Almost every surgeon will face a potential career change during their working life. In other fields, workers switch jobs to escape toxic environments or find better benefits and compensation packages, but the surgical industry is a bit unique. Surgeons seeking a change aren’t necessarily trying to put a poor workplace behind them. Instead, they search for roles that align with their long-term career goals and lifestyle preferences.
Whatever your reasons, making a career change can seem intimidating. However, understanding your motivations and thoroughly analyzing your options can make the process easier and less stressful.
Understanding Your Motivation for Change
Every individual has unique motivations for seeking a career change. Evaluate your motivations to help you develop a set of firm goals to pursue as you search for new roles.
Assessing Career Satisfaction
Career satisfaction should be your starting point. Guage your current job satisfaction, focusing on professional fulfillment, workload and administrative burdens. When it comes time to search for new roles, if you’re currently dissatisfied in any of these areas, you can look for positions that offer improvements.
Identifying Key Drivers
Once you’ve evaluated your overall career satisfaction, the next step is to separate the more significant reasons behind your need for a change. Reasons will vary from one individual to the next. You may desire a better work-life balance, fewer administrative tasks, roles that offer greater opportunities for professional development or something else. Whatever these key drivers are, make them your top priority in your search.
Evaluating Opportunities for Flexibility
These days, most surgeons would agree that flexibility makes for better careers. Since various roles can be flexible in different ways, analyze potential positions for things like a better work-life balance, clinical independence or geographical flexibility.
Work-Life Balance and Reduced Hours
Surgeons work with NexGen Surgical because we offer a much better work-life balance than traditional models. For example, our surgeons work only two weeks each month — and their time off is free of on-call hours.
That’s just one example of a flexible schedule. As you evaluate opportunities, be sure to assess the work schedule and pursue only those opportunities that afford the kind of work-life balance that allows for greater well-being and satisfaction in your career.
Maintaining Clinical Independence
Another reason why surgeons enjoy working with NexGen is because we handle the administrative side of things. As you search for opportunities, keep clinical independence in mind. Many surgeons prefer positions that allow them to focus on patient care without the administrative burdens of running a practice.
Geographical Flexibility
Often, to pursue the most rewarding or lucrative positions, you must live where the jobs are rather than where you would like to live. That’s another advantage that NexGen Surgical offers. Our opportunities are designed with your needs in mind, meaning you don’t need to live where you work. You can practice medicine in desirable locations, then return home to relax during your weeks off.
Financial Considerations
Finances are always a concern — and for surgeons, it’s not just the paycheck you should consider. You’ll need to consider compensation models and other costs.
Compensation Models
It’s easy to dismiss opportunities featuring flexible or part-time hours based on the assumption that you’ll earn substantially less than you would in a traditional role. However, as you assess opportunities, don’t overlook those that offer more flexible schedules. Some, like those offered through NexGen, may pay the same or more as your current position.
Cost of Transition
A job change can incur costs related to the transition itself. Moving costs are one example, but there are others to consider.
Income continuity is one such factor. Be prepared with savings or a small transitional fund to cover your expenses between your old position’s last paycheck and your new role’s first paycheck.
You may also incur some transitional costs where retirement accounts are concerned. You may need to roll your 401(k) over into another account or take other measures during a job change.
Long-Term Financial Security
Long-term financial security should be one of your biggest priorities, which means careful planning is essential, even when transitioning to a less demanding role. Before making the switch, thoroughly analyze your financial situation and create a plan to ensure your long-term stability.
The Role of Professional Growth and Leadership Advancement Opportunities
One key reason why you may be considering a transition is because you’d like to further your career. New opportunities can lead to new leadership or mentorship roles, contributing to personal growth and professional satisfaction.
Continued Learning and Skill Development
As medical science evolves, continuing learning is a must to stay relevant. Lookout for opportunities that promote continued learning and skill development to stay on top of your field.
Navigating the Transition Process
The transition itself can be an exciting time, but it can also be stressful. The tips below will help you reduce stress while navigating the transition process.
Strategizing the Move
The best way to take the stress out of a transition is to start planning as early as possible.
- Save money well in advance to minimize the financial impact of the transition.
- Make a plan for moving your practice with minimum disruption, if necessary.
- Consider the timing of your move so that you can start making the above preparations well before the transition.
Communicating the Transition
During the transition, there will come a point when you need to communicate your job change to peers, patients and the community. It’s essential to preserve your reputation and relationships while doing so. While you may be leaving a position due to dissatisfaction, it’s essential to be as diplomatic as possible to avoid leaving a negative impression in your wake.
Where patients and your community are concerned, don’t just leave people hanging. Instead, try giving as much advanced notice as possible so that people can make needed adjustments.
Exploring New Opportunities
If you’re looking for a new position that offers flexibility, autonomy and opportunities for ongoing professional development, consider partnering with NexGen Surgical. Each opportunity we offer is custom-designed for the individual, allowing you to secure a position that aligns with your goals. Surgeons working with NexGen experience greater well-being, less burnout, and greater career satisfaction.
Make the Most of Your Career Change With NexGen Surgical
A well-planned transition will enhance your career satisfaction and overall well-being. Explore opportunities like those offered by NexGen Surgical to find a role that truly aligns with your most important personal and professional goals. To discover opportunities that are the right fit for you, reach out to one of the experts at NexGen.
