Saturday, July 31, 2010

Online Executive MBA Programs

You won't find too many Executive MBA Programs that are delivered online. Many Executive MBA or EMBA programs are offered mainly over weekends instead of weeknights. This allows students to commute to their business school by driving or flying for class 2 or 3 weekends per month. What if you didn't have to travel because you could take your courses online?

Here are several examples of EMBA programs that are offered online. The following text is from a Princeton Review e-mail:
Rochester Institute of Technology (Online)
Executive MBA

A highly accredited University, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is a leader in professional and career-oriented education. Within this leading institution, The Saunders College of Business is a catalyst for producing critical thinkers and team-based leaders. Worldwide, more than 1,700 top executives got their start at the Saunders College of Business. RIT is AACSB accredited and ranks #9 (U.S. News and World Report) in the "Best Universities Master's (North Region)" category.

6 Non-Clinical Medical Jobs for Recent College Graduates

This is a guest post by Kyle Simpson. If you'd like to submit a guest post, please contact me.

6 Non-Clinical Medical Jobs for Recent College Graduates

So you've got your degree, and you know you want to work in the healthcare industry, but you're not ready -- maybe never will be -- to get into a clinical role. That's probably a good thing; the industry is getting top-heavy and there's a massive market for non-clinical medical personnel. Here are six places that you might have an easy time envisioning yourself:

Medical Transcriptionist
This is for all you grads with 80+ word per minute typing skills. If you can listen to doctors -- bonus pay if they're ESL -- and type out what they say using headphones and a special foot pedal to control the audio, you can set yourself up to make a good forty thousand dollars per year. The sheer volume of work that needs to be transcribed makes this a very high-demand job -- and salaries are increasing every year to prove it. The downside? Listening to doctors with strong Hindi and Mandarin accents all day can make it harder to understand your family when you finally take the headphones off.

Medical Secretary
Medical secretaries are one of the top ten highest-demand jobs in America. Experts anticipate a growth rate between 10% and 20% for years to come. If you've got a Bachelors degree, you can clear forty grand per year easily -- and if you keep up with your continued education requirements, that number will only grow.

MRHIT -- Medical Records and Health Information Technician
Another of the fastest-growing careers in America, MRHITs are a vital element of every hospital, nursing home, and clinic in the nation. Their job is to process and maintain patients' records. As electronic health records adapt to new technology, MRHITs must learn, adapt, and adopt new practices while remaining organized and quick. A MRHIT working for a larger organization can clear forty-five thousand dollars per year.

Friday, July 30, 2010

Free career advice from TheLadders.com

If you visit TheLadders.com, you'll find a variety of career advice articles that can be very helpful for physicians who are interested in transitioning out of clinical medicine. You probably won't find one titled, "how to leave a career in medicine," but you'll find some other useful titles such as:

Networking to Energize Your Career
How to Reapply After a Rejection
Maximizing Time Spent on Social Networks
In Through the Side Door
Is a Good Job Title Worth Giving Up Some Salary?

Visit TheLadders.com and  Search Jobs That Pay Over $100,000.  

TheLadders.com

Featured Physician Executive: Tom Stevenson, D.O.

This week, our featured physician executive is Tom Stevenson, D.O.

Dr. Thomas Stevenson is Chief Medical Officer for Compuware Covisint. His clinical background includes being a solo, rural family physician, to a multi-specialty group practice as well as an academic practice. He is currently serving as a part time preceptor in a Family Practice Residency Clinic in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Post graduate training included a fellowship in Health Policy and graduate training in Medical Informatics. Since leaving full time clinical practice in 2004, Dr. Stevenson has spent time in the academic and the HIT vendor communities, all the while promoting adoption of HIT.

Prior to his current position with Covisint, he was a Governor’s appointee and Chair of the State of Michigan Commission on Health Information Technology. He also is a Past President of the Michigan Association of Osteopathic Family Physicians, the American Osteopathic Academy of Medical Informatics and has chaired and served on many committees.

Covisint enables information ecosystems that quickly revolutionize organizations by providing secure communication and collaboration between people and systems in remarkably simple ways. Covisint is a recognized cloud computing pioneer driving the on-demand revolution that helps organizations connect, communicate and collaborate with their partners -- enabling anywhere, anytime information. Covisint’s ExchangeLink™ platform provides industry-specific services for identity management, collaborative portals and data exchange, as well as a third-party application marketplace.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Book: The Physician's Essential MBA


Looking for some summer reading? The Physician's Essential MBA: What Every Physician Leader Needs to Know

If you're thinking about business school or an MBA, then you may want to read this book first. Authors: Michael J. Stahl and Peter J. Dean

This book "Addresses business and managerial skills needed to survive in today's health care environment. Discusses making a decision about getting an MBA, MBA content, and the physician's knowledge base on leadership."

The Physician's Essential MBA: What Every Physician Leader Needs to Know

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

What Recruiters HATE in a Resume

What Recruiters HATE in a Resume
By Alesia Benedict, CPRW, JCTC GetInterviews.com

Recruiters can be valuable to job seekers who are looking for employment in professional positions, and recruiters should be considered a key part of an aggressive job search. It is a recruiter’s job to seek out well-qualified candidates to fill positions with companies. They review resumes with a goal of excluding those who are not qualified or who do not present well. It is important to make sure your resume is recruiter-friendly and as useful as possible so you can get past that elimination round. Make sure your resume is effective and does not have a negative effect when viewed by a recruiter. Here are some things recruiters HATE on a resume.

No focus. Recruiters look for specific candidates with specific skill sets. If they have to try to “guess” what type of job you are targeting or where your value lies, they will just move on! Use a good branding line and a competencies section at the beginning of the resume to grab the recruiter’s immediate attention. Support your focus with a strong cover letter.
Lack of details. Do not be vague! If you used specific software to accomplish a task, say so. If you applied a specific methodology – name it. Companies have laundry lists of “must have” skills the recruiter is using to find candidates. If you don’t show some of those skills on your resume, the recruiter will pass over you and you will miss the opportunity, even if you are a great candidate. Recruiters cannot read your mind – they have to see your qualifications on the resume.
Irrelevant information. Recruiters do not have time to wade through a resume loaded with irrelevant information such as hobbies, ancient work history, out-of-date skills, or reasons for leaving prior positions. This information wastes valuable page space.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Serve on an advisory board

One way to gain some experience in the business side of health care (also known as the health care industry) is to serve on the advisory board of various types of companies and organizations. In the past, I've served on a few different boards and I've always enjoyed having the opportunity to guide companies with strategic business decisions. In some cases, your expert opinion could dramatically alter the course of an organization. Some physician executives have created independent consulting businesses after serving on several advisory boards and getting recognized as an "expert in the field."

What types of advisory boards seek physicians? Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Consulting firms. Health information technology companies. Non-profit and public health organizations. Venture capital and investment banking firms.

Monday, July 26, 2010

When the job description says "experience required"

Many job descriptions indicate that a certain level of experience is required. Even if you have a resume that's rewritten by a professional, your biggest obstacle may be the fact that you've never worked in the industry. So, how do you "break in" if you don't have any experience within that specific industry?

There are obviously entry points because everyone has to start somewhere.

I've helped a number of physicians successfully navigate beyond the "experience required" obstacles when they've been considering a career transition. In general, I apply the following principles:

1. Find jobs in industries where they are more likely to consider an "entry-level" candidate. You may have 20 years of clinical experience, but if you've never worked in industry, then you might need to start at ground zero. Once you "break in," then you may find that it's easier to switch to a different industry to end up where you really want to be.

2. Leverage your professional social network to get your "foot into the door." Sometimes, you simply need to impress them through an interview. It may be impossible to get an interview if the HR person dismisses your resume because you lack experience.

3. Demonstrate your working knowledge of the industry and the job description in your cover letter. Some HR professionals will tell you not to waste time with a cover letter. However, this is where you may be able to demonstrate that you really understand what the job entails and that you wouldn't be starting "from scratch."

4. Gain experience by working as an independent consultant or freelancer. You can do this part-time while you're still working clinically. By working as a consultant, you'll develop relationships and you'll gain some valuable experience that may allow you to qualify for certain jobs.

5. Gain experience by volunteering. This may not seem appealing, but it could be the right type of time investment that will help you launch your career. If you gain experience by volunteering, leverage the relationships that you build because those individuals may help you get your foot into the door. You'll also want them to serve as professional references for you.

At the end of the day, you may find that the most effective way to transition into the non-clinical world is through the guidance of a professional career coach or counselor.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Starting business school next year

Earlier this year, I really thought I was going to enroll in business school (B-School) this year. I even began filling out applications for MBA programs a few months ago. Now, it looks like I'll be starting in 2011 instead. I'm putting B-School plans on hold for a number of personal and professional reasons. I'll continue to blog about business school opportunities as I evaluate different MBA programs and go through the application process. I plan to study for the GMAT later this summer and then I'll take the GMAT this fall.

Have you been thinking about business school? The summer could be a good time for you to visit some business school open houses.

Friday, July 23, 2010

Featured physician: James McGhee, MD

This week's featured physician is James McGhee, MD. He is a student enrolled in the Northwestern University Master of Science in Medical Informatics online program. Here's his testimonial (appeared in a recent e-mail promoting the Northwestern University Master of Science in Medical Informatics program):
"With extensive involvement of the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern's MMI program does an excellent job of combining the clinical and IT components of medical informatics. After practicing medicine for 25 years as an ENT, I'm using the program to launch my second career as a chief medical information officer or consultant to a medical informatics software vendor."  James McGhee, MD, student
The Northwestern University Master of Science in Medical Informatics online program is designed for clinical health professionals and IT professionals in the health care field.

Offered in partnership with Northwestern's Feinberg School of Medicine, the program focuses on the use of technology to improve the design, integration, implementation, management and evaluation of enterprise-wide health care information systems. Graduates of this online program will be poised to become leaders in clinical information technology, research and education, and health care administration.

Learn more about how you can advance your career by earning a Northwestern University Master of Science in Medical Informatics degree. Click here for more information.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Six Ways You May Be Hurting Your Resume’s Impact

Six Ways You May Be Hurting Your Resume’s Impact

Alesia Benedict, CPRW, JCTC
GetInterviews.com

Scenario: You are unemployed, concerned about paying the mortgage, and trying to find a job. You’ve written your resume and cover letter, spent hours trying to capture what makes you unique. The problem is – it’s not working. You are not getting calls. Perhaps it is time to drop back and examine your resume for some of these common mistakes people make when constructing their own resumes.

1. You skim the top of information, giving only general ideas of your career roles. You figure a hiring manager reading your resume will know what past jobs entailed simply by reading job titles, right? Wrong! Job titles are not standardized and can vary widely from company to company and even industry to industry. Don’t assume the hiring manager will figure out your past roles. The hiring manager is not going to do any work on your behalf! There are too many applicants in the market to waste time on “maybe” candidates. Give specific details about your roles, quantifying wherever possible. Concentrate on high-level skills and unique experience that will be valuable to the reader.

2. You fudge details. When nothing is happening for you in your job search, you may be tempted to fudge on your resume to seem more qualified than you really are. Don’t do it! Employers will find out and then you are in even more of a pickle. If you claim a certain skill on your resume, the employer will ask behavioral questions in the interview to elicit the depth of your knowledge. It will be very apparent that you are clueless or don’t have the skill level you claim. Not only will you be eliminated immediately, but you have burned that bridge forever for any possible employment. Don’t lie on your resume – you will be found out.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

"Career opportunities for female and male physicians in the pharmaceutical industry"

Here's an interesting article that you may want to read (if you can read German): "Career opportunities for female and male physicians in the pharmaceutical industry"

At least the abstract in available in English:

INTRODUCTION: Pharmaceutical medicine is not only a mainstay in clinical drug development and marketing of drugs in pharmaceutical industry but also a challenging alternative to the clinic and outpatient practice for physicians. Since most of them have only a vague notion of what a career in this sector of industry involves, this paper attempts to display the scope of opportunities and responsibilities for physicians and to answer some of the most frequently asked questions. JOB PROFILES: Areas for physicians are preclinical research, clinical research, drug safety, biometry, scientific relations, marketing and sales departments, working as company physician, training of sales representatives, health policy and project management. Earnings, continued and postgraduate training, job changing as well as possibilities of information on a career in the pharmaceutical industry are described. CONCLUSION: Despite the wide range of job profiles, a physician is still a physician in the pharmaceutical industry: his or her aim is to help patients and relieve their suffering through ethical and innovative therapeutic research. This aim is achieved through committed involvement in the development and marketing of new, effective and safe drugs.

Weihrauch TR. [Career opportunities for female and male physicians in the pharmaceutical industry] Med Klin (Munich). 2000 Jun 15;95(6):322-6. Review. German.
PMID: 10935416

BioSpace Career Fairs

Are you looking for a new job in the biopharma or medical device industry? If you like to plan ahead, then you should take a look at your calendar to see if you'll want to attend any of these upcoming BioSpace Career Fairs.
September 2010:
9.13.10 Bio NC Durham
9.23.10 BioMidwest Oak Brook
9.27.10 Biotech Beach La Jolla

October 2010:
10.18.10 BioCapital Bethesda
10.18.10 Biotech Bay Burlingame

November 2010:
11.1.10 Genetown Cambridge
11.8.10 BioSpace 2010 Philadelphia
11.8.10 DeviceSpace Irvine

BioSpace Life Science Career Fairs are the biotech industry’s premier career events. Featuring well-respected employers from around the nation, our job fairs attract top candidates in the biotech, pharmaceutical, life science and medical device industries.

To view the full calendar of upcoming BioSpace Career Fairs, click here.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

IBM will be hiring physicians and other clinicians

IBM recently announced a "$100 million health care initiative" that includes the hiring of physicians, nurses, and other clinicians. Here's a snippet from their July 15 press release:
ARMONK, N.Y., - 15 Jul 2010: IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced plans to enlist some of the company’s leading scientists and technologists to help medical practitioners and insurance companies provide high-quality, evidence-based care to patients. As part of this initiative, IBM is collaborating with clinicians in medical institutions and hiring medical doctors to work alongside its researchers to develop new technologies, scientific advancements, and business processes for healthcare and insurance providers.
Later, IBM goes on to say this:
As part of this initiative, IBM expects to hire several physicians, clinicians, nurses, engineers, economists and social scientists.
I'm not entirely sure what they mean by "several," but let's hope that it's more than just a handful. After all, there are many physicians out there who are eager to get involved in health IT initiatives in both the public and the private sectors.  It's no surprise that major technology companies like IBM will be hiring physicians. After all, the government is spending billions of dollars on health IT and we will see many other health IT opportunities open up for physicians and other health care professionals.

You can read the IBM press release here.

Transitioning Pharmaceutical Professionals to Medical Device Professionals

Here's a course that focuses on "Transitioning Pharmaceutical Professionals to Medical Device Professionals." Given all the changes occurring in the biopharma industry, there are many pharmaceutical professionals who are in transition and they are looking for jobs. Will the medical device industry be more promising?

Here's some information about this web seminar course:
This course assists study managers, program managers, CRAs, and other pharma professionals in learning more about the differences between pharma and medical device studies, including objectives, protocol creation, and quality systems regulations. The course will help professionals learn about the most popular medical device therapeutic areas, the engineering component/ R&D/preclinical, as well as the technical procedures of those therapeutic areas.
 Learning Objectives:
* Identify the differences between pharmaceutical and medical device studies
* Identify the key regulations of medical devices
* Explain the QSR process
To learn more about this course, click here. The course registration fee is $695.

Barnett International is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.

Medical Officer jobs at the FDA

Are you interested in working for the FDA? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is hiring and there are many job opportunities for physicians who wish to leave clinical practice. You can find FDA jobs by searching on the government website USAJOBS.gov.

USAJOBS is the Federal Government's official one-stop source for Federal jobs and employment information. To search for non-clinical opportunities, type "medical officer" into the search box and then you'll see a variety of jobs listed.

You'll see jobs like:
  • Medical Officer (Clinical Director)
  • Medical Officer (Public Health)
  • Medical Officer, GS-602-13/14/15 (Direct - Hire)
  • and many more job opportunities for physicians who want to work for the FDA
You can learn more about Medical Officer Positions at FDA by reading this.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Eli Lilly Cutting 340 Jobs in Indiana

The Indianapolis Start reported last Friday that Lilly will be cutting 340 information technology jobs in Indiana. They will probably cut another 170 manufacturing jobs by the end of 2010, and most of those jobs will be in Indiana as well.

In fact, Lilly will be cutting approximately 5,500 jobs by the end of 2011. So far, Lilly has announced 2,000 job cuts, so they're almost half-way there. Lilly currently employs 12,400 people in Indiana. The population of Indianapolis is 6,423,113, so Lilly employs 0.2% of the population of Indiana. That's a fairly significant impact in a single state.

Why all these job cuts in the pharmaceutical industry? Are these the effects of the global recession, or is there something more specific that's happening within the biopharma industry?  Over the next 3 years, Lilly will lose patents on four of its bestselling drugs, so that's going to have a considerable impact on its $22 billion annual revenue.

Doostang and Ivy Exec

Are you on LinkedIn? Maybe you're using Facebook. Well, if you're looking for an exclusive professional social networking website, then you may want to look at Doostang or Ivy Exec. Both of these sites offer free membership and they also have paid services as well.
Founded in 2005 at Harvard, Stanford and MIT, Doostang was created with one goal in mind: to successfully advance ambitious young professionals in their careers. Doostang offers its members the opportunity to search thousands of high-quality, highly relevant opportunities, and tools to leverage their inside connection to get hired.


Ivy Exec's pre-screening process allows professionals to be part of a smaller pool of candidates when applying for jobs. This helps professionals standout in a competitive job market.

TheLadders.comOf course, you also shouldn't forget about TheLadders.com if you're looking for a new job. Visit TheLadders.com and  Search Jobs That Pay Over $100,000.   TheLadders.com also provides nice career advice articles and other career services. 

Sunday, July 18, 2010

The business school application process

Allow me to share my experiences as I go through the business school application process. A few months ago, I began filling out a few applications for several executive MBA programs.
  • I'm mainly applying to Executive MBA programs that waive the GMAT. I may still take the GMAT because that may open up certain scholarship opportunities. (when will I find time to study for the GMAT?)
  • I can write my essays fairly quickly. I'm used to writing, so this won't take too much time. In fact, maybe I'll publish excerpts from my essays on NonClinicalJobs.com.
  • Time to fill out some transcript request forms so that I can have transcripts sent to each business school. I was browsing through some of my old transcripts. Am I ready to go back to school?
  • My CV is ready. In fact, you should always have a CV ready because you never know when you may need it.
  • I need to get 2 professional recommendation letters. This is where I feel like I'm applying to college again. 
I'll keep you updated as I go through the business school application process.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Even nurses are having difficulty finding jobs

In this economy, new nurses are having difficulty finding jobs. But don't we have a nursing shortage? Yes, but we also have many older nurses who are delaying retirement because they need to support their families. As a result, jobs are not opening up for nursing school graduates. Plus, we have retired nurses who are re-entering the workforce and since they have more work experience, they're getting the jobs. Plus, we have more part-time nurses who are choosing to work full-time so that they can help support the family.

Will medical school graduates face a similar problem when they complete residency? Will older physicians delay retirement? I think that many physicians may actually be planning an earlier retirement given all these recent changes surrounding health care reform and the health information technology requirements. 

During a recession, we may tend to gravitate towards careers in health care because we feel that there is a level of stability when it comes to the world of health care. However, we have to remember all the other components that impact employment and we can't

Read the USA Today article titled, "New RNs find job market tight" by clicking here. Maybe some of these new nurses will have an easier time finding a non-clinical job instead of a clinical job.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Golf and work

Do you golf? If you're a practicing physician and you like to play golf, it's probably entirely a social sport. You're not trying to impress a client and you're not trying to sell a product or service.

In the business world, you may be playing a lot of golf with clients, potential clients, and even coworkers so that you can build stronger working relationships that may impact your career. In the corporate world, the game of golf is no longer entirely a social sport. Your ability to play golf could have professional ramifications.

When I was in college, I never played golf. To be quite honest, I had no interest in the sport. When I was in medical school, I didn't have any time to learn how to play golf and I still lacked interest. Who has time to play golf during residency? I didn't play my first real game of golf until I was working in a company. I grew to enjoy the sport so I received lessons, purchased equipment, and got serious about becoming a better golfer.

Speaking of golf, I'm out playing golf today and we have a company picnic over the weekend. I hope you're enjoying the summer!

Featured Physician Executive: Nancy Simonian, MD

Every Friday, we feature a physician executive here on NonClinicalJobs.com. Dr. Nancy Simonian is our featured physician executive this week.

Nancy Simonian, MD, is the Chief Medical Officer at Millennium, The Takeda Oncology Company. She is the featured thought leader on PharmaVOICE this month and you can read that article here.

Here's a snippet about Dr. Simonian from a press release:
Nancy Simonian (Wayland, Mass.) joined Millennium in 2001 to lead the Company's clinical development efforts, and in 2006 was named Chief Medical Officer. She is responsible for all clinical, regulatory, pharmacovigilance and development project management functions at the Company. Prior to joining Millennium, she held a clinical research position at Biogen. Board-certified in neurology, Nancy was previously an assistant clinical professor of neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
You can read about her accomplishments on the Millennium corporate website. Speaking of Millennium, they currently have 3 physicians on their senior management team: 
  1. Deborah Dunsire, M.D., President & CEO
  2. Christophe Bianchi, M.D., Executive Vice President
  3. Nancy Simonian, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Clinical, Medical and Regulatory Affairs
Considering that the senior management team includes 10 people, 3/10 are physicians. You don't see that too often in the corporate world.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Medical Director jobs at UnitedHealthCare

This week, I've noticed a few new managed care job opportunities on the American College of Physician Executives (ACPE) group on LinkedIn.

One job is titled: "UnitedHealthcare Market Medical Director"

Qualifications:
" Licensed physician REQUIRED
" Board Certified in ABMS specialty; active, unrestricted license REQUIRED
" 5+ years clinical practice experience REQUIRED
" Supervisory skills, including clinical mentoring and coaching expertise
" Excellent presentation skills for both clinical and non-clinical audiences
" Excellent interpersonal communication skills (telephonic and face to face)
" Knowledge of managed care industry
" Data analysis and interpretation experience and skills
" Strong belief in EBM philosophy

To view these types of job opportunities on LinkedIn, you'll need to join LinkedIn (which is free, but they also offer paid premium services) and then join the ACPE group on LinkedIn. Non-clinical physician jobs in the health insurance company industry often require you to have an active medical license and board certification. 

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Career Strategies on How to Enter the Health Care IT Industry

If you're interested in finding career opportunities within the health IT industry, you'll want to sign up for this complimentary webinar:

Career Strategies on How to Enter the Health Care IT Industry

Join us for a Webinar on July 28
Time: 3:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
(Please note time is Eastern)

Space is limited.  Reserve your Webinar seat now at:  https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/227684072

Please join UIC for the webinar entitled 'Career Strategies on How to Enter the Health Care IT Industry,’ presented by experienced health IT recruiter, Bonnie Siegel.

Have you asked the question, “How can I transition to, or further develop my career in health IT?” If so, you do not want to miss this upcoming webinar! Bonnie Siegel, a long time recruiter in the world of health IT will share her experiences, insight and tips on how to become a successful candidate for employment in this industry.

Bonnie is an Associate Partner at Sanford Rose Associates - Charleston and leads the Healthcare CIO and Senior IT Leadership practice. She is a retained health care IT executive recruiter with a successful track record in executive search and consulting and industry research. She specializes in the recruitment of CIOs, VPs, Deputy CIOs and clinical informatics and clinical IT leadership professionals for major health systems, hospitals and medical groups throughout the country. She is a Fellow at HIMSS and frequently presents at national health care associations conferences. She has published several health care IT articles and has been quoted in industry publications.

Please sign up soon, as space is limited.   https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/227684072

What happens if someone tries to Google you?

What happens if someone tries to Google you? Do you a strong presence on the Internet? Potential employers may Google your name if you're applying for a job. Why? They want to know if you've published anything. They want to know if people have written about you. Perhaps there's some information on the Internet that could damage your reputation.

If you don't have a strong presence on the Internet, here are some things you can do to establish your personal brand online:
  1. Create a blog. Demonstrate your expertise, but don't abandon your blog once you start it. Potential employers may think that you lack commitment if you start a blog and then abandon it after 2 months.
  2. Create a profile on LinkedIn. My profile can be found here: http://www.linkedin.com/in/DrJosephKim
  3. Consider participating in other social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter. 
  4. Publish articles or blog posts on different websites. Many bloggers (including me) will allow others to publish "guest blog posts." 
  5. Create your personal website and get your own domain. Consider this a one-page CV or resume. Or, you may wish to highlight some of your major accomplishments. You can view my personal site (that mainly focuses on my blogs) here: http://www.DrJosephKim.com
Having a strong online presence shows potential employers that you appreciate the importance of technology and the web.  So, if you don't have a presence on the Internet, maybe you'll want to make that a summer project.

    Tuesday, July 13, 2010

    "Short and Long Term Effects of Reform on the Healthcare Market" on ReachMD

    I'd encourage you to listen to this ReachMD program titled, "Short and Long Term Effects of Reform on the Healthcare Market." The host for the show is Tim Rush, president and founder of Healthcare Staffing Innovations (HSI). Here's a brief description of that ReachMD segment which is a part of a new series called, "Your Career In Healthcare."
    We all know that healthcare reform may change the way healthcare professionals practice medicine, but how might reform also change the way in which we either find employment or staff our facilities? Joining host Tim Rush to discuss the short and long term effects that healthcare reform might have on the the healthcare employment market is Phil Miller, vice president of communications for the country's largest temporary healthcare staffing business, AMN Healthcare.
    Are we seeing more physicians choosing to leave clinical practice and pursue non-clinical job opportunities? Listen to this ReachMD segment to learn more. (login required for ReachMD)

    Monday, July 12, 2010

    From the Sermo Blog: Doctor Leaving USA

    On the Sermo Blog, you'll read this story from a U.S. physician:  Doctor Leaving USA

    Intro from Daniel Palestrant, Founder & CEO of Sermo
    The Sermo community responds to a physician who has decided to leave America and practice elsewhere after the passage of health care reform. Many physicians feel their interests were sidelined in the reform debate and passage.
    I'm sorry.

    Some may say i'm weak, some may say I've given up too soon. What they CAN'T say about me is that I didn't try. I stood out on the street on my Saturdays off and tried to rally for "real" health care reform. I've offered to hold forums for other docs to discuss ways we can inform the public and our patients...I've passed out fliers in the doctors lounge at my hospital. I've done it all and I've seen everything fail. I'm tired. I can't go on in this country for another 20+ years.

    I've been sued once already and now (icing on the cake), I have a former patient, an illegal alien who is considering suing my practice. I don't see the light at the end of the tunnel. I've been beat up and I'm not doing it anymore. I love this country and I LOVE my practice and even worse, I'm damned good at what I do. But now, I chose to do it somewhere else. Somewhere where people don't expect me to produce the world for them and say "thank you" for the care I've provided and don't argue with me about EVERYTHING.

    I know I'm not a martyr but someone can let Mr. Obama know that a perfectly good, board certified physician is deciding to call another country home because I can't take it anymore!!!
    Here's a link to the Sermo Blog post.  

    I think this person may also want to consider a career transition into a non-clinical career. Then again, practicing medicine in a different country could be a better option, especially if you pick the right country.  I've always had an interest in international health care issues. What happens if you move to a different country and then that country goes through similar health care reform?

    Thanks for joining me for "Let's Talk NonClinicalJobs"

    I'd like to thank everyone who joined us on the phone last night for our "Let's Talk NonClinicalJobs" conference call. If you missed the call, make sure to join us in August.

    "Let's Talk NonClinicalJobs" is a free monthly conference call for physicians, medical students, and others who wish to chat about non-clinical jobs and topics related to non-clinical careers. The call lasts roughly 60 minutes and you'll have the chance to interact with others as we discuss relevant issues.

    Our next "Let's Talk NonClinicalJobs" conference call will be held on Sunday, August 22 at 9 pm eastern time. More details coming soon...

    Sunday, July 11, 2010

    Reminder: "Let's Talk NonClinicalJobs" on July 11 (Sunday)

    "Let's Talk NonClinicalJobs" is a free monthly conference call for physicians, medical students, and others who wish to chat about non-clinical jobs and topics related to non-clinical careers. The call lasts roughly 60 minutes and you'll have the chance to interact with others as we discuss relevant issues.

    Our next call is scheduled for Sunday July 11th at 9 pm eastern time. You may register for that July 11th conference call by clicking here.

    Saturday, July 10, 2010

    Best Schools for Top Careers in Healthcare

    What are the "top careers in healthcare?" If someone asked you, would you say "being a physician," or would you say "nursing" or "physical therapy?" 

    U.S. News has listed top graduate schools for the following healthcare careers:
    • Veterinarian
    • Physical Therapist
    • Registered Nurse
    Here's a snippet from the article:
    Though the economy has been dismal in recent years and unemployment has soared, not every industry has suffered equally. Some sectors continue to need an influx of young, new talent to meet the increasing demand. Nowhere else has demand been more prevalent than in the healthcare field. Below are three jobs that made U.S. News's list of America's Best Careers in 2010 and information on the top graduate programs to prepare you for a successful career.
    Click here to read that U.S. News article.

    Friday, July 9, 2010

    How to Reapply After a Rejection

    There is a good career article from TheLadders.com titled, "How to Reapply After a Rejection."  Is there a special formula that you need to follow if you get rejected? Here's a snippet from that article:
    We contacted HR professionals who work with resume applicant tracking systems (ATS), and all of them said the same thing: If you’ve received a computer-generated rejection letter for a position for which you believe you are qualified, you should understand that your resume has been rejected, not you.

    Some applicant tracking websites won't even allow you to reapply for a job unless a certain amount of time elapses.  If you're currently looking for a job and you're not having much luck, make sure you have a very strong resume or CV. Visit TheLadders.com and  Search Jobs That Pay Over $100,000.  

    TheLadders.com

    Featured physician executive: Scott Weingarten, MD, MPH

    Every Friday, we feature a physician executive and this week our featured physician is Dr. Weingarten.

    Scott Weingarten, MD, MPH is the co-founder, president, and chief executive officer of Zynx Health. Additionally, he is a clinical professor of medicine (Step III) at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the director of health services research at Cedars-Sinai Health System. Dr. Weingarten was also a tenured professor of medicine (in residence) at the UCLA School of Medicine.

    After graduating from the UCLA School of Medicine, Dr. Weingarten completed his internship, residency, and fellowship in internal medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He later participated in a National Center for Health Services Research Fellowship at the RAND/UCLA Center for Health Policy Study. During the fellowship, he also earned a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree at the UCLA School of Public Health. Dr. Weingarten has also worked as a primary care physician at Kaiser Permanente. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians.

    Medical school admissions consultants at Kaplan

    Did you hire a consultant to help you get accepted into medical school? There are enough students out there who are willing to pay for such services. Do you have what it takes to guide pre-med students through the process of applying and getting accepted into medical school? Maybe you'd like to generate some supplemental income by working as a medical school admissions consultant.
    Kaplan offers the most experienced team of medical school admissions consultants available. Most have served on admissions committees—many at the top med schools—and they bring really cogent insight into the admissions decision-making process. They'll work with you to build the best application package possible; one that positions you well for acceptance.
    Take a look at some of these physician profiles. Several of these physician consultants have worked with Kaplan for a number of years (and I'm sure that most of them do this part-time).

    Click here to view those physician consultant profiles. 

    Thursday, July 8, 2010

    Merck to close 8 research sites and 8 manufacturing sites

    In Chinese, the number 8 is considered a lucky number. Today, Merck announced that they'll be phasing out operations at eight research sites and eight manufacturing sites. They will also continue to consolidate office facilities worldwide, as part of the global Merck and Schering-Plough merger restructuring program.

    Here are some interesting snippets from the press release today:
    As part of today's announcement, Merck plans to phase out operations at eight research sites over the next two years. These sites include: Montreal, Canada; Boxmeer (Nobilon facility only), Oss, and Schaijk, Netherlands; Odense, Denmark; Waltrop, Germany; Newhouse, Scotland; and Cambridge (Kendall Square), Massachusetts, U.S.

    Beginning in the second half of 2010, the company will phase out operations at eight manufacturing facilities and these sites will exit the global network as activities are transferred to other locations. Specifically, the company intends to cease manufacturing activities at its facilities in Comazzo, Italy; Cacem, Portugal; Azcapotzalco, Mexico; Coyoacan, Mexico, and Santo Amaro, Brazil, and intends to sell the Mirador, Argentina and Miami Lakes, Florida, facilities. In Singapore, chemical manufacturing will be phased out at the legacy Merck site, but it will continue at the legacy Schering-Plough site. The company's extensive pharmaceutical manufacturing operations will continue at these two Singapore facilities.
    Don't miss this:
    Merck continues to expect its total workforce to be reduced by approximately 15 percent across all areas of the combined company worldwide as part of the initial phases of its merger restructuring program. The company said it will continue to hire new employees in strategic growth areas of the business as necessary.

    217,000 new jobs in the heatlh care industry

    According to the July 2010 report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the health care industry gained 217,000 jobs over the past 12 months. We saw roughly 9,000 new jobs in the month of June.

    Is the health care industry "recession-proof" as some would like to think? It's probably more "recession-resistant" compared to many other industries, but I wouldn't say that it's recession-proof. I know quite a few doctors who are having difficulty finding employment right now.

    In June, the unemployment rate was 9.5%. There are approximately 14.2 million people who are unemployed right now. Maybe you're one of them and you're thinking about a career change. Perhaps it's time to go back to school or find an entry-level position so that you can effectively "break in" to a brand new industry.

    Wednesday, July 7, 2010

    Council of American Survey Research Organizations (CASRO)

    If you're a physician, you've probably participated in some type of market research survey. Did you know that these market research companies often employ physicians?

    You can have a non-clinical career in market research and you can work either full-time or part-time. Perhaps you enjoy writing survey questions or analyzing data. Maybe you'll enjoy leading some focus groups.  If this interests you, then I'd encourage you to get familiar with the Council of American Survey Research Organizations (CASRO).
    Founded in 1975, the Council of American Survey Research Organizations (CASRO) represents over 300 companies and market research operations in the United States and abroad.

    CASRO provides its members with numerous benefits, including access to invaluable industry data, and superb staff training and networking opportunities at workshops and conferences throughout the country.

    CASRO's “Research Career Development” initiative reaches out to colleges and universities with information and resources to attract the best and brightest students and to make the survey research profession a career of choice.
    Market research is a fascinating industry and there are many different types of market research firms out there. Learn about the CASRO here: http://www.casro.org

    Tuesday, July 6, 2010

    Make Your Resume Stand Out in a Crowd

    Make Your Resume Stand Out in a Crowd
    by Alesia Benedict, CPRW, JCTC, President of GetInterviews.com

    Everyone knows the economic recession has caused record levels of competition for open positions. Employers are inundated with applications within hours of posting a new job advertisement. When competing against several hundred other applicants, you need to make your resume stand out in the crowd. Consider the following techniques for making that happen.

    Avoid resume templates. A resume template is a preset form into which you input information. Using a template means your resume will look like about a million other resumes in the market. Templates also typically use tables to achieve that preset formatting; tables cause significant problems for resume databases and applicant tracking systems when your resume is uploaded. Often, information in the table cannot be read or searched by the database so it is rendered useless. Finally, using a template is like trying to fit a size 12 foot into a size 10 shoe. It can be done but it’s not very useful or effective.

    Keep it conservative. You may think a conservative visual style would make your resume blend but that is not true. It makes it more user-friendly. A resume with lots of bells and whistles such as fancy fonts, clip art, highly graphic design, or embedded objects are difficult for employers and hiring managers to manage. You can make your resume distinctive simply by making it look organized, clean, and logical in design.

    Bring forth your accomplishments. Most people prepare their resumes without including their achievements. They write down their job responsibilities, get the basic facts of education down, and think those are enough. The resumes that stand out will be those showing accomplishments, achievements, metrics, or results in a prominent manner. Don’t just talk about what you did, but detail what your actions meant to the company or how they were performance highlights.

    Don’t reach for just “anything”. It may be tempting to apply for any job you see in the hope of finding any kind of employment. That is a bad strategy. You should be qualified for the positions you are targeting. If you are applying for “anything”, not only are you wasting your time, but also the time of the employer. Employers are looking for well-qualified applicants, and with so many job seekers in the market, they are able to find candidates with excellent qualifications. Employers are wading through hundreds of resumes; it is an overwhelming task for them and generally they are not contacting “maybe” candidates. If you send your resume for any job that catches your fancy, you just add to the “static” in the job market and it accomplishes nothing for you.

    Highlight your unique qualities. Everyone has something that makes them uniquely qualified. Sometimes it is a second language or a particular skill. Maybe it is an advanced degree or a special certification. Find what makes you unique and bring that forward. It may be just the “edge” you need to get a bit ahead of the competition. What is not unique are common attributes such as “excellent communication skills” or “detail-oriented”. Every job seeker in the market, all 10 million of them, claims these “soft” skills.

    Pay attention to keywords and buzzwords. Regardless to whom you send your resume, it will end up in a database to be stored and searched. For your resume to rank high in resume database searches, it needs to have correct keywords and buzzwords for your industry and function. Resumes with strong content will naturally have these words included as part of the description. If you find few strong keywords in your resume, there is a good chance your resume is weak and won’t perform well in the market.

    Your resume and cover letter are your primary marketing methods for finding your next job. They should be as strong and effective as possible. Work to make your resume stand out by paying attention to design, content, and strategy. Your efforts will pay off!

    About the Author:
    Alesia Benedict, Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Job and Career Transition Coach (JCTC) is the President of GetInterviews.com, the country’s leading resume writing firm. They provide professionals with customized, branded resumes and career marketing documents. Her and her firm’s credentials include being cited by JIST Publications as one of the "best resume writers in North America," quoted as a career expert in The Wall Street Journal, and published in a whopping 25+ career books. Established in 1994, the firm has aided more than 100,000 job seekers to date. All resume writers are certified writers. GetInterviews.com offers a free resume critique and their services come with a wonderful guarantee -- interviews in 30 days or they'll rewrite for free!

    Entry-level non-clinical physician job salaries

    Let me clarify what I mean by "entry-level" here: I'm referring to non-clinical jobs that physicians may find if they leave clinical medicine to pursue a non-clinical job in a company (such as a medical communications company, a health IT company, pharma/biotech, a consulting company, etc.).

    So, let's look at several examples:
    • A primary care physician who's making $120k/year leaves clinical medicine and begins to work in a a medical education company. How much could he/she make?
    • A medical school graduate chooses not to pursue residency. He/she chooses to work in a consumer health company. How much could he/she make?
    • An MD/MBA grad completes residency (earning around $50k/year as a senior resident) and finds a corporate consulting job. How much will he/she make?
    • An oncologist who has been practicing medicine for 10 years leaves the practice of medicine to work in pharma. How much could he/she make?
    Is there an "average" figure for the examples above? Suppose the range is roughly $80k to $250k/year, so the average is $165k/year. Is that accurate? Not quite. Should we be looking at mean, median, or mode?

    The reality is that many entry-level jobs will not pay above $150k/year unless you're a medical specialist. If you lack corporate experience, then you're in a different category compared to physicians who have extensive corporate work experience.  Some sources will tell you that entry-level job salaries for an "average" physician ranges roughly between $90-130k/year.  How do you make an argument that you deserve $130k/yr if a company offers you $90k/yr?  Several key factors impact this salary range. They include:
    • Geography. Living costs will greatly influence your salary.
    • Budgets. Some companies have much more negotiating "flexibility" around budgets. Others have very rigid budgets.
    • Risk. Some managers have a "high risk/high reward" mentality and they may be willing to take a big risk by paying a high salary to acquire the best talent. 
    • Gender. Even today, men tend to earn higher salaries compared to women. It's not fair, but it's what frequently happens.
    • Type of industry. Salaries for a "medical director" in industry #1 could vary tremendously compared to industry #2. Some companies simply have deeper pockets and bigger budgets. 
    • Your negotiation skills. 
    To ensure that you receive a competitive salary, you need to have very strong negotiating skills. I've found that most physicians lack such salary negotiating skills because they haven't had much experience in this area. If you're considering a new job, make sure you don't undersell yourself.

    Monday, July 5, 2010

    PMSCO Healthcare Consulting

    PMSCO Healthcare Consulting is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Pennsylvania Medical Society. PMSCO Healthcare Consulting consists of three specialized service groups, providing a suite of management, process, and clinical resources for clients throughout the healthcare industry.

    If you're thinking about a career in medical consulting, perhaps you can get some ideas by looking at companies like PMSCO. Here's a brief description about PMSCO:
    PMSCO Healthcare Consulting consists of three specialized service groups, providing a suite of management, process, and clinical resources for clients throughout the healthcare industry. Using our roster of highly experienced consultants, we help our clients improve the performance of their businesses and organizations, respond to immediate needs for outside expertise, and improve the healthcare outcomes of their patients.

    Learn more here: http://www.consultpmsco.com/

    Sunday, July 4, 2010

    Are you working on Independence Day?

    Happy 4th of July! If you work in a hospital, maybe you're working today. I've been there. In fact, we've all been there. Whether it was as a medical student, intern, resident, or attending, we've all had to sacrifice holidays and weekends for work. How many holidays have you worked this year?

    What's one of the key reasons why physicians choose to leave a career in medicine? To spend more time with family and to spend less time working, even at the expense of making less money. It's true. Physicians are burning out and they want to have more time for themselves.

    Switching to a non-clinical career does not guarantee that you'll work less and have more free time.  In fact, in many circumstances you'll be working more. However, you're more likely to have your evenings, weekends, and holidays to yourself. There are a few exceptions to this:
    • If you spend a lot of time traveling for work, then you may spend even less time with your family compared to your clinical days.
    • Working internationally? Don't expect to have your "standard" holidays off like your U.S. counterparts.
    • Consulting or working on deadline-driven projects? Those deadlines may not care about weekends or holidays. You'll just need to get the work done.
    I work in a small company and this holiday weekend, our office was closed on Friday and Monday so that we could all celebrate the 4th of July. I know that many people leveraged the long weekend to get away and relax.  Hope you all have a wonderful 4th of July weekend!

    Saturday, July 3, 2010

    12 Accelerated MBA & Graduate Business Programs

    Here's some information I received from PrincetonReview.com about accelerated MBA programs (and several of these are online MBA programs):
    Accelerated graduate business programs take less than the traditional 2 years to complete. If you majored in a business-related field, you can often complete an accelerated MBA program in as little as 12 months. Even if you've never studied business, many programs can be completed in just 18 months of full-time study or 24 months of part-time study.
    Colorado State University (Online)
    21-month MBA from a top research university

    Ranked a #1 Best Administered program by The Princeton Review, CSU offers an Online / Distance MBA that has been AACSB-accredited for over 30 years. The program can be completed in as little as 21 months. CSU hosts Centers of Research Excellence in: Global Business, Social Marketing & Social Issues, Entrepreneurship, e-Business, and Real Estate.

    Willamette University (Salem, OR)
    21-Month Full-Time MBA

    Willamette University's full-time MBA program has been profiled as one of the country's best business programs by BusinessWeek, U.S. News & World Report, and The Princeton Review. Willamette is a national leader in early career MBA education and prepares students for their first professional position, career change or advancement. Specialized areas of study include: Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Global Management and more.

    Friday, July 2, 2010

    The MD/MBA Dual Degree: Then What?

    Given that more medical schools are offering a combined MD/MBA degree, what do these graduates do when they finish?  Let's take a look at some recent data from this study, "A retrospective look at MD/MBA graduates in their careers and experiences with MD/MBA dual degree training."  These results were presented as a poster at the last Annual MD/MBA Conference. The authors included:

    Joshua T. Goldman, MD/MBA 2010 | Robert J. Wallace, MD/MBA | University of Southern California | Keck School of Medicine

    Here are a few snippets from their research:

    Graduate Satisfaction


    Conclusion
    Our study shows that the MD/MBA degree is considered useful and delivers a significant return on investment for MD/MBA graduates currently in the workforce. The overwhelming majority of MD/MBA graduates complete residency training and go on practice medicine in their career.  MD/MBA graduates tend to receive higher starting salaries in their careers due to their leadership roles in organizations and ancillary business ventures than traditional physicians.  Additionally, the majority of respondents are very satisfied with their careers and their lifestyles.  Drawing on their feedback regarding the most useful aspects of their training as well as the deficits in their business education, MD/MBA Program Directors can better customize the curriculum of the combined degree in the future.

    Click here for all the details from this study.

    From a junior salesman to a CEO of Johnson & Johnson

    Here's an inspirational story of a man who started working for Johnson & Johnson as a junior salesman and climbed his way to the top. 

    Richard B. Sellars, a former chairman and chief executive of Johnson & Johnson passed away last week.  He was 94.

    Here's a snippet from the New York Times article:
    Joining the company in 1939 as a junior salesman for its new Ortho Pharmaceutical division, Mr. Sellars worked for Johnson & Johnson for 40 years. He became the company’s chairman and chief executive in 1973, the second person outside of the founding Johnson family to head the health care conglomerate.
    You can read more here on the J&J website.

    Thursday, July 1, 2010

    Advanced Good Clinical Practice (GCP)

    Looking to strengthen your Good Clinical Practice (GCP) skills? Perhaps you'd like to attend this course:

    Advanced GCP
    July 19-20, 2010 | Philadelphia, PA

    Course Description
    This course provides an advanced, in-depth review of the structural elements of Good Clinical Practice (GCP). Participants will learn practical application of GCP regulations and guidelines for critical components of the clinical research process. Specific attention will be given to how quality systems, or a lack thereof, impact overall data quality and regulatory risk. This program is designed for professionals with at least two years of experience in the clinical research industry.
    Learning Objectives
    * Develop and implement site-specific approaches for corrective action of non-compliance
    * Describe the elements of a functional Quality System
    * Define key GCP terms
    * Examine recent trends in non-compliance
    * Identify the universal and local components of GCP
    * Explain the differences between the legal and procedural elements of GCP
    * Recognize key differences in pharmaceutical, device, and biologics GCP
    * Describe the overlap between GCP and GMP