Physician career change services are a popular option for those doctors who seek to change their career trajectory. This immensely challenging profession has led to many physicians reconsidering whether patient interaction and the healthcare system are truly their callings. And if you are considering a career change now, you are not alone. In this article, we will discuss why doctors seek a career change, what kinds of physician career advisors can help with this transition, and who qualifies as an expert physician career change advisor.
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Why Do Doctors Change Careers?
There may be thousands of reasons why a physician wants to change the course of their career. Some may want to change their specialty, others may decide to move from urban medicine to rural medicine, and others may simply realize that medicine is not their calling. While they may have answered the question “why do you want to be a doctor?” very eloquently during the interview, now they have had a change of heart. There are many career options for MDs without residency.
However, one of the most influential reasons for physicians to stop practicing is burnout and career dissatisfaction. According to the latest data in Canada, 1 in 4 physicians and residents report burnout. Physicians of 5 or fewer years are more likely to experience burnout since they have lower resilience than experienced doctors. In the United States, the numbers are not much different: 54% of surveyed physicians reported having a burnout. And it is important to note that burnout is not associated with any drastic changes in healthcare. In fact, 79% of physicians reported having burnout before the pandemic began, so burnout and career fatigue cannot be solely associated with the recent changes in the healthcare landscape.
This pattern affects everyone, including physicians themselves and their patients. According to the latest study, physicians who experience burnout have higher rates of error that can significantly impact their patients. Patients also report lower quality of care and reluctance to trust their physicians. So, the issue of burnout is widespread and prevailing.
Do you need to revisit the question "Why do you want to be a doctor?" Check out this video:
But the option of career change is scary. Most physicians spend years of their life training to become one. The effort to even qualify to apply to medical school is immense! After completing their college education and all the necessary medical school prerequisites, they must sit one of the longest and most difficult tests out there: the MCAT. Furthermore, they cannot simply complete all the application requirements, they must learn how to make their medical school application stand out. After all this effort they have to do well in medical school, prepare for clinical rotations, and create a perfect medical school study schedule that will help them ace their rotations and USMLE. And after this, they spend years in residency training. How long your residency will be will depend on the specialty you choose, but it can be anywhere from 3 to 8 years. It can be very scary to change careers after all the effort you put into physicians’ training. Furthermore, it may be hard to face a transition after spending thousands of dollars on your medical school education.
Physicians are some of the highest-paid and respected professionals in our society, so it may be challenging for certain doctors to leave all this behind. However, this is the reason physician career change services exist. With the help of the right professional, you will be able to see what options you have and how you can successfully make the transition into a new, lucrative, and happier career.
Are you still on route to becoming a doctor and are wondering what steps are left to complete? Take a look at this infographic:
How Can Physician Career Change Services Help?
As we already mentioned, there is a variety of reasons a physician may seek the help of a career change service. So let's discuss some of the ways a career advisor can help.
Conclusion: How to Find a Physician Career Change Advisor
A physician career change service usually employs some former MDs and DOs, or at least MDs and DOs who have found satisfaction in career counseling and advising in addition to their practice duties. This is why these services are especially valuable. In addition to speaking with someone who is expertly trained to help people find and transition to a new career, you can speak with someone who has been through a similar change. Remember what we mentioned above, there are career options in healthcare you can pursue, so you do not have to go through drastic changes of being retrained for another career option. A consultant can help you make the right decisions for you, whatever you think your calling is within or beyond medicine.
The best way to find a physician career change service is to reach out to their representatives for a free initial strategy call. A short, free call would allow you to ask questions about who you will be working with and how they can help. Additionally, you can ask about their consultants’ credentials, work experience, and experience with helping people transition into a new career. An expert career change consultancy will be able to identify what kind of help you require and set you up with an advisor who would be perfect for you.
FAQs
1. What is a physician career change service?
These professional services help physicians transition to new careers within healthcare and beyond. These advisors are specifically trained to help people find new careers based on their education, work experience, skill, and interests.
2. Why do physicians look to career change services?
There are hundreds of reasons why a physician may want to pursue a career change. For example, they may be moving to a different state or province and need some guidance to help them transition. Or they may be tired of patient interactions and look for opportunities with less bedside work. But one of the biggest reasons physicians decide to leave medical practice altogether is burnout.
3. Can career change services help me find myself in medicine again?
Absolutely! Career change does not mean that you have to leave medicine completely. You can simply transition to a different specialty or setting where you will enjoy being a physician more.
4. Can a career change advisor help me find a career outside of medicine?
Yes, they can! After carefully discussing with you your interests, skills, work experience, and more, they can help you narrow down your options outside of medicine. These can include total career changes that may require additional education, but some may instead involve slight additional training or no training at all.
5. How can I find an advisor who is right for me?
We would strongly advise reaching out to your chosen service for a free initial consultation to discuss how they can help you. This may clear up your questions and you can pursue your career change planning with a total understanding of the process.
6. Can the career change advisor help me get into a training program?
Yes, they can definitely help you find the program and apply to it. In addition to being well-trained career experts, they are well-trained with all sorts of applications.
7. Can career change advisors help me with job applications?
Yes, absolutely! They can help you structure and edit your resume, cover letters, and more!
8. Can I use a physician career change service if I am retired?
Yes, of course. If you are a retired physician who is not looking for a new career, feel free to use career change services to find your new calling!
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