Is Your Anxiety About the Physician Interview Process Normal?

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physician interview1

Dear Dr. Goodhook,

I’m preparing myself for the job search process (refining my CV, starting on some cover letter templates, etc.), and already, I’m nervous about my first interview. Is this normal? I won’t even be starting the application process for a few more months.

Do you have any advice about what I should do (or how to calm my nerves)? I’m worried I’m worrying for no reason, but I want to be prepared.

Sincerely,

Anxious in Alabama

Dear Anxious,

“I’m worried I’m worrying for no reason.” Are you quoting Woody Allen?

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6 Steps to Finding the Ideal Amount of Income for Any Physician

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physician compensation

Of all of the questions I’m asked on a regular basis, “How much should I be earning?” seems to be the most popular among new physicians.

Many of them live in fear that they’ll accept an offer that’s far too low, or they’ll find out that their peers are actually earning much more. The horror!

Of course, the first thing I tell residents and new physicians is to research the market. Find out how much physicians earn depending on location, and find out the averages for your specialty. Then, determine how “in demand” you’ll be given an area and its population. That will give you a good ballpark figure.

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The One Skill That Can Make or Break Your Medical Career

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residency skills

“Patient-centered care” is a phrase that’s reached buzzword status… we hear it so often that it can be easy to ignore. But the fact is, patient-centeredness is one of the four key physician leadership competencies that most of today’s hiring organizations look for.

One of the biggest components of patient-centered care is empathy. To make it simple, I like to think of empathy as the ability to put yourself in another person’s shoes — to know where they’re coming from and why they feel the way they do.

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How to Blow Your Chances After a Physician Interview

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physician interview

I’ve rambled at length about the importance of the physician interview, but there’s another component that’s often overlooked: post-interview follow up.

I suppose there isn’t a better feeling than marching into an interview, putting your best toe forward, and waltzing off with a sense of pride and certainty. Your physician interview went splendid, and you know it in your mind: I’ve got this. It’s in the bag.

But what, dear reader, if it isn’t in the bag? Even if you think you aced the interview, it’s easy to leave a bad taste in your interviewers’ mouths if you don’t follow up properly.

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Military Medical Scholarship Program: A Smart Way to Avoid Debt

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Military Medical Scholarship Program

As a soon-to-be-graduating resident, I’m currently knee-deep in the unknowns and uncertainties of beginning my career in rehabilitation medicine. But, as a Health Professions Scholarship recipient courtesy of the US NAVY, I certainly have one less thing to worry about — repaying medical school loan debt.

After chatting with my fellow non-military residents about post-graduation financial obligations, I realized that, as well as being proud that I served my country, I am also extremely fortunate to NOT have an insane amount of educational loan debt to repay. For the benefit of those of you who may be considering the military medical scholarship program to offset the ever-increasing cost of medical education, I want to share my experience.

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5 Ways to Pay Off Burdensome Medical Student Loan Debt Fast

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Medical Student Loan Debt

Here’s a figure that you’ve probably seen a zillion times: 79% of graduating medical students carry at least $100,000 in student loan debt, and 59% of those graduates carry over $150,000 in student loan debt.

Those numbers are hard to swallow, but they’re also easy to ignore.

Here’s a figure that I like better: Monthly student loan payments of more than $3,000 are not uncommon for medical school graduates.

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Are You Prepared for Dramatic Shifts Post-Residency? (Part 2)

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post residency

Earlier this week, I wrote about the ways in which residents’ lives change dramatically during the transition to practice. For many, this transition feels like a complete 180. (If you missed the post, check it out here.)

As promised, I’m going to devote today’s post to introducing the concept of a “Life After Residency Alliance,” which is a group of people you can rely on for support, guidance and direction as you transition to practice.

The concept is taken from Napoleon Hill’s Mastermind Alliance, a philosophy of assembling a select group of people (Masterminds) to achieve a definite purpose. Each person contributes his or her strengths and talents, and helps to form a stronger alliance.

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Are You Prepared for Dramatic Shifts Post-Residency? (Part 1)

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Post Residency

The more I talk to new physicians who are transitioning into practice, the more I realize how many substantial life and career shifts occur post-residency.

I experienced these changes myself several years ago, but it’s taken me a while to fully process them and realize how they’ve affected my life.

In fact, it would be safe to say that I experienced a complete 180 after graduating from residency. I know other new physicians go through these exact same changes every year, whether they’re prepared for them or not.

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Your Biggest Frustrations Can Make Life After Residency Better

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life after residency

It seems counterintuitive, but your biggest frustrations now can actually make life after residency better.

No matter where you’re at in your program — whether you’re in your first or fourth year — it can feel like it’s never going to end. You’ve been in school for the majority of your life, you’re working long hours and you’re under constant evaluation. Talk about an instant recipe for stress!

Instead of just stewing in anger about all of your current frustrations, you can actually make them work for you by examining them a little closer. That way, when you’ve graduated from residency (and have a more flexible and autonomous life), you’ll have a better idea of things you can do to eliminate these types of stress.

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Physician Relocation: Will You Choose the Wrong Home?

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physician relocation

Physician relocation is a two-fold situation: On the one hand, you’re starting your career and entering a new phase of life. On the other hand, it can be one of life’s most stressful events. This is especially true if you have a family and are already established in your community, or are moving across the country.

Even if you’re already a homeowner, there are several new things to consider when purchasing a home post-residency. And since you’re entering a new — and likely more stable — phase of life, you’ll want to make sure you make the right choice for you and your family.

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