible. Years in the trenches of medicine may have dampened the flame. Rest assured, the core is still glowing, and tools can help bring talents and skills back to light.
For those struggling to understand what motivates and drives decisions, consider one of these tools:
- Strengths Finder
- Sparketype
- DISC profile
Dr. ZXY Example:
Learning and achiever mindset rank top of personal strengths.
Maven is a character set that defines what sparks energy and enthusiasm for Dr. ZXY.
Extroversion ranks high on her DISC profile.
This combination lends well to delivering education and can open opportunities for expansion into the scientific or medical industry as an educator or consultant. Perhaps there are undiscovered teaching roles in your current organization clamoring for someone like you to take charge. Startups rely on industry insider expertise and experience.
Put yourself out there and let others know you are open to opportunity and collaboration. Don't let your dreams die quietly inside.
It Will Be Hard
Happiness and success lie on the other side of fear. Feel it and move forward past it. Hard things are hard.
Hopefully, the name Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi sounds familiar. Don't be afraid to stretch. Research on “Flow” notes that reaching 4% past your comfort zone is key to completing a challenging but doable task.
For those looking to recharge or reinvent a career, there are three options:
- Fine-tune the existing scenario
- Iterate and reinvent
- Hang up the white coat
Most reading this are not ready or not in a financial position to completely walk away from medicine. A framework shared in “Principles” by Ray Dalio is a helpful construct:
- Goals
- Problems
- Diagnose
- Design
- Doing
Start by clearly defining the outcome(s) you most want. Capture obstacles and problems likely to be encountered on the journey. Diagnose what is at the core of the issues, limiting beliefs, setbacks, and blocks. Next, design a clear plan to reach your goal. Get specific. Map it out, including a timeline and who will both help and hold you accountable. Finally, get busy doing and take massive action. Momentum, challenge, and creativity can foster a flow state accelerating progress.
Networking Is Not a Dirty Word
The pandemic has changed the way we all interact but don't use it as an excuse not to connect and explore new relationships. Connecting with like-minded individuals lends emotional support and creates a community supporting one another.
Readily available resources:
- Telegram
- Discord
- Slack
- Virtual Events
- Private online communities
Solicit a Coach
Even professionals have coaches. Why not you? An experienced coach can guide and inspire and call out the limiting beliefs running through your head. The money spent will be well worth it. Consider hiring a business coach for a new project or a mindset-life coach to push and guide the journey of discovery and transformation. A few letters behind your name does not mean everything is smooth sailing.
NET
This is a concept shared by Tony Robbins. No Extra Time.
Yes - doctors are busy, but so are executives, teachers, moms, and the rest of the planet.
The explosion of podcasts, online communities, and courses allows sampling of a topic of interest or complete immersion. Gone are the requirements to enroll full-time in a university program for in-person instruction on a new subject. Platforms such as Udemy, Thinkific, Teachable, Coursera, and Maven allow self-paced learning that is convenient and affordable. Don't be afraid to drink from a new firehose. The expansion of your mind will change your outlook and open opportunities.
Conclusion
I hope this three-part series* delivered a sense of possibility. The options are limitless. Harness the power of a curious mind and rewrite the next chapter of your life. You are the author - get busy crafting an exciting next chapter.
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