transition Archives - NonClinical Physicians

How We Will Survive and Thrive While the Healthcare System Collapses – 297

John Jurica — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 12:00:33 +0000

Conversation with Dr. Tom Davis

In today's episode, Dr. Tom Davis and John have a conversation about how we will survive as the healthcare system around us collapses.

The context is about the challenges the co-founders and members of NewScript go through, and how the collaboration between NewScript Mentors and members can benefit everybody.

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NewScript: Background and Goal

NewScript developed from the realization that clinicians are less inclined to use social media platforms for researching nonclinical careers and issues around burnout. Those sites are often less discreet and private. Therefore, NewScript was developed as a private community.

Benefits of NewScript are:

Clinicians can remain anonymous;
Members can easily network with other clinicians seeking a professional transition; and,
There are resources to help members in a collegial and mutually supportive environment.

And NewScript brings together Mentors who are enthusiastic about assisting, training, counseling, motivating, and inspiring members.

Today's Talk Points

During the conversation, the cofounders of NewScript discussed:

Services for large institutions to prevent and address burnout;
Financialization of healthcare;
Generating revenue using the Internet; and,
How authenticity will lead to a following that wants your services.

Advice from Dr. John Jurica

I like to remind people that there's a whole world of other things you can do outside of clinical, and you can do clinical in different ways.

Advice from Dr. Tom Davis

The only barrier to making change is you.

Summary

Healthcare is undergoing constant transformation. Much of that is unfavorable for clinicians.

But there is also reason to be optimistic. It is getting much easier to apply our education and expertise in productive ways outside of the system.

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

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Today's PNC Podcast Transcript

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Transcription PNC Podcast Episode 297

How We Will Survive and Thrive While the Healthcare System Collapses

- Conversation with Dr. Tom Davis

John: Okay, nonclinical nation. It's John Jurica here. Tom is looking at me like I'm crazy because I was pausing for up to a minute because I didn't really realize how I wanted to start today. But it started, so now we're going.

I'm happy to have Tom Davis with me here today. This is a little different type of episode. I had this brainstorm that Tom and I should get on the show occasionally together to just talk about what's going on with NewScript and other things that he and I are both involved with. Some together, some not together.

It's because we're both interested in bringing value to you in an ongoing basis, and there's a lot going on around us in the healthcare system in general. And I think it might be fun to just chat about these things from time to time. So that's what this episode is about. And with that, I will formally say hello, Tom. How are you today?

Dr. Tom Davis: I'm wonderful, John. Thanks for having me on. It's a privilege.

John: The idea here is I'm not really interviewing Tom. We're going to just have a conversation hopefully. So, we're not going to talk about the summit because the summit is actually over even though we're recording this before the summit has been held. So, that's just the peculiarities of recording these things ahead of time.

But anyway, I want to just talk to Tom a little bit about NewScript and remind people that NewScript is out there. It's been out there for a few years. And Tom, what would you say are the most interesting or exciting things going on with NewScript recently? And maybe explain to people exactly what NewScript is for those that aren't members or haven't seen it.

Dr. Tom Davis: Well, first John, I want to congratulate you on the smashing success of the summit. It was amazing.

John: Absolutely. That's what we're anticipating.

Dr. Tom Davis: NewScript came from an idea that folks were getting increasingly wary of using the social media platforms to explore nonclinical careers and issues of burnout and career change, simply because they're not private. What if your employer is of a certain size? I promise that they have a line item in their budget to record every keystroke that you put into the various social media categories because they sell that. That's one of the things that they sell. And that's kind of understandable. Your employer wants to safeguard themselves, but they're also spying on you. I hate to put it like that, but that's it.

So we were looking at creating a kind of a private community. Nothing so grandiose like a private Facebook, although that would be nice. Just a private community people can log on, they can be anonymous and they can connect with faculty members, folks who are in the career transition space and grow comfortable with them and perhaps find their path in life, providing resources to help them and doing it in a mutually supportive environment. That's the vision. And that started about two and a half years ago. And we haven't looked back since.

John: Yeah, I remember when we started, we thought, "Okay, it's going to be somewhat like a Facebook group. We'll just have a main feed. People come in, they can share, they can ask questions, and everybody in the feed can contribute." I think it's been nice because we do have people who are designated as mentors. I think sometimes on one of those social media groups, there are people that you go to when you ask a question, but it's pretty random. Whereas we have recruited people who are interested in helping clinicians, teaching them, advising them, encouraging them, inspiring them.

And so, they're in there, they can be tapped. And it's not just you and me that are responding to comments or questions. That's one thing I like about it. And then as we come across materials that are useful, we have places in NewScript to post those. I tend to grab whatever webinar I've recently done and put a copy of that in there. I have some of my old material that I used. Well, it's still in my academy and elsewhere, and you've added a lot of value as well. So, maybe you could talk a little bit more about that.

Dr. Tom Davis: I went ahead and posted all of my telemedicine mentoring information just on there for free. I came to John as we discussed this idea with the thoughts that mentoring folks in how to create and run their own telemedicine practices. An independent contractor was a great bridge between burnout and a second career. And the story behind that is about 10 years old, but I've been doing that successfully for a number of years. And I had put up a couple of courses and they went bananas. I couldn't believe how much revenue they generated.

So, when we decided to do this, we started putting that up inside the community for free. And then offering that kind of direct mentorship that people were paying me for just free there because it had become such a demand. And I needed to scale access to myself because there are people who wanted it and couldn't access me because I didn't have the resources to offer to them.

That's just one example. We have little mini mentorships in there about overcoming imposter syndrome and we have great resources about optimizing your LinkedIn and we have a ton of folks that we refer people to for specific needs. And again, it's a great way to gain some comfort with these people that you might want to work with to coach and mentor you into a second career.

And the best part about that, John, is that hiring is so difficult now if you try to go through the front door of these large corporations. You just never know if anybody has even received your resume. And the best part about going through one of these industry coaches is that they know the back doors and they also have some credibility with the folks that do the hiring. So, if they decide to work with you and they bring you in, then you'll get access to opportunities that you would never get access to if you just try to go through the front door.

John: Very cool. One of the other things that has intrigued me and been surprised a little bit is that some of our members and primarily the mentors are trying to collaborate in more substantial ways. The summit, which was wonderful although we haven't done it yet. You're talking about collaboration, pretty much the faculty is many, if not most of our mentors. So that's cool.

And then we are toying with something now that's actually in place. I think maybe you can describe it better than me, but we get this one minute coaching through DocWorking THRIVE, or DocWorking, whichever way you want to look at it. It kind of opens up new ways to collaborate, in my opinion. So, I don't know if you have any other thoughts on that.

Dr. Tom Davis: The challenge for all of us who are career transition professionals is how to scale access to our offerings, to the people who need it. And the folks who are selling this to the healthcare organizations, they have found that getting traction, with that set of customers is pretty difficult.

The health systems talk a good gain, but when push comes to shove, they'd rather retain their resources internally and not purchase outside services like One Minute Coaching or 24/7 crisis counseling or access to career coaching. I believe it's a two reasons. One, it's to make sure that they husband their resources, and two, they want to make sure that nobody actually gets encouraged to leave their job. And I guess that's understandable except doctors are committing suicide at a record rate. So, there is a higher purpose there.

These folks have been talking to us about engaging with our platform and offering their services at scales to individuals instead of selling it as a package to a health system. And DocWorking is one of those. And they have a fantastic product. It's called One Minute Coaching. They have a tremendous stable of coaches that have great wisdom to offer. And so, they offer bite side coaching every week for you to engage. And we're in the process of aligning ourselves with that particular product. So, folks that subscribe, they will get access to that particular resource if they want to reach out and get it.

The point that I think that you and I tried to make when we created this community is if the product is free, then you are the product. In NewScript, we charge a very modest subscription fee compared to how much the thing costs. But it does send the message that you're not the product, we're the product and we're here to serve you.

John: As you were talking about that, it occurs to me I've been interviewing people for five years or more now about their nonclinical careers and working in the hospital environment, which I'm most familiar with, and all the burnout, as you mentioned, suicides that have occurred. And many clinicians, I'm sure it's not just physicians, it's all of them.

I consistently ask the question particularly when I'm talking to coaches or people that produce services for large institutions to prevent or address burnout. And there's many out there and not too many systems that I'm aware of really take it seriously. And even in those that I've asked about, where they've put in place a burnouts program, or let's just call it more of a clinician support program of some sort. It might be under their EAP or something like that.

I've not found one yet that's told me that it's actually been implemented, been successful, and they're really happy with it. It seems like they do a survey, they do some things, sometimes they ignore the survey. That's what they did in my hospital. We did a survey every two or three years of the physicians, and I don't remember us ever putting in place anything substantial or consequential that would actually address the issues that were mentioned in the survey.

So, you can imagine that the physicians and the other clinicians that do these surveys end up not responding, or they don't really take it seriously. It worries me, it bothers me that these systems haven't seen the light because they're going to find themselves unable to get any kind of clinician to work for them long term if they don't address these issues.

Dr. Tom Davis: Indeed. And you see that that is the fruit of the financialization of healthcare. You look at the financialization of society, the folks who have the experience and the vision, they are systematically isolated from those who need to benefit from it. And in healthcare, that is the same process that has been going on. You and I, we should be adjunct professors at our local medical schools, we should be in senior leadership positions in whatever practices that we have. And we should have at least a few clinicians who have identified as role models and come to us and help us for mentorship. And that's the model that you and I developed or grew up under. And that's the model that the people that mentored us developed professionally under. But that model is gone. It is dead.

And so you and I, and all of the other wonderful coaches that see this and feel a need to pay their good fortune forward, are trying to create a space on the internet where that mentorship, that engagement can take place. Unfortunately, it's a new paradigm and even though the less experienced clinicians grew up in the cyber world, it's still something that they're just a little uncomfortable with. And that is always a challenge to try to overcome old patterns of thinking. And if there's one thing that medicine socially is, it's a conglomeration of old methods of thinking, and the folks calling the shots are trying to turn that to their advantage. We're just trying to offer a space where people can come and engage on their own.

And John, it is very, very hard to generate revenue consistently through the internet. You really have to work at it. And of all the people that don't want to spend money, doctors are at the very, very top of the list. And of all the people that they don't want to spend money to, it's other doctors, good lord. And that is a huge barrier. It's a huge social barrier to try to overcome. However, it is a commentary on the social fabric of our profession that it is increasingly being overcome, not just by NewScript, but by the entire constellation of coaches out there.

John: Yeah. I guess we just need to keep reminding people that we're here, there are lots of other people out there, other physicians and clinicians of various sorts who are trying to offer support and help.

I like to remind people that there's a whole world of other things you can do outside of clinical, and you can do clinical in different ways. There should be hope out there for you, but you've got to look around and really dig into it and find out that they don't want us to know about these options. So we're not going to get into those options today, but suffice it to say there's a place where you can make good money, not really treat patients, but serve patients in other ways and be happy and free and have some autonomy and move forward with your career.

Dr. Tom Davis: Healthcare is the most regulated space that there is. And the one of the reasons is that costs for labor, that's you and me, have to be suppressed. Otherwise the system becomes wildly unaffordable. It's wildly unaffordable now, imagine if physicians got paid market rates, it would collapse on day one.

And because of that suppression, the compensation that clinicians can earn outside of the system, both clinically and non-clinically, not only equals what you can earn inside the system, it far exceeds it. Especially if you factor in the liability risk, the suicide risk, and the amount of effort, if you want to measure it in hours or stress, however, that you have to put in to get it.

I worked with a neurosurgeon back in the day. Now this guy's a neurosurgeon, so he's pulling down seven figures doing neurosurgical stuff. He quit. He quit after 10 years because he built his own surgery center, identified how to do that best. And he started consulting with other neurosurgeons about how to build his surgery center. He started about by making way more income and then he suppressed his income by taking a piece of the action in every surgery center that he built. And that's fantastic. That's phenomenal.

It is just one example of even at the highest levels of our profession and recognized compensation, the opportunities out there are huge. And that is simply because wages have been suppressed for decades. And now that particular chicken is coming home to roost. Most people who listen to this probably don't understand how much revenue they can generate for themselves outside the system, and that's because that information is being suppressed.

But you go out and get a corporate job, it's a medical science liaison or even administration, not necessarily hospital administration, but administration say as a medical director as an insurance plan, you can exceed your current income very, very quickly, especially with all of the deferred compensation plans that you have. When I started my journey, one of my mentors told me, when you step outside the system, not only will you be amazed at how much revenue you can earn, you'll be astonished at your quality of life. And I have found that to be absolutely true.

John: That's great to hear because it's true. Yeah, I just can't really say anything more to add to that. I do want to shift gears here though because I heard we had talked about before we got on this call that you're doing some new things or taking some resources you've had in the past and putting them all together in a new way. So I thought why not talk about that since we're into helping as many people as possible.

Dr. Tom Davis: As you all know, one of the principles of NewScript is walking the walk. You and I are not just on, they're flapping our gums telling people that they need to go to nonclinical careers. It's kind of a George Plimpton. If you don't know who that is, look it up. George Plimpton asks and we try out some of the things that we recommend and the ones that we can't try out, we try to get faculty members who have.

For me, I'm a big one on using the internet to generate a side revenue and perhaps having that side revenue develop into a full-time job. And it's very, very challenging to do it. But it's also very straightforward because with the connectivity of the internet, you can reach people that previously you needed to go through a gatekeeper to reach like an editor or theatrical agent or somebody like that. It used to be you need somebody's permission in order to access mass media, but now you got mass media at your fingertips and you have the means of production so that the quality of your production is not a distraction. The only thing that's lacking is your desire to do it and then the lack of information about how to do it.

So, we try to model that. And one of my primary gigs is doing business consulting under value-based care. And I really found myself in quite a bit of demand for that service when I first started out. So, I didn't really need to do a lot of internet marketing, but now I'm wearing a bit of the grind, even though the expertise I have is way more valuable since we're all going to be paid under value-based care by 2030 by decree of CMS.

I've taken all of my different sales funnels for my services and I'm putting them into a one gated community. The idea is to make that gated community be my discovery call. And business people who want to engage you for your advice usually want to talk to you first, and usually, you don't get compensated for that. And so, it can eat up a lot of time. And I used to really love doing that. I found that is something I don't love now.

So I've created this gated community with all sorts of free information in there, sprinkle in a few courses, and then give you a clear shot at engaging me if you want. But if you need to have a discovery call, then you just need to look at all the free stuff there until you're comfortable engaging me as a consultant. And it's probably going to greatly decrease the number of engagements I get, but the people who reach out to me are actually going to pay me and they're going to be the highest quality folks.

I figured I'd give that a shot and see if I can take the power of the internet to the next level. Now, that's kind of an advanced thing because I've been messing with it for 10 years and I've hired an exceptional marketer to help me with that. But for the average person out there, all you have to do is start a TikTok channel, start a YouTube channel, start talking about your expertise, and everybody who's listening to this has their expertise. Develop an audience, set up a website that you drive people to. Offer free stuff there. Offer a Patreon, people who appreciate you, give you a donation. And if you feel like it, you start selling some courses that offer a little bit more in-depth information.

What folks are trying are looking for right now, John, is authenticity. They want a connection and they don't find that in healthcare. In healthcare, people have been commoditized. Healthcare is essentially human trafficking now. The healthcare system. That's essentially what it is. Now that's harsh, but if you look at the fruits of the system, it's 100% true. And I'll defend that to my last breath.

When you're in that situation as a patient, you want to connect with somebody. And the connectivity internet has lowered that barrier to the point where it's completely up to you. If you want to do it, you can, and you don't have to be Chris Pratt or Sir Laurence Olivier or anything like that. Just being an average 60 year old guy. Just offering your expertise free in easily absorbable formats on a consistent basis, you build your audience. And if you get a couple of thousand people that will buy anything that you sell, your true fans, that's a living. That's a living. And there are 5 billion people on the internet. All you need is a couple of thousand. They're out there, you just have to connect with them.

John: No, that's so true. If you're a nurse with a lot of experience, if you're a physician, if you're a speech therapist, it really doesn't matter. You have so much expertise already. There's a whole bunch of people out there that could use what you know. It's just a matter of connecting and this thing is what you're talking about. And then you're investing a little time and effort in making it work.

Dr. Tom Davis: And you can't be afraid of making yourself look like a fool. One of our hints as far as dealing with imposter syndrome, it's just take a second and just scroll through TikTok or YouTube at random. You don't have to worry about looking like a fool. Look at these other people.

And the other issue with the other opportunity to the internet, John, is actually very, very recent. But it is something like one of those rare things that's new under the sun. When you put yourself out there, when you put your real face out there with no filters, nothing like that, your real self out there, up until now, you've been competing with other people who are putting their real selves out there. But going forward, especially in the next 18 months, we're all going to notice that the internet is going to be filled with crap, homogenized crap created by AI that is specifically designed for a purpose, usually promotional, not with a sense of service.

That's what you and I will be competing against. And people will be starting for authenticity.

The internet has always been filled with crap, but it's been authentic crap. Now it's going to be computer-generated crap programmed by somebody that says what combination of words will help us sell more biscuits or whatever. That is a gargantuan opportunity for anybody who wants to put their authentic self out there. And I am very curious to see what happens in the space over the next 24 months. People who offer themselves are going to be rare, and what is rare is valuable, and that's an enormous opportunity for every healthcare professional because we all have something of value that people want to offer.

John: Absolutely. Nice thing about being authentic is you don't have to remember to say a certain line or act a certain way that you did the other day that wasn't authentic. Be your authentic self. It's simpler. It's like don't tell a lie because you're going to have to remember that lie later. Just be who you are, tell the truth and offer things that are going to be of help to other people.

Dr. Tom Davis: If you want to see authentic, go to our TikTok channel, @nonclinicalcareercoach, you'll see authentic.

John: Yeah, that is very useful, entertaining and informative information every time. I'm just starting to dabble in TikTok, so I'm going to get my posts out there soon. You reminded me when you said the AI. Now I'm getting inundated with AI generated emails, and it's like, wow. Since that opened up, I'm just getting all these emails in response to just my website, the info link. I got to figure out a way to filter all that out. But it's not accepted, it's not something we want to see or we want to use when we see that kind of garbage. We just eliminate it and move on.

Dr. Tom Davis: It's made to seem authentic, but something just through the sheer volume for nothing else, you understand that it's just crap. One of the big things in value-based care is using AI to select specific patients and target them for outreach opportunities and whatnot. I see a lot of tech firms trying to sell this, and you and I as doctors know exactly where that's going to lead. The people are going to check out even more than they check out before.

I talked to patients in my focus groups, they actually block their doctor's offices. Now who blocks their doctor's office? It's like, oh my gosh. So, there's an answer to that, but it's just an example of how AI is going to change everything and it's a huge opportunity for those of us who are driven to be authentic.

John: Yeah. And I guess in the future episode like this, maybe we'll talk about some ways to actually work around or use AI if it ever gets to that point where it's actually useful. But for now, just be yourself.

One other thing I'm going to mention and then I think it's going to be time to go. You mentioned about implementing the things that we're talking about. I had a guest on my podcast a couple of times and I think he's currently a mentor, Armon. Is he a mentor for us in NewScript? I believe he is. Anyway, I went through his whole course and in another future episode of the podcast or YouTube or this or whatever, I'll explain how that was and whether I successfully implemented what I learned through that medical legal consulting conference that I'm going to put together.

But, it was really awesome. I'll just say that as a plug. I'm not going to put a link in or anything to that, but there's so much information in NewScript and around what we do that it's just somewhat overwhelming and you just have to pick and choose what's right for you.

All right, Tom. Well, I think that's it for today. I'll remind people that I'm doing the occasional webinar for NewScript, members in particular, although I'll usually invite other people if there's room, to watch for that. We will be reporting on the results of our summit in a future episode of this. Anything else you want to tell us before we let you go, Tom?

Dr. Tom Davis: Just that the only barrier to making change is you.

John: That's it. All right, Tom, thanks a lot and I'll be talking to you real soon. Goodbye our listeners. Thanks for being here.

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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.

The post How We Will Survive and Thrive While the Healthcare System Collapses – 297 appeared first on NonClinical Physicians.

The Interesting Life of the Professional Development Coach with Dr. Ryan Bayley – 064

John Jurica — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 12:30:38 +0000

Helping Us Find Elusive Peace and Balance

Today on the podcast, Dr. Ryan Bayley describes his career as a professional development coach.

Professional Development Coach Ryan Bayley, MD

Dr. Ryan Bayley is board certified in Emergency Medicine and Emergency Medical Services. He holds an adjunct faculty position at the Duke University School of Medicine. He completed his undergraduate degree at Harvard University, his medical degree at Vanderbilt University, and his residency at New York-Presbyterian Hospital (Columbia and Cornell).

Ryan is a Certified Professional Coach and has been providing professional development coaching for physicians and executives since 2013.

Background

After working in emergency services, first as a paramedic, and then as an EM physician, Ryan began to experience burnout. He engaged a coach to help him work through his options and found the experience to be life-changing.

He made some drastic changes in his life to bring more balance and fulfillment. People noticed the change and began asking for help with their burnout and job frustration. He found himself using the same coaching techniques he had learned to help others.

At first, he gave advice. But when he saw how large the need was for coaching, he couldn’t help but feel that he should explore becoming a physician coach himself.

He ultimately pursued coaching as a full-time career. He is a certified coach, and he continues to study coaching methods. Access his expertise by going to his website at RYAN BAYLEY, M.D.

During our interview, Ryan provided a nice description of his approach to coaching. He generally meets virtually (using Skype) with his clients every 2 weeks for 6 to 12 months. Some clients are facing burnout and reassessing their career objectives. Others are trying to accelerate their career advancement.

Our Sponsor

This podcast is made possible by the University of Tennessee Physician Executive MBA Program offered by the Haslam College of Business. You’ll remember that I interviewed Dr. Kate Atchley, the Executive Director of the program, in Episode #25 of this podcast.

The UT PEMBA is the longest running, and most highly respected physician-only MBA in the country, with over 650 graduates. Unlike most other ranked programs, which typically have a duration of 18 to 24 months, this program only takes a year to complete. And, it’s offered by the business school that was recently ranked #1 in the world for the Most Relevant Executive MBA program, by Economist magazine.

University of Tennessee PEMBA students bring exceptional value to their organizations by contributing at the highest level while earning their degree. The curriculum includes a number of major assignments and a company project, both of which are structured to immediately apply to each student’s organization.

Graduates have taken leadership positions at major healthcare organizations and have become entrepreneurs and business owners. If you want to acquire the business and management skills needed to advance your nonclinical career, contact Dr. Kate Atchley’s office by calling (865) 974-6526 or going to vitalpe.net/physicianmba.

Burnout

We spent several minutes discussing different aspects of burnout. There are multiple reasons why physicians may experience burnout:

The work isn’t what they thought it would be.
Their lifestyle may have changed in a way that makes it more challenging for spouses and raising a family.
Boredom can creep in. Physicians are typically accustomed to constant learning and new challenges. However, medical practice can sometimes become tedious.

About 80% of the physicians he works with find a way to address burnout without leaving clinical medicine. That is very encouraging to me.

“Coaching is just not developed in medicine. But it’s used extensively in business and finance and law.”
Ryan Bayley, MD

Speaking Engagements

In addition to coaching, Ryan speaks on topics related to burnout and physician wellness. He noted that a few large healthcare organizations have developed programs to address burnout. But there are still many that have not invested significant resources in this area.

He also speaks on other topics like mindfulness, perfectionism in medicine, and other techniques physicians can use to increase their enjoyment at work.

Links for today's episode:

Learn more about Ryan, set up an introductory coaching session, or arrange a speaking engagement:

Ryan Bayley’s website
Email: rb@ryanbayleymd.com
Phone number: 919-951-7709

Thanks to our sponsor…

Thanks to the UT Physician Executive MBA program for sponsoring the show. It’s an outstanding, highly rated, MBA program designed for working physicians. It might be just what you need to prepare for that joyful, well-paying career. You can find out more at vitalpe.net/physicianmba.

Thanks again for listening. I hope to see you next time on Physician NonClinical Careers.

As always, I welcome your comments and feedback.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, share it on Twitter and Facebook, and leave a review on iTunes.

Podcast Editing & Production Services are provided by Oscar Hamilton.

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Many of the links that I refer you to, and that you’ll find in the show notes, 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, that I have personally used or am very familiar with.

The information presented on this blog and related podcast is for entertainment and/or informational purposes only. It should not be construed as 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 counsellor, or other professional before making any major decisions about your career.

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The post The Interesting Life of the Professional Development Coach with Dr. Ryan Bayley – 064 appeared first on NonClinical Physicians.

How to Be an Author and Nonclinical Career Expert with Dr. Heidi Moawad – 063

John Jurica — Tue, 04 Dec 2018 13:40:27 +0000

For today's podcast episode, I had the pleasure of speaking to a nonclinical career expert. She actually “wrote the book” on this topic.

Heidi Moawad, MD, is a neurologist and adjunct professor at John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio. She's worked in many facets of medicine, including clinical practice, healthcare utilization, medical writing, telemedicine, payment policy and undergraduate and medical education.

She's the author of the book Careers Beyond Clinical Medicine, and she's the host of a website for physicians that's devoted to non-clinical careers. She wrote the book and created the website to help doctors looking for instructions and information about the universe of healthcare jobs, entrepreneurial paths, and nonclinical work. The book provides detailed step-by-step instructions for doctors who are looking for information about nonclinical careers.

But before I get to the interview, I want to acknowledge our sponsor…

The University of Tennessee Physician Executive MBA

I'm very thankful to have the support of the University of Tennessee Physician Executive MBA Program offered by the Haslam College of Business. You’ll remember that I interviewed Dr. Kate Atchley, the Executive Director of the program, in Episode #25 of this podcast.

Graduates have taken leadership positions at major healthcare organizations and have become entrepreneurs and business owners. If you want to acquire the business and management skills needed to advance your nonclinical career, contact Dr. Atchley’s office by calling (865) 974-6526 or going to vitalpe.net/physicianmba.

Birth of a Nonclinical Career Expert

Heidi Moawad was passionate about her work as a neurologist, and she loved what she did. But around 2003, she started becoming more and more frustrated with utilization review issues and other interference in her practice. In her frustration, she approached the company that was declining her requests to learn more about the UM process.

She began to provide reviews for the company, and ultimately turned that into a full-time nonclinical career, leaving clinical medicine. With the extra flexibility and free time she created, she followed her other passion – medical writing.

Colleagues began asking her to teach them how to make a similar transition. In response, she began doing extensive research, which led her to publish Careers Beyond Clinical Medicine through Oxford Press. She then created her website nonclinicaldoctors.com so she could continue to update career information and provide job listings for interested physicians. Between writing her book and creating her website, she truly is a nonclinical career expert.

Here are some of the highlights of our conversation:

How Heidi handled her career transition, and what she learned along the way;
What inspired her to translate what she learned into a book;
How she published her book;
Ways to gain freelance writing experience as a physician;
The resources Heidi provides on nonclinicaldoctors.com; and,
Her advice to doctors looking to make a career change.

Summary

Heidi Moawad is a fantastic example of a physician nonclinical career expert generous enough to share her experience with us. Our conversation taught me about the different paths to medical writing, as well as the work involved in becoming an author.

She took some pretty bold steps early in her nonclinical career, transitioning from full-time neurologist to a job in utilization review in just 9 months. And once she recognized the enormous interest in nonclinical careers, she used her writing skills to begin yet another career. She became an author and website curator, identifying and presenting resources for physicians in career transition.

During our conversation, she taught us about how to become a writer. She described:

which websites and print publications are a good fit for different kinds of work,
when we should expect to get paid, and,
how we can start leveraging our writing to build industry connections.

She gave us a fascinating insight into the world of publishing. And she encouraged us not to give up on our writing. She also provided key advice when interviewing: don’t show up without doing your research. Get to know the industry you’re looking at before you apply for a position. Then show up with plenty of background knowledge and educated questions to ask.

Click on the links below to order Heidi Moawad’s book, check out her website, and read some of the articles she’s written. If you have further questions for Heidi, you can reach out to her via the contact form on her website.

Resources

Careers Beyond Clinical Medicine Book

NonClinicalDoctors.com

Heidi Moawad's LinkedIn Profile

VeryWell Health articles

Medical Economics articles

MD Magazine articles

Sermo

Doximity

The University of Tennessee Physician Executive MBA Program

I want to sincerely thank the UT Physician Executive MBA program, again, for sponsoring the show. It’s an outstanding, highly rated, MBA program designed for working physicians. It might be just what you need to prepare for that joyful, well-paying career. You can find out more at vitalpe.net/physicianmba.

Thanks again for listening. I hope to see you next time on Physician NonClinical Careers.

As always, I welcome your comments and feedback.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, share it on Twitter and Facebook, and leave a review on iTunes.

Podcast Editing & Production Services are provided by Oscar Hamilton

Disclaimer:

Right click here and “Save As” to download this podcast episode to your computer.

The easiest ways to listen: vitalpe.net/itunes or vitalpe.net/stitcher

The post How to Be an Author and Nonclinical Career Expert with Dr. Heidi Moawad – 063 appeared first on NonClinical Physicians.

Why Medical Communications Is the Best Nonclinical Career – 061

John Jurica — Wed, 28 Nov 2018 16:44:11 +0000

Interview with Dr. Dana Carpenter

I really enjoy speaking with physicians who have found a nonclinical career they love. I’ve seen that in life insurance medicine, teaching, and now in medical communications. The other aspect of this career that excites me is that it’s one in which you can express your creative side along with your scientific and technical side.

Before I get to the interview, I want to acknowledge our sponsor…

The University of Tennessee Physician Executive MBA

Graduates have taken leadership positions at major healthcare organizations and have become entrepreneurs and business owners. If you want to acquire the business and management skills needed to advance your nonclinical career, contact Dr. Atchley’s office by calling (865) 974-6526 or going to vitalpe.net/physicianmba.

Today's Guest

Dr. Dana Carpenter is Senior VP, Director Medical & Scientific Affairs at CDM New York, a leading healthcare communications agency. She's an experienced OB/GYN, medical director and health communicator combining expertise in medicine, management, and medical communications within the health communication/medical marketing arena.

She's recognized as a subject expert and strategic consultant in women’s health, with additional marketing experience across many therapeutic areas. She obtained her medical degree from Rush Medical College at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, and her residency at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia.

Moving Into Medical Communications

Dana decided she wanted to pursue a medical career while in high school. But in medical school, she realized she did not want to spend her entire career providing direct patient care. After working for almost a decade in an all-women OB-GYN practice (and paying off her student loans), Dana began her journey from medicine to medical communications.

She left her practice and started a consulting business. As part of the business, she created an online presence with a website, podcast and published articles. And she did some public speaking. All of these activities demonstrated her skills in medical communications, and a recruiter contacted her about working in the field. That led to her landing a job as VP, Associate Medical Director with CDM New York, a medical marketing company.

Dana's story is inspirational. And she provides great advice if you're considering a career in medical marketing and advertising,

Some of the highlights of our conversation:

What Dana loved (and didn’t love) about clinical practice;
The projects that helped her transition into medical communications;
What appeals to her most about the world of medical marketing;
The skills, experiences, and assets that healthcare agencies are looking for;
What training and support to expect from within the industry;
The wide array of possible roles in communications, and who’s a good fit for each;
The three main sectors in medical communications, and how to choose yours;
How to stand out to recruiters and break into the field; and,
The kind of lifestyle and work-life balance communications professionals enjoy.

Summary

We’ve talked before on the show about medical writing, but my latest guest shares her insightful perspective on the world of medical communications: what it is, how to get into it, and why it’s a great fit for many physicians looking for a change.

Dana was passionate about her career in obstetrics and gynecology. And it's clear that she carried that enthusiasm into her current career. It was great to get her perspective about her career transition.

She was able to clarify a lot for me about the communications industry, which can seem pretty confusing from the outside. As you heard in this episode, there’s a wide range of opportunities in this field. If you’re interested, you can explore each sector, and select one based on your skills and personality.

Dana emphasized that the most important thing you can do to get the attention of recruiters: start communicating. You should publish health and medical content through;

a blog,
in published articles,
on a podcast,
via YouTube videos,
in your local newspaper, or
on social media, such as LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter.

Learn more about CDM at CDM New York. You can connect with Dana on LinkedIn and via email at dcarpenter@cdmny.com, or

The University of Tennessee Physician Executive MBA Program

Thanks again for listening. I hope to see you next time on Physician NonClinical Careers.

As always, I welcome your comments and feedback.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, share it on Twitter and Facebook, and leave a review on iTunes.

Podcast Editing & Production Services are provided by Oscar Hamilton

Disclaimer:

Right click here and “Save As” to download this podcast episode to your computer.

The easiest ways to listen: vitalpe.net/itunes or vitalpe.net/stitcher

The post Why Medical Communications Is the Best Nonclinical Career – 061 appeared first on NonClinical Physicians.

How to Blend Stand-Up Comedy and Keynote Speaking – 062

John Jurica — Tue, 20 Nov 2018 13:20:36 +0000

For this episode, I'm interviewing Dr. Lynette Charity to tell us about her experience with keynote speaking. You'll recall that I interviewed Carmen Landrau just a few weeks ago. Each of them took a unique path to this career. You'll get a much more complete perspective on keynote speaking by listening to both episodes.

Before I get to the interview, I want to acknowledge our sponsor…

The University of Tennessee Physician Executive MBA

Graduates have taken leadership positions at major healthcare organizations and have become entrepreneurs and business owners. If you want to acquire the business and management skills needed to advance your nonclinical career, contact Dr. Atchley’s office by calling (865) 974-6526 or going to vitalpe.net/physicianmba.

Today's Guest

Dr. Lynette Charity grew up in the 1950s in the segregated South. She was one of the first black students to attend her high school. She faced plenty of doubt when she announced she was planning to become a physician. But she went on to graduate with honors from Chatham College for Women in Pittsburgh, PA on a full academic scholarship. And she earned her medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine. She became an expert in anesthesiology, working in hospitals and for the U.S. Army. But, after a 35-year career, she was ready for a change.

Learning to Speak

When she knew she was looking for something else, Lynette turned to SEAK for help, attending its national meeting in 2012. But none of the alternate career paths they set out really appealed to her. Luckily, through SEAK she met career coach Heather Fork, who was able to roll with Lynette’s unconventional dreams for her career change.

When Lynette said, “Heather, I want to be a stand-up comic, lounge singer, voiceover actor,” Heather didn’t back down. Instead, she convinced Lynette to sign up for Toastmasters, so she could take her first steps to leearn keynote speaking as a professional. Lynette was resistant at first. After all, she’d given lectures and presentations for years. But she learned pretty quickly that lecturing to a room full of other medical students and residents was a far cry from the kind of public speaking she needed to learn.

So she dove in, and started making Toastmasters speeches. She used their programs to learn confidence, communication, and the elements of storytelling. It was a learning curve for Lynette, learning to connect with audiences rather than just lecture at them. But she was excited to learn. And, as it turned out, she was very good at it.

Learning to Shine

Lynette’s mentors at Toastmasters were seriously impressed with her talent. Hence, they encouraged her to compete in speaking competitions. Her very first year, she won the competition in her district. She competed again the following year, and made it to the World Championships of Public Speaking held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

She was able to share her story about growing up in the segregated South with a completely new, international audience. And she placed third worldwide! It wasn’t first prize, but it was a huge success. And it felt good.

“I was a rock star! I felt really good walking around with my big old trophy… this was a foreign country, and I was telling a story about the fact that I had grown up in the segregated South in the 1950s… And I did it using the Wizard of Oz, because a lot of foreign people don't know anything about segregation in America. So I tried to relate it to that, and I sang, I danced. I did it all in that speech! And people came up to me later on, wanting to know more about that part of history that they didn't know anything about.”

Lynette knew she’d found what she wanted to do: speak, connect, and make people laugh. Now she needed to make it into a career.

Getting Professional

In order to take herself from an amateur public speaker to the real thing, Lynette invested in professional speaking coaches. Starting with a coach recommended by Toastmasters, she moved up through different coaches as her skills improved. She stresses the importance of finding the right coach to effectively advance your career.

On the comedy side of Lynette’s dreams, she took the time to go back to school. Her local community college offered acting and improv classes. And that’s where she tried her hand at comedy for the first time. Her instructors always kept her on her toes. As the oldest student in the room by far, she would be given roles as kids and teenagers while her college-aged classmates took the adult roles. The contrast added to the comedic content. The classes took her out of her comfort zone, helping her to learn to think on her feet.

From there, she gained the confidence to do a stand-up routine for the first time — and she loved it! Her jokes were landing and she was getting laughs. She learned how to handle hecklers. Things went well enough to take her show on the road, and she’s performed at open mic nights and comedy shows all over the country. And Lynette often integrates comedy into her keynote speaking, which her audiences enjoy.

Finding a Niche

Lynette knew she loved to speak, but it wasn’t until a phone call came from Heather Fork that she found exactly the kind of speaking that she wanted to do. Out of the blue, Heather put her in touch with a school in Coimbra, Portugal, looking for a keynote speaker. The school was willing to fly Lynette and her husband overseas in exchange for a keynote speech to a group of young medical students. No honorarium, but all expenses paid.

Lynette said yes.

It was there that she developed what is now one of her signature speeches: “Stay Inspired, Stay Healthy, Stay True to You.” And that helped identify her niche as a speaker: inspiring physicians and physicians-to-be. From there, Lynette developed her specialty as a keynote speaker on physician burnout, depression and suicide.

Breaking into the Industry

Expertise in a particular topic is critical, Lynette says, to booking speaking engagements. Event planners don’t want to hear you say that you’ll speak on anything and everything. You need to be an expert in one particular niche to prove that you have something unique to offer.

Lynette’s first several speaking gigs (outside of her competition speeches) weren’t paid. She spoke to Rotary Clubs and retirement homes, at community events and for local chapters of professional organizations. She built a track record one speech at a time. And she began to build enough of a reputation to start collecting $300 to $500 honoraria for her work.

But how did she turn it into a real career? Lynette studied other speakers in her field. She discovered Kevin Pho, of KevinMD fame. She reached out to him for a coaching session. By the end of it, he asked her if he could promote her as a speaker to his network.

She agreed. And with Kevin Pho's support, she was quickly booked for eight speaking engagements earlier this year. Lynette notes that joining speakers’ bureaus is great way to connect with event planners.

Dr. Lynette Charity

To beginning professional speakers, she stresses the importance of having a strong social media presence, and a website of your own. It's essential to present actual video giving a speech to an audience. You must prove yourself in advance, she says, because “an event planner does not want to be embarrassed by hiring someone, and they get up there and they make them look bad.”

Lynette’s Quick Keynote Speaking Tips:

Follow the Rule of Three! No more than three chunks of information per slide, and no more than three major messages.
Engage your audience, don’t talk at them, and don’t read your slides, ever!
Pick a lane! Find your niche and become an expert in it. Don’t try to be all things to everyone.

What’s Next?

Lynette says she’s taking a break from working and speaking in November and December of this year. But in the new year, she’s going to keep speaking, doing comedy, and finding even more ways to build community between patients and practitioners.

She dreams about putting together an all-doctor comedy troupe, and taking it on the road. It’s all part of her broader mission to reach out and support other physicians. And bring attention to what their lives are really like.

“I see a mission for myself here,” Lynette says, “because we need to get the word out about who we are, what we do, and how we can help ourselves and our communities in the future. And the only way we're going to do that, is to get more of us out there speaking.”

Summary

Lynette provided great advice when it comes to public speaking, and to pursuing any new career. She serves as a role model for all physicians as we pursue the careers we love. I'll definitely keep in touch with Lynette, and update you on her speaking and performing engagements.

The University of Tennessee Physician Executive MBA Program

Thanks again for listening. I hope to see you next time on Physician NonClinical Careers.

As always, I welcome your comments and feedback.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, share it on Twitter and Facebook, and leave a review on iTunes.

Podcast Editing & Production Services are provided by Oscar Hamilton

Links for Today's Episode:

Dr. Lynette Charity’s website

@LynetteDCharity on Twitter

Lynette Charity on Facebook

Lynette Charity on LinkedIn

Heather Fork’s website

Kevin Pho (Kevin MD)

SEAK

Toastmasters

Disclaimer:

Right click here and “Save As” to download this podcast episode to your computer.

The easiest ways to listen: vitalpe.net/itunes or vitalpe.net/stitcher

The post How to Blend Stand-Up Comedy and Keynote Speaking – 062 appeared first on NonClinical Physicians.

5 Simple Tactics That Will Hasten Your Career Transition – 060

John Jurica — Tue, 13 Nov 2018 12:40:17 +0000

Welcome back to the PNC podcast. Today I'd like to discuss 5 simple tactics that will hasten your transition to a nonclinical career. [Note: this material was originally presented as a guest post on Look for Zebras. You can find many other useful articles and resources related to nonclinical careers there. – John]

Before we get started, I want to thank our sponsor, the University of Tennessee Physician Executive MBA Program offered by the Haslam College of Business. You’ll remember that I interviewed Dr. Kate Atchley, the Executive Director of the program, in Episode #25 of this podcast.

The UT PEMBA is the longest running and most highly respected physician-only MBA in the country, with over 650 graduates. Unlike most other ranked programs, which typically have a duration of 18 to 24 months, this program only takes a year to complete. And, it’s offered by the business school that was recently ranked #1 in the world for the Most Relevant Executive MBA program, by Economist magazine.

More About PEMBA Students

Graduates have taken leadership positions at major healthcare organizations and have become entrepreneurs and business owners. If you want to acquire the business and management skills needed to advance your nonclinical career, contact Dr. Atchley’s office by calling (865) 974-6526 or by going to vitalpe.net/physicianmba.

Alright, let’s get to today’s episode, in which I describe some simple tactics you can implement to help hasten your career transition.

My Story

I was working full time as a family physician, with a fairly busy practice. Other clinics and committees sought my help. In the early years of my practice, I joined the CME Committee at my hospital. And I filled in at the family planning clinic. Later, I began to cover a few shifts at the hospital’s new occ-med clinic.

Later they asked me to provide part-time administrative support. This included developing policies and procedures, supervising a PA or NP, and doing a walk-through of a local factory.

As the demands on my time increased, I cut back my clinical duties. I made these changes over several years without any specific plan.

Management is Challenging and Fun

I really enjoyed the management work, and looked for more opportunities to do it. Thinking it would help with my occ-med work, I pursued a master's degree in public health. I finally started to seriously consider a full-time career in hospital management 13 years after residency.

The tedium of daily practice, increasing paperwork, and declining reimbursements partly fueled my desire to make the shift. But most of it came from a passion to work in teams, participate in projects, improve quality of care, and bridge the communication gap between my physician colleagues and the hospital C-suite.

How to Expedite Career Transition

Looking back, the process could have been a lot more intentional. I’ve since learned simple tactics that can expedite the search for a new career. Entrepreneurs developed these tactics to accelerate business growth. But they certainly apply to career transition, also.

I can think of 5 simple tactics that I could have used, or used more effectively, to expedite my career pivot.

Who Best to Use These Methods?

These tactics are best used once the following conditions have been met.

You're committed to changing careers;
You have narrowed your new career to one or two fields;
You’re frustrated by the slow progress you’re making.

5 Simple Tactics

Here are the five simple tactics that I’ve found to significantly expedite the process. I know they would have helped me immensely if I had used them from the beginning. And they’ll help you to pursue almost any nonclinical career or side hustle, not just the one I chose.

1. Develop a WRITTEN PLAN

Think about and write down your personal career-focused mission, vision, and goals. Use SMART goals [specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-limited] when developing your PLAN. Start with the broad brush and answer these questions for yourself:

What is the mission and vision for my career?
What is my ultimate goal?
Which steps should I take to get there?
Can I define deadlines to shoot for?

More Intentional Goals

Here is what mine might have looked like if I had been more intentional:

My mission is to work in hospital management at the executive level.
My vision is to pursue a career that provides more freedom, while allowing me to express my passion for quality improvement, continuing medical education, and medication safety.
The CME Committee will select me as it's chair later this year.
Next, I'll join the American Association for Physician Leadership, and complete at least three management courses this year.
I'll prepare a resume, and schedule interviews for a hospital management position at least once a quarter.
By the end of next year, a hospital will hire me for a management job.

One of the benefits of writing down your mission and vision is that it helps to make decisions about new opportunities. It will help direct you to what your next steps should be, and also to what you should say “NO” to.

You can determine if additional work is aligned with your mission, vision and goals, using your plan. Then, you can eliminate those that aren’t! I recall volunteering for several committees that took me down a rabbit hole that delayed my career transition.

Write dow the PLAN and review it regularly. By doing so, you'll stay on track to your ultimate goal.

The remaining four tactics are helpful for assuring accountability, while the final three also add guidance and advice.

2. Get an ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER

Choose somebody who is also interested in pursuing a nonclinical job. You can meet weekly or biweekly and discuss your plans, your accomplishments, and your challenges. You’ll also follow-up on your commitments, so that you both keep making progress.

Remember the mantra for accountability: Doing what you said you would do, when you said you would do it, how you said you would do it. Your partner will help you keep the commitments you make, and thereby expedite your transition.

3. Find one or more MENTORS

A mentor is someone who's a step or two ahead of you, has succeeded in the career that you’re pursuing, or has needed expertise. I believe that mentorships don't have to be formal arrangements.

The mentor simply needs to be willing to answer a question and point you in the right direction from time to time.

I’ve had several mentors over the years. I’m not even sure they knew they were mentors. One was a physician working as a full time chief medical officer. I occasionally called him, or cornered him during a break at a conference, and asked his advice.

The other was the CEO of my hospital. At the time, I didn’t report directly to him. But I would occasionally get his advice on how to advance my career.

The thing to remember is to use mentors sparingly. Don’t burden them too much by trying to make them responsible for your career success.

4. Create a MASTERMIND GROUP

It’s been said that you're the average of the five people you spend the most time with. A mastermind group is like an accountability partner on steroids.

To create such a group, identify 2 to 5 colleagues who are all striving for a similar goal. Meet on a regular basis, perhaps monthly. For the first meeting or two, you’ll get to know each other, including each other’s career goals and steps you’ve already taken.

Photo by rawpixel.com from Pexels

Then each meeting should focus on one or two members. The other members ask questions and keep the person in the “hot-seat” accountable, and encourage new insights. A good description of mastermind groups can be found in the book by Aaron Walker, The Mastermind Blueprint or on Wikipedia.

By getting together regularly, you’ll help each other think of new approaches to advancing your careers, and accelerate the pace of change.

Mastermind groups don’t typically cost anything to join. A knowledgeable expert or coach sometimes creates a paid mastermind group. None are devoted to physician career transition, however.

5. Hire a CAREER COACH.

This may be the most powerful way to expedite your search for a nonclinical career. The other methods generally don’t involve any cost. But coaching is going to require a financial investment.

By working with a coach, you're going to have access to someone who has devoted their career to helping you. A coach will help you to identify your strengths and weaknesses, and define your interests. She'll help clarify your goals, and work through self-limiting beliefs.

A career coach will provide practical advice about where to find jobs that align with your career goals, vision and mission. In some cases, they might have relationships with recruiters or companies that hire physicians for nonclinical positions.

I’ve spoken with many physicians who have been delighted with the outcomes of coaching. In many cases, they consider it to be the turning point in their career journey.

Summary

Let me summarize the five tactics that will expedite your search for that new career:

Develop a PLAN, complete with your career mission, vision, and goals
Get an ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER
Find one or more MENTORS
Create a MASTERMIND GROUP
Hire a CAREER COACH

You don't have to use all five of these tactics. But the more that you use, the more likely you're going to shift gears and find the fulfilling career that you've been looking for.

Developing a PLAN is the most important step to expedite your search. The other tactics add accountability. And several add expert advice and guidance. I’m sure my career transition would have been much smoother, if I had used these simple tactics.

I want to sincerely thank the University of Tennessee, Physician Executive MBA program, again, for sponsoring the show today. It’s an outstanding, highly rated, MBA program designed for working physicians. It might be just what you need to prepare for that joyful, well-paying career. You can find out more at vitalpe.net/physicianmba.

Thanks again for listening. I hope to see you next time on Physician NonClinical Careers.

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it on Facebook and Twitter.

Disclaimer:

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

The opinions are my own, and my guest's, and not those of any organization(s) that I'm a member of, or affiliated with. The information presented is for entertainment and/or informational purposes only. It should not be construed as advice, such a medical, legal, tax, emotional or other types of advice.

If you take action on any information provided on the blog or podcast, it is at your own risk. Always consult a professional, e.g., attorney, accountant, or career counsellor, before making any major decisions related to the subject matter of the blog and podcast.

Right click here and “Save As” to download this podcast episode to your computer.

The easiest ways to listen: vitalpe.net/itunes or vitalpe.net/stitcher

The post 5 Simple Tactics That Will Hasten Your Career Transition – 060 appeared first on NonClinical Physicians.

How to Nurture an Exciting Speaking Career with Dr. Carmen Landrau – 059

John Jurica — Wed, 07 Nov 2018 12:08:02 +0000

Today I bring you a great interview with Dr. Carmen Landrau, as she explains how to nurture your speaking career.

But before we get to that I have an announcement to make.

Our First Sponsor!

Yes, that's right. The PNC Podcast now has a SPONSOR!

That might not be as big a deal to you as it is to me. But having a sponsor means that I can cover some of the costs associated with producing this podcast. And that will allow me to continue to bring on great guests, and do more to meet your needs.

I’ve told you that I want to avoid placing annoying ads on the blog and podcast. But a sponsor is another thing. If I can find the right sponsor, one that aligns with your needs, then that would be ideal.

And I think I’ve done it. I’ve found a sponsor that some of you have already checked out. I’ve done two interviews with persons associated with this sponsor (Episode #3 and Episode #25). And it’s an organization that believes in physicians, and physician leadership.

Enter the University of Tennessee

I’m very pleased to welcome my FIRST and only sponsor to this podcast and blog: the University of Tennessee Physician Executive MBA Program offered by the Haslam College of Business. You’ll remember that I interviewed Dr. Kate Atchley, the Executive Director of the program, in Episode #25 of this podcast.

Graduates have taken leadership positions at major healthcare organizations and have become entrepreneurs and business owners. If you want to acquire the business and management skills needed to advance your nonclinical career, contact Dr. Atchley’s office by calling (865) 974-6526 or going to vitalpe.net/physicianmba.

The leaders at UT PEMBA are great to work with. I’m really happy that they’ve agreed to support my mission to assist physicians to become recognized leaders. After all, that’s their mission too.

Today's Guest

Dr. Carmen Landrau is a board-certified cardiologist and professional keynote speaker, who uses her experience to empower women to recognize their talents, regain confidence, and take the next steps in their careers and in life. She’s been a keynote speaker at conferences and events for over fifteen years.

She lectures medical students and residents, and speaks at events with hundreds of attendees. She’s also provided individualized teaching and coaching to professional women and women’s groups.

Dr. Carmen Landrau

Carmen completed her medical training at Ponce School of Medicine in Puerto Rico. She then completed a residency in internal medicine and fellowship in cardiology at the McGovern Medical School, formerly known as The University of Texas Medical School, in Houston. She then opened her own private practice. But during the last 3 to 4 years, she has gradually reduced her clinical activities while growing a thriving part-time business as a professional speaker.

How to Nurture Your Speaking Career

During our conversation Carmen explains how she became a paid speaker. It started slowly, by volunteering to speak for the American Heart Association and other groups. But she enjoyed it so much that she decided to focus on nurturing her career and to seek paid engagements.

Some of the strategies she used include:

Engaging a speaking coach;
Taking a speaking course;
Developing her first “signature talk”;
Networking, and using Meetup.com to find (or start) a group with similar interests;
Seeking repeat speaking engagements.

Summary

This is the first guest I’ve interviewed whose nonclinical career is focused on public speaking. I found it very interesting. Carmen provided great insights and inspiration to help you pursue a similar career.

As you heard, however, you definitely must study and prepare for such a career. Carmen took advantage of speaking courses and coaching to help master the skill of public speaking, and the business aspects.

She helped me understand what a signature talk is. She spoke of the importance of networking. And she provided resources to enhance your networking.

She also described the need to be persistent and to nurture each speaking engagement to find future engagements.

In some ways, developing this career sounds a lot like developing a writing career, as described by Emma Nichols in Episode #56. But other aspects are quite different, such as travel and direct “face time” with your audience!

I hope you enjoyed my conversation with Carmen as much as I did.

You can find out more about her at DrLandrau.com. She was kind enough to give you her email address, if you’d like to ask her a question, or engage her to speak. The email address is info@drlaundrau.com.

Welcome to the University of Tennessee Physician Executive MBA Program

Thanks again for listening. I hope to see you next time on Physician NonClinical Careers.

As always, I welcome your comments and feedback.

If you enjoyed today’s episode, share it on Twitter and Facebook, and leave a review on iTunes.

Disclaimer:

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The post How to Nurture an Exciting Speaking Career with Dr. Carmen Landrau – 059 appeared first on NonClinical Physicians.

How to Recognize Your Zone of Genius – 058

John Jurica — Tue, 30 Oct 2018 11:30:00 +0000

Welcome back to the PNC podcast. It’s just me today. And I'd like to discuss your Zone of Genius.

I’ve been meaning to review a book and discuss this topic for some time. It relates to self-limiting beliefs that keep us from pursuing the career that we’re meant for; a career that bring us joy and fulfillment; a career that uses our personal and professional gifts.

Have you ever noticed that just when some people have made it, just when they reach new heights in their career or their relationship, something happens to undermine it?

Have you ever been in a relationship that seems to be getting better and better, when you and your spouse or fiancé get into an argument over some trivial or otherwise forgettable issue?

What about the entertainer who seems to be an overnight success, often after years of struggling, only to suffer a disaster like a drug overdose or major automobile accident?

The Big Leap

This is a phenomenon called the Upper Limit Problem by Gay Hendricks, in his book The Big Leap. And its one of several very interesting and useful concepts he describes in his book.

This book as been out since 2011. However, I first read it earlier this year (2018) after hearing Cliff Ravenscraft talk about it. Cliff is a well-known podcaster. He is probably one of the most experienced podcasters in the world.

Cliff has been hosting podcasts for more than a decade. He’s known as the Podcast Answer Man and has literally taught thousands of people how to produce a podcast through his personal coaching, mastermind groups and paid courses.

He recently devoted several episodes to the ideas he learned about in The Big Leap. I think he even interviewed the author for his podcast because he was so taken by the book.

My Turn

So, I read the book myself. And then read it again last week.

I believe that the concepts that Hendricks presents ring true. And they might help you to understand what’s holding you back from pursuing a truly wonderful and fulling career.

So, today I want to present what I’ve learned from the book, with examples from my life, and some of the stories in the book and stories told by Cliff Ravenscraft in his attempts to implement its ideas.

I don’t intend to cover every aspect of the book. And I’m not sure that I’ll do it justice. In fact, I hope that by hearing how it has impressed me, you'll buy a copy and read it yourself.

Here are the ideas that resonated most with me.

The Upper Limit Problem

The first concept Hendricks discussed is the Upper Limit Problem.

He describes this as an internal set point, beyond which we sabotage ourselves from achieving happiness and success. He describes it as “an inner thermostat that determines how much love, success, and creativity we allow ourselves to enjoy.”

This tendency has a number of causes that Hendricks gets into. Generally, it’s a deeply held, but subconscious, belief from our childhood that pulls us down when we start to exceed the upper limit.

Cliff Ravenscraft described his work as the Podcast Answer Man, and how he reached an income plateau that he couldn't surpass. He created new products and services, and temporarily exceeded the income plateau. But his income always dropped down below the old ceiling until he implemented the strategies outlined in Hendricks' book.

The author provides other examples in the book about the Upper Limit Problem, where people cannot tolerate success, such as:

An actor who stars in a likely box office hit, then gets into an altercation on the eve of the premier party and ends up in jail;
The athlete who wins an international championship, then fires his coach and fails to place the following year;
The recording artist who has a major hit, only to die of a drug overdose.

Hendricks explains that people make a breakthrough, but then self-destruct.

The Four Zones

To fully understand the concept of the Upper Limit Problem, you need to understand what it keeps you from. And that’s what Gay Hendricks calls your Zone of Genius.

Intuitively, it makes sense to me that we function in one of four zones.

Zone of Incompetence

The Zone of Incompetence consists of things we are no good at. That’s pretty simple. I shouldn’t try to repair snowmobiles or play the piano. I think playing golf also fits that category for me.

Sometimes we work in the Zone of Incompetence out of necessity. We need to make a quick buck. I remember trying to work as a chef at a restaurant chain while still in college. I had no idea what I was doing, and I had to go through a training process.

Until I started to get the hang of it, I was definitely in my Zone of Incompetence and several meals had to be discarded rather than being served.

Zone of Competence

The next level is the Zone of Competence. That doesn’t sound bad.

Many of us have spent some time there. We can do the job, but there are others who can do it better.

Doing the accounting for my small practice, probably fit in that category. I could do it easily enough, but there were definitely those that could do it better.

And it was smart of me to delegate that to someone for whom accounting was in the next level for them: The Zone of Excellence.

Zone of Excellence

The Zone of Excellence is that career, hobby, or relationship in which you can comfortably perform very well, probably better than most.

Most of you probably functioned at this level when leaving residency. You’ve spent years learning your profession. You still continue to learn, but you perform at a level above those who have been out of residency for years and fail to keep up with medical advances.

When I heard first heard this term, I thought YES! This is where I want to be. Excellence is a good thing.

Zone of Genius

But my eyes were opened when I read the book, and listened to Cliff’s discussion of the Zone of Genius. This is “the set of activities you are uniquely suited to do. They draw on your special gifts and strengths,” according to Hendricks.

When performing in this Zone, you’re often in “the zone” or in “flow” or in “deep work” as described by Cal Newport. Time seems to fly by. You're creative and you produce awesome results. You feel no resistance, because it is what you were born to do.

Wow! Now that sounds even better than the Zone of Excellence.

Getting back to Cliff Ravenscraft. When he worked as the Podcast Answer Man he was obviously in his Zone of Genius. He created training for this new medium and loved what he was doing. And, he became the number one go-to person for learning podcasting, both the technical and creative sides of it.

Drifting from Zone of Genius Back to Zone of Excellence

But over time, he slipped into his Zone of Excellence and it became boring and no longer challenging. He discovered that he wanted to go back into the Zone of Genius, so he redefined his business. He describes how he now helps clients avoid or recover from burnout by earning an income from the work that they feel most called to do in this world. So, he completely gave up podcast training. He now devotes himself to being a coach, mentor, mastermind group leader and public speaker.

I think I experienced a similar revelation.

I started in practice in my Zone of Excellence. Then I moved into my Zone of Genius. I was taking care of patients of all ages and growing my practice. I was using state of the art approaches to care.

But after a few years, I slipped back into my Zone of Excellence. Practice became boring and tedious. Managing staff and doing more and more paperwork became annoying.

In the Zone of Genius Again

But then I transitioned into hospital management, and began to work in CME and quality improvement. I moved into the CMO role, and led initiatives to install quality measurement tools, and work on QI projects. We started being recognized as 5-Star HealthGrades performers, and received designation as a Truven Top 100 Hospital. I was working in a cohesive, highly effective senior management team. “My engine was hitting on all eight cylinders.”

But I slipped into the Zone of Excellence again, and sought my next challenge as an entrepreneur. I was still in my Zone of Excellence, creating the policies and procedures for the new clinic, monitoring quality, and growing the business to 70 encounters per day from nothing. But it wasn't what I was born to do.

So, I began to blog. Then I started the podcast and mentoring physicians looking for a career change.

I think my Zone of Genius, what I was born to do, is to inspire, encourage and teach physicians how to find their Zone of Genius. And for some, that means encouraging and mentoring them as leaders.

Living in the Zone of Genius

The last half of Hendricks' book explains the steps to take to live more fully in your Zone of Genius. Cliff has made a commitment to live in his Zone of Genius at least 80% of the time.

I’m still learning these concepts. And I’m committed to working through the exercises outlined in the Big Leap.

I want you to think about which zone you're working in. Are you living in your Zone of Genius? Or have you capitulated to living in the Zone of Competence or Excellence?

Are you still subject to the Upper Limit Problem?

I certainly don’t have all the answers. But I urge you to read the book and let me know what you think.

And don’t let your Upper Limit Problem keep you from making the Big Leap to your next career.

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it on Facebook and Twitter.

Disclaimer:

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

If you take action on any information provided on the blog or podcast, it is at your own risk. Always consult a professional, e.g., attorney, accountant, career counsellor, etc., before making any major decisions related to the subject matter of the blog and podcast.

Right click here and “Save As” to download this podcast episode to your computer.

The easiest ways to listen: vitalpe.net/itunes or vitalpe.net/stitcher

The post How to Recognize Your Zone of Genius – 058 appeared first on NonClinical Physicians.

Despair and Hope at the 2018 SEAK Conference – 057

John Jurica — Wed, 24 Oct 2018 18:56:12 +0000

Welcome back to the PNC podcast. It’s just me and I’m a day late in posting this week’s podcast.

My timetable for the podcast prep this week was a little compressed because I spent 2 days attending the 15th Annual SEAK Non-Clinical Careers for Physicians Conference. And that put me a little behind.

I recorded my observations during the conference, and I’m going to share those with you today.

I wouldn’t ordinarily spend an entire episode promoting a conference. However, many of you have asked about it, and I believe it’ll be helpful to tell you more about it. Some of you may need a little more information to help you decide whether to attend next year.

To be clear, I have no affiliation with SEAK. And I registered and paid to attend just like everybody else.

A Unique Resource for Physicians

But this is the only meeting that presents an overview of career options for physicians. The SEAK meeting has two other unique features.

30 to 40 physicians working in nonclinical careers, including career coaches, meet with attendees in 15-minute appointments to give advice and answer questions about nonclinical options.
A small number of employers interested in recruiting physicians to nonclinical jobs attend the conference to answer questions and set up interviews.

This year’s meeting was held on October 20 and 21, at the Crown Plaza Chicago O’Hare Hotel and Conference Center It's actually located in Rosemont, Illinois. That puts it only 10 minutes away from the airport. So, it’s easy to get to if you’re flying into Chicago.

I happen to live just south of Chicago, so I was able to commute to and from the conference each day. As a result, I don’t have any insight into the hotel accommodations. But I didn’t hear of any complaints.

An Apology

Before I go any further, I want to apologize to one of my listeners. Shortly after arriving, as I was entering the conference space, one of the physician attendees said hello. And she mentioned that she enjoyed my podcast. I think I responded with a nod, and hardly slowed down, as I tried to locate one of the mentors.

I want you to know that I’m truly sorry that I didn’t stop to thank you for listening to the podcast, and for your encouragement. That was very rude of me.

I should have stopped to chat. I’d really like to hear what you have to say about the podcast, and if you have any suggestions for improving it. So, PLEASE — email me at john.jurica.md@gmail.com or call me at 815-263-3486 so I can apologize in person and chat for a few minutes.

The 2018 SEAK Conference

The conference is laid out well. All of the meetings were held next to the hall where mentors and vendors were set up.

The SEAK staff confirmed that the conference continues to grow, with attendance easily exceeding last year’s. I estimated that there were well over 400 physicians at the meeting.

In addition to attending the individual sessions, and catching up with friends, it was fun to speak with physicians at the meeting, to hear their stories.

For example, I had a chance to chat with a physician while waiting for the first plenary session to begin. I’ll call him “Robert” to keep up his anonymity. He appeared a bit somber, as he explained how he lost his license and had been unable to practice while involved in litigation to recover it.

His efforts were unsuccessful, so he decided to attend the meeting to learn about nonclinical careers he might pursue. Since I had attended last year’s meeting, I gave him advice to help him optimize his time at the meeting. I did catch up with him later to see how things were going. I’ll describe his comments later.

Feedback from Attendees

The enthusiasm and optimism that many of the attendees expressed by the end of the meeting impressed me.

At lunch on Sunday, I spoke with three physicians who were all very hopeful. An anesthesiologist nearing retirement was intrigued with becoming an expert witness. He plans to slowly build such a career part-time, while winding down his clinical activities. The others at the table identified several leads on careers they were going to evaluate further.

I spoke with a pediatric physiatrist, only a year into her clinical career. She found it unfulfilling and was considering several nonclinical alternatives.

Three physicians recognized me and told me that they enjoyed the podcast. That made my day. And it helps motivate me to continue. They also provided me with helpful feedback and ideas for future episodes.

Photo by bruce mars on Unsplash

I ran into “Robert” several times during the conference, and each time he seemed very positive and more optimistic. When I asked him how things were going, he responded “fantastic” with a big smile on his face.

My Take-Aways

There were too many take-aways to list them all, but a few stood out for me.

The presenters and mentors all expressed a great deal of hope and optimism.
In just 2 days, we heard about more than 25 potential nonclinical careers or part-time jobs.
Many presenters emphasized the importance of networking as the foundation for finding a new position.
Several also mentioned the importance of maintaining a complete, professional-looking LinkedIn profile.
Pharmaceutical companies have multiple categories of nonclinical career opportunities – with variations in educational background, travel requirements, and ability to work from home.
Consulting, medical writing, and medical science liaison are often open to foreign medical graduates, and those who are not residency trained or board certified.
Hospitals, Independent Review Organizations, and health insurers need utilization reviewers. And previous experience is often not required.
Telemedicine can be a great job for physicians who prefer to work at home, or as a bridge when shifting from clinical to nonclinical work.
The field of hospital and health system quality improvement demonstrates a growing need for medical directors and chief quality officers.

Conclusion

I could go on, but you get the idea. There is an ever-expanding need for physicians willing and able to take on these and many other nonclinical careers.

Attending the SEAK Annual Conference is one way to learn about those careers, while obtaining mentoring and exploring employment opportunities.

I hope you found this episode helpful. If you have any questions for me, send me an email at johnjurica@nonclinical.buzzmybrand.net.

Sign up for my twice weekly newsletter, including my weekly update called Creating My Online Business, by going to vitalpe.net/newsletter.

Please join me next week for my review of the book The Big Leap, by Gay Hendricks, and a discussion about how the principles presented in the book apply to your career transition.

Disclaimer:

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

Right click here and “Save As” to download this podcast episode to your computer.

The easiest ways to listen: vitalpe.net/itunes or vitalpe.net/stitcher

The post Despair and Hope at the 2018 SEAK Conference – 057 appeared first on NonClinical Physicians.

How to Become CMO in a Year – 052

John Jurica — Wed, 19 Sep 2018 11:00:21 +0000

Hello, and welcome to the PNC podcast. Today I'm going to run through a thought experiment: How to Become CMO in a Year!

Granted, this is a pretty tall order. It’s certainly easier if the organization you’re working for is looking for a CMO, or if you’re in a large city with multiple hospitals, MCOs and large medical groups.

But what do you need to do to get that chief medical officer job as soon as possible, even if you have limited management and leadership experience? Well, let me be your mentor and show you how it might be done.

Let’s start with the end in mind. What skill sets will a CMO candidate need to demonstrate so that an employer will…

read a cover letter and resume,
set up a series of interviews and,
select you as the new CMO?

If you’ve graduated medical school, completed a residency and worked clinically for a few years, you already have many of the necessary leadership skills.

Photo by Adam Smotkin on Unsplash

But you’ll need to work on those additional business and management skills that will enable you to work in a corporate environment.

I break down those skills into five general areas that a health care organization will generally be looking for:

Data Management
Financial Management
Business Practices
Leadership Skills
Talent Management

In this solo episode, I describe the specific skills needed in each area. I also provide examples of how you can develop those skills, if you don't already have them. Then, you can dream about becoming CMO in a year!

So… Is it possible to Become CMO in a Year?

It’s a stretch, but here's one plan for doing so, based on what I outlined in today's episode:

Join the AAPL and sign-up for one or two management courses. This demonstrates commitment.
If you’re a member of a committee or team, volunteer to be chair as soon as the opportunity presents itself. Let everyone know NOW that you’re willing to do so.
Find a local nonprofit that needs a board member and join ASAP. Volunteer for the Finance and Quality Committees and attend every board and committee meeting. Volunteer to chair at least one of the committees as soon as you can.
Try to get certified in QI, Lean Process Improvement or Six Sigma in the next 6 months.
Keep track of your positions, AND of the measurable accomplishments the organizations or committees have achieved with your help.
Leverage any current part-time management positions to include direct reports that you can manage.
Take one of the teams or boards that you chair through a SWOT analysis and mini-strategic plan, and set measurable goals for the coming year.

If you can complete those steps in the next 12 months, you’re ready to prepare an awesome resume, and begin your search for that CMO job.

New Paid Mentoring Program

I described a very special offer at the end of this episode. It's for a new paid Mentoring Program called Become CMO in a Year.

It’s designed for board certified physicians who work at least part-time in a hospital setting, who want to move into hospital or medical group management.

Through this mentoring program, I’ll obtain a detailed summary of your business and management experience, training and skills. I’ll identify the gaps in your skill sets, and then outline a plan for you to address gaps as efficiently as possible, using methods I’ve used myself, and have seen others use to great success.

The mentoring will occur through detailed audio advice and coaching that you can review as often as you like, and written transcripts, all designed to address your specific needs. It is completed with a live one-on-one call to answer specific questions and provide additional insights and advice to launch your new career.

If you'd like to read more about this program and launch your fulfilling, high-paying career as a physician executive, you'll definitely want to check out Become CMO in a Year.

There is no obligation. So, go check out Become CMO in One Year, because this could be the turning point in your nonclinical job search!

Please join me again next week for an exciting interview with a physician expert witness. I hope to see you then.

As always, I welcome your comments and feedback.

If you enjoyed today’s episode share it on Twitter and Facebook, and leave a review on iTunes.

Disclaimer:

The opinions expressed herein are those of me, and my guest where applicable. While the information published in written and audio form on the podcast are true and accurate to the best of my knowledge, there is no express or implied guarantee that using the methods discussed herein will lead to success in your career, life or business.

The opinions are my own, and my guest's, and not those of any organization(s) that I'm a member of, or affiliated with. The information presented on this blog and related podcast is for entertainment and/or informational purposes only. They should not be construed as advice, such a medical, legal, tax, emotional or other types of advice.

Right click here and “Save As” to download this podcast episode to your computer.

The easiest ways to listen: vitalpe.net/itunes or vitalpe.net/stitcher

The post How to Become CMO in a Year – 052 appeared first on NonClinical Physicians.