As you advance through residency or fellowship, a few questions may come to mind. "What will my future job look like?" "Will there be opportunities for experience and growth?" "Where do I want to live and practice?" "Will I like my job?" If trends hold, the chances are you’ll like a lot of the answers to those questions. According to an American Medical Association survey, nine in 10 physicians are satisfied with their career choice despite challenges common to each career stage. As you ponder and plan your future career, be sure to also ask yourself: "What’s my best practice fit?"....

 

When the daily grind starts to feel more like going through the motions, it can be difficult to feel passionate about the work we’re doing - and passion is key in your profession as a physician. It keeps you sharp, engaged, enthusiastic and empathetic as you practice. But constantly making rounds, seeing patients and filling out charts can become monotonous without hitting the refresh button. If predictable patterns and routines are starting to steal your spark, check out these ideas to re-center, get out of the day-to-day rut and renew the passion in your practice. Offer mentorship I....

 

You’re beginning your job search - or maybe you just want to see what is available - so you start looking at job boards, reaching out to recruiters and possibly attending career fairs. There are many ways to get a feel for the health care job market, but live and virtual career fairs put you in front of hiring organizations and give you a chance to meet with and speak to multiple recruiters in only a few hours. They can almost be treated as mini interviews, which means you want to be prepared and have questions ready so you know which organization might be the best fit for you. Here ....

 

2020 will be a year remembered for widespread disruption because of COVID-19. Some were fortunate enough that the interruption only meant working from home and canceling plans. For others, it was losing a job, facing serious illness or losing a loved one. As we head into 2021, the longstanding tradition of New Year’s resolutions offers an opportunity to reflect on the past year and determine what we’d like to improve in the coming year. According to a CIT Bank survey conducted by The Harris Poll, 43 percent of Americans intend to make New Year’s resolutions heading into 2021,....

 

Telehealth has been around for years, but it became more common during the COVID-19 pandemic. Telehealth or telemedicine’s growth increased because of a desperate need to reduce in-person visits at the beginning of the pandemic and was boosted by the U.S. government’s rare move to loosen some Medicare policy and payment restrictions. Because Medicare has lowered its requirements, insurance companies have been slowly following suit. For instance, there was the Medicare Expansion program, which allowed telehealth visits to be considered the same as in-person visits and physicians to ....

 

Without a plan, a goal is just a wish. It takes deliberate steps to map out the best approach to achieving any worthwhile objective. As you’re thinking about what you want to achieve in the next year, five years or even five days, these steps can help give life to your goals and make them more manageable - and hopefully, more reachable.  What do you want to achieve? Just as important as keeping goals is deciding which are worth setting in the first place. Is it landing a job with your first choice? Securing an interview? Finding a mentor? Finishing training? Or even advancing to a....

 

Nearly every industry faces burnout in its employees. It could be said medical professionals face a larger amount of burnout, especially during the holiday season when many others get to unwind and be with family. Add a global pandemic, the stress of caring for COVID-19 patients and the risk of exposure to the virus, and burnout is almost inevitable. Even if you aren’t working in a COVID facility, talking to patients about the pandemic, making sure your patients are avoiding exposure and taking all the proper precautions yourself can begin to take its toll. Burnout is extremely common an....

 

A lot of time, energy and effort - not to mention money - go into studying and training to become a physician or advanced practice provider. With so much focus on earning the degree and completing residency or fellowship, it’s easy to forget finding the right practice may take a little time and energy, too. A job search doesn’t have to be stressful. By following these 10 steps and sticking to a timeline, you become better prepared - and more confident - in searching for and securing your first or next practice.   Start exploring your options Start - 24 months before ....

 

Price is a major factor when purchasing a new car, but it’s not the only detail to consider. That decision is based on much more than a dollar figure. What’s the vehicle make, model and year? Is it the right performance trim? Does it have the heated seats, moonroof and other extras you enjoy? Those additional details factor heavily into determining whether the asking price is worth signing the paperwork. Salary plays a similar role when reviewing contract offers. While base pay and incentives are important, things like the practice location can influence their true value. Consider ....

 

There’s a lot about being a physician that can be stress-inducing. From long hours to physically, mentally and emotionally demanding tasks, there’s not much about your job that’s simple. It can be especially difficult to get out from underneath stress when on the clock, and even once you step away. Finding balance between work and personal time as a health care worker is more critical than ever right now - but just as important is how you manage and minimize work stress when you’re not practicing. As you take time off to rest and recharge, here are some ways you can k....

 

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many industries and has had an especially large impact on health care. Because of this, Congress and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services passed the use of certain programs to support providers as they continue to care for patients. One way to help was expanding telehealth to give providers an additional way to see patients. Telehealth allows patients and their families to stay in the comfort and safety of their own home and not travel to a facility. This accessibility means patients save time driving and waiting in the office, and don’t nee....

 

If you’re a physician who has a J-1 visa and you are seeking a waiver in place of the two-year home residency requirement, you may be aware of the Conrad 30 program and its benefits. Conrad 30 allows each state to select 30 physicians to submit to the U.S. Department of State to be chosen for a J-1 visa waiver. Although a great resource, it helps to know the program’s limitations. One of them is the timing each state has to accept these applications. The federal government’s fiscal year is from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30. Each Conrad 30 J-1 visa waiver program follows a similar ....