How To Translate Your Clinical Skills Into Non-Clinical Language
As a physician, you are a fish swimming in an ocean of skills!
When you apply for non-clinical jobs, you’ll want to translate your clinical skills into the language of the non-clinical role.
In this post, I show you how to uncover and translate your skills.
1. General questions to uncover your skills:
What comes naturally to you that others struggle with?
What do people ask for your help with?
What challenging situation/s have you overcome and what skills did you use to do so?
2. Examples to guide you:
Examples of clinical skills and possible non-clinical translations.
CLINICAL SKILL
Direct patient care.
NON-CLINICAL translation
Client/consumer interaction.
Ability to perform with a high degree of independence.
Excellent analytical and problem solving capacity.
CLINICAL SKILL
Communicate with patients and families.
NON-CLINICAL translation
Well-versed in conflict resolution.
Ensure stakeholder engagement.
CLINICAL SKILL
Rapport building with patients and other healthcare providers.
NON-CLINICAL translation
Empathic/Effective communicator.
Conflict management.
Emotional intelligence.
Motivated team player.
CLINICAL SKILL
Multitasking.
Well-organized.
NON-CLINICAL translation
Strong ability to stay on track with multiple projects or administrative tasks.
Ability to manage execution of multiple tasks to accomplish goals.
Organization skills.
CLINICAL SKILL
Staying on time in the clinic.
NON-CLINICAL translation
Effective task prioritization.
Effective time management.
Thrive in a fast-paced environment.
CLINICAL SKILL
Develop trust with patients quickly.
NON-CLINICAL translation
Build rapport with clients, customers, stakeholders effectively and easily
CLINICAL SKILL
Diagnose and treat.
NON-CLINICAL translation
Synthesize and integrate complex data points.
Attention to detail.
Perform medical data review.
Apply evidence-based medicine to practice.
CLINICAL SKILL
Counsel patients re: diagnose and treatment options.
NON-CLINICAL translation
Communicate complex concepts in an easily understandable manner.
Simplify complex concepts.
Communicate life-changing diagnoses in an empathic and effective manner.
CLINICAL SKILL
Lead a team of trainees and other health care providers on ward rounds.
NON-CLINICAL translation
Team leadership in a matrix environment.
Provide expertise, counsel, and guidance to the team.
CLINICAL SKILL
Provide care within a multidisciplinary setting.
NON-CLINICAL translation
Function well within a cross-functional team setting.
Collaborate and cooperate with all members of the team.
CLINICAL SKILL
Stay calm during codes and other life-threatening patient scenarios.
NON-CLINICAL translation
Calming presence.
Stay calm under pressure.
Make rational decisions in high stakes situations.
Function well in a fast-paced environment.
CLINICAL SKILL
Make notes, chart.
NON-CLINICAL translation
Proficient with electronic data entry systems.
Strong written communication.
CLINICAL SKILL
Maintain patient confidentiality.
NON-CLINICAL translation
Maintain documentation integrity and demonstrate ethical principles.
CLINICAL SKILL
Give lectures in powerpoint, make docs in word or google docs, schedule in Excel.
NON-CLINICAL translation
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite or google products.
CLINICAL SKILL
Present cases, give talks and other lectures.
NON-CLINICAL translation
Strong verbal/oral communication.
Public speaking.
CLINICAL SKILL
Mentor students or residents.
NON-CLINICAL translation
Mentor, teach, coach, train personnel/stakeholders/team members.
CLINICAL SKILL
Chair or member of a committee.
NON-CLINICAL translation
Team leadership.
Team player.
Actively participate in meetings.
CLINICAL SKILL
Lead a QI project, peer review,
Oversee and create clinic or teaching schedules.
NON-CLINICAL translation
Identify, lead, and drive opportunities to improve quality systems.
Data analysis.
Project management.
As a physician, you have many transferable clinical skills!
The skills you choose to translate will depend on the non-clinical role you’re applying for. Be sure to use the same language as the job posting when you translate your skills.
What clinical skill do you need help translating? Contact me with the skill in question and I will help you!
Check out this comprehensive Skills Resource Document
Compiled by Andrew Tisser, DO.
You will need to give your email address in exchange for the PDF.
Do You Have Transferable Skills For A Non-Clinical Job?
Listen as Heather Fork, MD answers this question on her podcast here (17:34 mins).