Non-Clinical Journey Begins
Find An Alternative
Change your life.
An event in Fall 2010 changed my outlook forever. While I still love and practice clinical medicine par-time, I knew there had to be an alternative to the common life of a physician.
Let's face it. Unless one loves punishment, a full time career in a busy medical setting will take its toll on all aspects of a physician's life. Having witnessed the tragic deaths of several physician friends and colleagues, the idea of letting life pass me came to a stop. Taking call, working crazy shifts in the ED and everything else that goes along with the mistress of medicine resulted in marital strife & missing out on my children and all their amazing activities and accomplishments.
The event in 2010 I am referring to is actually a series of events. To sum it up: a close friend died at the age of 44 after literally killing himself in a challenging clinical position. He left behind a loving with and two amazing daughters. His legacy in the medical arena is impressive, but his goal of working hard now to provide for a future retirement filled with amazing adventures came to a crashing halt after loosing his battle to cancer and succumbing to ARDS.
The other force of change came after meeting several amazing physicians who made the realization early on that transitioning out of clinical medicine would improve their lives in an unbelievable capacity. These physicians shared their passion and showed me how to pave my own way out of the unhappiness I knew as full time clinical medicine.
If you are here reading this, you must have an inner voice telling you it is time to change. Initially my family and friends gave some resistance and often stated that I was "wasting all that training". I don't look at it that way. I still practice medicine, but it is now on my own terms. Getting off the treadmill which was stuck on a ridiculous speed has brought a peace and allowed me to gain back the optimism of my youth.
The years of training, clinical practice and experiences developed over the years from clinical practice provide a unique platform for physicians to step from and conquer new ground.
The options are nearly endless and none of them involve carrying a pager, working insane hours and trading your life for the hope of retirement. This blog is not a magic button, but think of it as more of an exploration of possibilities and shared experiences from someone who has already walked this ground. Read on an
