Are you concerned that you would be wasting some of your medical training if you switched to a non-clinical career?

This is a common concern.

Here are 5 perspectives for you to consider.

1. Your medical knowledge and clinical skills are highly valued and transferable to other industries.

You might see your clinical skills as, “just what I do”, but they are highly valued in other industries.

Example of skills 99% of physicians can do in their sleep:

Critical thinking.
Analytical skills.
Problem solving.
Manage complexity.
Communication.
Staying calm under pressure.
Leadership.

Click here to learn “How to identify your transferable skills”.

2. Your medical training allows you to make an impact outside of seeing patients.

You are a different person in the world because of your medical training. You have insights on issues of broad relevance to society.

For example, you can influence and inform:

Healthcare policy, technology, environment, or education.

Pharmaceutical and device development.

Dissemination of accurate medical information.

3. You’re a lifelong learner and you’re always growing.

What if you were to see your medical training as part of your educational journey and not the entirety of your professional identity?

Learning and change are antidotes to monotony and allow for growth.

When you grow, you leverage existing skills, learn new ones, and let go of the ones you no longer enjoy.

4. You can redefine what success looks like to you personally and professionally.

Your definition of success is likely to change as you go through different stages of life.

For example, when you start your career, your goal might be to master your specialty and become the go-to physician in your specialty. Then you become a parent with young children, and you choose to re-prioritize your values, redefine your career goals, and how you now want to apply your medical training.

5. As a medical trainee, you helped and served many patients.

If you look back on your time in training, you probably have a few stories of how you impacted a patient (and their family’s) experience of their disease and the healthcare system.

Don’t discount the lasting impact that may have on patients.

Do you imagine those patients see your training as wasted?

Summary

You are a physician and a human being, constantly evolving and growing.

Your next career will leverage your unique combination of personality, training, skills, and experience.

Whether you choose to become a stay at home parent or consult for a VC company, your medical training is never wasted.

You will ALWAYS be a doctor.