Otolaryngologists need only look at their inboxes to see the demand they command. Messages beckon from recruiters, professional acquaintances and even prospective employers pitching job openings as the next big gig. The constant barrage of opportunities can leave you wondering if there really is something better out there—and if you’re getting the most out of your current job.
One way to answer these types of questions is to conduct a formal career assessment to invetory what is and isn’t working in a career and examine how that career fits into a person’s overall life at that point in time, said Cezanne Allen, MD, a certified physician development coach based in Bainbridge Island, Wash.
Physicians dissatisfied with their jobs should seek out the source of their frustration, said Dr. Allen. Is it the quality of work, workload, types of patients, patient interaction, practice development, medical knowledge limitations, lack of enjoyment, staff support, reimbursement or work environment? “It’s asking myself where I see the problem and then following it up with, ‘What does that tell me about what I really want?’” Dr. Allen said.
“As a doctor, you have made a big investment in your career, so if you’re not pleased with how it’s working out, don’t wait too long to consider making a change,” said Craig Derkay, MD, professor and vice chair of the department of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk. But he stresses that physicians shouldn’t restrict career evaluations to times of dissatisfaction. “Even if you do enjoy what you are doing, you should evaluate where you are and where you want to be in a few years and [ask yourself] if you can accomplish your goals in your current practice situation or if they would require a change.”
You’ve Got Personality
Career assessments are as individual as the person conducting them, but there are some specific elements that otolaryngologists should consider. A behavioral profile or personality test is extremely helpful for physicians wanting to understand what their natural “hard-wiring” is when it comes to learning, problem-solving and communication, said Francine Gaillour, MD, MBA, executive director of the Physician Coaching Institute in Bellevue, Wash., a company that links doctors and health care teams with certified career coaches. Career coaches can be a good option, particularly for otolaryngologists who are struggling with significant change. Coaches do more than assist with resumes and interview strategies, said Dr. Gaillour. They help people align their careers with their values, strengths, passions and goals so that they can reach their full potential as a professional and a person. Coaches also advise on how to strategically plan a career and help physicians build career resilience, she said.
“By resilience, I mean that there is always going to be some relevance to what you’re doing and you’re going to be able to weather some of the [health care] changes,” Dr. Gaillour said. “With a lot of physician groups and hospitals coming together and the stress of new initiatives, mergers, integrations, electronic medical records and accountable care organizations, all of that has a direct impact on physicians.”
Dr. Derkay suggests that otolaryngologists speak to their mentors to glean career assessment insight. “We pride ourselves as a specialty on being open to mentorship, to mentoring students and residents during their training, then maintaining those relationships over years,” Dr. Derkay said. “People I mentored 20 years ago still call me for advice, including advice on changing jobs, moving to a different part of a country or reviewing a new contract.” He added that, chances are, a mentor will know someone who has been in a similar situation and will be able to help evaluate the pros and cons of the career change you may be considering. “The older generation really tries to help the younger generation wade through these challenges,” Dr. Derkay said.
If you are considering a career outside of the immediate medical sphere in which you work, however, locating a mentor can be a challenge, said Russell Faust, PhD, MD. Dr. Faust was a pediatric otolaryngologist at the St. John Providence Hospital and Medical Center Michigan in Southfield, Mich. “About five years ago, my back began to become an issue during surgery,” Dr. Faust said. “I was performing up to 20 surgeries a week; my back couldn’t sustain it.”
Luckily, options other than surgery were open to Dr. Faust. A self-proclaimed “tech-geek,” he had been running a blog intended to keep his patients and their parents informed, and to his surprise, the site took off. “The things I’m most passionate about are teaching, research, technology and patient care,” Dr. Faust said. “If I had to leave surgery, I wanted to find ways to satisfy most of these aspects.” But, Dr. Faust said, the difficulty is in finding mentors outside of clinical medicine to help make a dramatic career change. Therefore, he focused on building his professional network. “Even if you’re just considering a change outside of academic medicine, you need to start building up that professional network,” he said, recommending that physicians connect on sites such as LinkedIn. “One of the smartest things I ever did was partner up with people in the business world,” he added.
The Time Is Right
Recommendations vary on how often career assessments should be conducted. “Although there’s no set formula, it’s reasonable on a five-year basis to look yourself in the mirror and make sure you’re on the path you want to be on,” said Dr. Derkay. “But if you’re waking up in the morning and not excited to go to work, you should think about an assessment tomorrow.”
The more often physicians examine their career, the better they become at understanding themselves and using that understanding to their advantage, said Dr. Gaillour, who advocates annual assessments. Others suggest a daily dose of assessment.
“Daily, a physician can create a ritual to just check in with themselves, have a space where they can ask themselves questions of what went well today, what do I want more of, if there are complaints that are arising,” Dr. Allen added. “It’s an important way of preventing ourselves from getting in a place where we are really dissatisfied.”
Article adapted with permission from the Society of Hospital Medicine.