Changing careers? Three coaches and a few questions to help you see things more clearly

Advice from coaches for physicians who want to change careers or reorient themselves.

You only get one life, "wild and precious"... so it's worth taking the time to make your career work for you.

Katya Miles

The pandemic...what comes next? The extremely difficult period that physicians have just been through may make them question their career prospects. Moving on? Change jobs?

Here is a summary of the article "How can I refocus on my career after the pandemic?"¹ published in the BMJ (British Medical Journal). The author shares the advice of three coaches, themselves physicians, specialising in medical careers. Adam Harrison (Joyful Doctor Coaching) and Claire Kaye were both GPs before moving into career coaching. Katya Miles, an occupational physician, founded Working Well Doctor.

First give yourself the right to get better and the time to reflect

When was the last time you took the time to ask yourself what you really wanted? But in order to think properly, you need to feel good.

Ask for help if you need it. Caregivers find it hard to give themselves this crucial permission. It is a necessary first step before thinking about a different professional future.
Give yourself space in your mind to reflect, whether it's during a physical or creative activity, start keeping a journal.

Your work today

How do you feel at the moment?
Are you enjoying your work? Are you too exhausted to care? Are you somewhere in between?
When was the last time you had a good day at work?
Why was it such a good day? How did you feel? What brings you joy in your work? How can you find this in your future career?
Ask yourself the same questions about the last time you had a difficult day.
What are your stress triggers? What career direction would allow you to minimise them?
How do you react to stress? Do you feel overwhelmed or do you step back?
Knowing and accepting how you react to career challenges helps you change your mindset.
What motivates you, what demotivates you?
Simple adjustments can rekindle your interest in your profession.
Try to reduce or stop doing what motivates you and focus more on what interests you.
What impact does your work have on your private life?

Post-pandemic: new skills, new priorities?

Many physicians have developed new skills to meet the demands of the pandemic: leadership, dealing with uncertainty, supporting colleagues. It is wise to take stock of these skills, which can be reused in other careers within and outside medicine.
Don't forget the myriad of transferable skills you have as a physician.
The pandemic has brought about a change in the way medicine is practised and this is a good time to see if it is still right for you.
The pandemic may have changed your professional goals, your personal circumstances, your priorities. What is important to you now?

Yesterday and tomorrow

Why did you go to medical school? Do these reasons still exist for you?
If not, ask yourself why, and ask yourself what you could do to get closer to them.
What are the values that guide you?
If you can't put them into words, Adam Harrison suggests using this questionnaire
How does your career progression fit with these values?
A path that is not in line with your core values is likely to be unsatisfactory.
What will you be doing in five years?
If all things were possible, what would your ideal career look like then? (Don't rule out any career path, even non-traditional ones).
In the meantime, to help you answer all these questions, why not use a coach?

Reference:
1. How can I refocus on my career after the pandemic? BMJ 2021; 373 (Published 17 May 2021)