Time and again as I have spoken to doctors who have transitioned, I’ve heard them say that doctors with clinical experience of about 6 to 10 years tend to be snapped by the industry. In addition, having another area of expertise certainly helps the process. Without a doubt, making the necessary preparations always benefit the transitioning doctor.
Agility, adaptability, and the right mindset will accelerate the transitioning process and set the doctors on the road to success. A right mindset is needed to master the scope of the job, be it law, ICT, finance, medical devices, and others.
After she returned from completing her medical studies in the U.K. and having worked in the NHS for a couple of years, Dr. Sheryl Soon, who decided to use her medical education outside of clinical service, begun employment at a recruitment company. She chose to start out as an intern to test the waters to see if the profession would be right for her in the long run. As it turned out, she was good at it and moved on to become a resourcer, then an associate consultant, and then a full-fledged consultant who was hiring regionally.
She also wanted to see for herself if the doctors who had been in the industry a long time, were still enjoying their lives. She found out that they were. Armed with this knowledge, she knew she could settle reasonably well in a field of her choice outside of clinical service if she had the right mindset and approach.
While testing the waters is a good preparation to enter the marketplace, the innate qualities within a person also matter. It determines the success or failure of a person who is transitioning.
Qualities such as a willingness to be humble and glean from the knowledge of line managers and those with many years of experience within a specific industry is crucial. The ability to learn and ask questions in a new profession is also important. Embracing two-way communication is key to a successful transition. So is the ability to communicate both internally within the organization and to external stakeholders beyond the organization.
Dr. Sheryl did these things, but she also sought guidance from those who had been in the field ahead of her. She did this because learning from successful people cuts short her learning time and accelerates her learning curve. A wise move on her part.
What’s also crucial is to take accountability for the outcome and the results. It isn’t the boss’s responsibility to guarantee the success of the transitioning doctor. That’s for the doctor to do.
