Non-clinical Medical Jobs for Physicians
It seems to me that there are more doctors seeking non-clinical jobs than there are jobs available, at least ones that would pay enough and be challenging enough for a physician. Therefore, the job search as a physician seeking a non-clinical job is a different experience than the job search process as a physician seeking a medical practice opportunity. That is due to basic laws of supply and demand.
If you are a physician who is seeking a non-clinical career, you may want to start with my new career overview of non-clinical jobs for physicians. As with any career move or transition, it is important to consider your goals and objectives prior to acting on them. Occasionally, I do also hear from physicians who left clinical practice, and are so unhappy that they want to return to practicing medicine. They switched for the wrong reasons, and getting back into clinical practice after a lapse can be challenging, due to the beauracracy of reinstating your licensure and privileges to practice medicine. Therefore, my advice to any physician who is considering such a drastic career change is to proceed with caution, and consider your motives and the consequences carefully.
If you are a physician who has made the transition from medical practice into a non-clinical career, how did you do it? And are you glad you've made the transition? Please feel free to comment here and share your experience with other readers.
Hello
As a physician who has changed careers from surgeon to medical communications company owner, I particulerly enjoyed this article. I frequently speak and write on the topic of career change and have also started Physician Renaisscnae Network (www.PRNresource.com), an on-line resource for doctors with non-clinical careers and interests. PRN services include an extensive catalog of information, a newsletter, a members-only networking service, and reading materials such as my book “Do You Feel Like You Wasted All That Training?” I think that readers of this article will find the website helpful.
Thanks
Mike McLaughlin
Hi Andrea, I enjoy reading your blog. I also constantly meet clinicians (not just physicians, but other health care professionals) who are interested in making the transition into something non-clinical. I am a technology advocate and I see so many new opportunities in the healthcare industry.
JK
http://mdjosephkim.blogspot.com/
http://nonclinical.blogspot.com/
I have been searching for blogs, articles, etc, that address the challenges posed by a medical disability that prevent physicians from working in clinical practice. I have MS, and as time goes,there is the concern of liability. I can’t/don’t want to stop working and because of other factors don’t need to make a lot of money.
I am a physician and friend of Dr. McLaughlin (above comment). I also write and speak about the topic (google my name and my articles will come up). I have successfully made the career transition and now work at a brokerage firm where I help employer groups with health and wellness initiatives. I consult on an individual basis with other doctors looking to make a transition and with employer groups looking to lower their healthcare costs.
You have written a great article. Getting the message out is critical and will help more people than you will ever know. Thanks for your work.
Best,
Michelle
I’m currently practicing but have returned to school to get my MPH in Health Policy. The career prospects that will be available after I finish my degree seem almost endless. The Health Policy department at my school gets information on positions constantly and they are forwarded to students and they include positions in government, industry, non-profits, think tanks, and academics. I’m very excited about the future now in a way I haven’t been for quite awhile now and I’m looking forward to impacting people’s health in a broad sense. I will continue to practice medicine part-time in an academic setting but I’m happy to have found something that opens up possibilities rather than limiting them like clinical medicine seems to do.
I enjoyed your post about nonclinical jobs. I too have had a number of my colleagues express interest in opportunities for physicians in nonclinical careers. I recently posted a number of entries on my Medical Fusion Blog about physician career dissatisfaction and alternative careers for physicians. We also are organizing a conference to help guide physicians who might be interested in career change ( http://www.MedFusionConf.org ). Thanks once again for the post.