Friday, December 31, 2010

Physicians in Transition: Doctors Who Successfully Reinvented Themselves


Physicians in Transition: Doctors Who Successfully Reinvented Themselves
by Drs. Richard Fernandez and Michelle Mudge-Riley

This is more than a book about physicians in transition, it is a book about remarkable people who have overcome obstacles in the pursuit of personal happiness and career satisfaction. Most physicians entered the medical field believing that sacrifices were inevitable but that the hard work and dedication would lead to a successful and satisfying career. Most people think the term "physician" implies the ultimate professional career choice. Why aren't physicians happy? What obstacles prevent them from this personal and career fulfillment? For some physicians, the stress levels have progressed to the point of exhaustion and fatigue and in more severe cases, substance abuse or severe depression. This book will introduce you to individual doctors who felt lost, trapped, exhausted, sick, guilty, frightened and an array of other emotions. These doctors may not have understood the feelings or the root cause of the problem but they faced it head on, got through it and overcame the feelings.

Get it here: Physicians in Transition: Doctors Who Successfully Reinvented Themselves

Final reminder: Join me on Jan 5 (Wed) to discuss non-clinical job opportunities

This is a final reminder that you can still join me for a group conference call on Wednesday Jan 5. This call will be limited to 5 participants and we currently have room for 2 more people to join us. You can find more details here.

"Let's Talk NonClinicalJobs: Group Career Coaching" is a group career coaching conference call service for physicians, medical students, and others who are interested in pursuing non-clinical job opportunities.

Featured Physician Executive: Joseph V. Gulfo, MD, MBA

Each week, we feature a physician executive. This week's featured physician is Dr. Joseph V. Gulfo. Here is his profile according to Forbes.com:

Joseph V. Gulfo
Director, President and Chief Executive Officer
Mela Sciences Inc
Irvington , NY
Sector: HEALTHCARE / Medical Instruments & Supplies
Officer since January 2004

46 Years Old
Joseph V. Gulfo, M.D., has served as our President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of our Board of Directors since January 2004. From May 1999 to November 2003, he served as Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Antigen Express, Inc., a development-stage company developing immunodiagnostics and therapeutics for cancer. Dr. Gulfo serves as a director of ProCertus BioPharm, Inc., a privately-held company. Dr. Gulfo received a B.S. in biology from Seton Hall University, an M.D. from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and an M.B.A. in finance from Seton Hall University.

Compensation for 2009
Salary $306,685.00
Bonus $150,000.00
All other compensation $60,700.00
Total Compensation $517,385.00

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Most affordable AACSB accredited online MBA programs

If you're looking for an affordable online MBA program that is accredited by the AACSB, you may want to check the list on GetEducated.com. This list of "Top 47 Ranked Online Business Schools" shows you in-state vs. out-of-state tuition costs.

These online college rankings were calculated by comparing tuition and distance education fees at 69 AACSB online accredited business school at universities in the U.S that offer 133 distance MBA masters degree programs. This is a review and ranking of the least expensive online masters degree programs. Online colleges do not pay to be included in these rankings.

Pharmaceutical Education & Research Institute (PERI)

PERI provides training and professional development programs to professionals working in the pharmaceutical and biotechology industries.

PERI is a not-for-profit organization that has been serving the pharmaceutical industry since 1989. Our entire operations revolve around providing you with the highest quality training available to assist you in your current position, and provide you with educational opportunities to enhance your long-term learning.

Main Areas of Training:

* Basic Research
* Clinical Investigators
* Clinical Sciences
* Data Information Management & Analysis
* Finance/Licensing Business Development
* Marketing
* Project Management
* Quality Assurance Compliance
* Regulatory Affairs

Formats for Education:

* Open Courses and Workshops
* Corporate Educational Programs
* Distance Education

With 24 open courses, six online courses and countless webinars, the Pharmaceutical Education & Research Institute (PERI) offers something for everyone. Check out the sampling of open courses below and find a full listing on the PERI website.

Learn more here: http://www.peri.org

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

What are your career goals for 2011?

As we prepare to enter the New Year, are you ready to think about your career goals? Perhaps you're going to transition out of clinical medicine in 2011. Maybe you'll look for some non-clinical opportunities to generate supplemental income. For some of you, the exploration phase of your career transition process may begin in 2011. For others, 2011 will be a year where you will heavily invest time and energy into revising your resume and actively applying for jobs.

I'm currently working with a number of physicians who are getting ready to find new jobs in 2011. As the economy slowly recovers in the United States, more jobs should open up. To find some of these non-clinical job openings, make sure to look at our Job Board.  As you search for jobs, make sure you're entering the right "keywords" so that you don't have to review hundreds of irrelevant jobs.

A unique part-time medical writing opportunity

If you're interested in a part-time medical writing opportunity throughout the year, make sure you take a look at this Job Post: A Medical Writing Opportunity

Choose an AACSB accredited online MBA program

Online MBA programs are especially attractive to busy physicians who don't have much time to spend in a classroom setting. There are so many schools that now offer an MBA online, but if you're going to select an online MBA program, choose one that is accredited by the AACSB.
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business is an association of educational institutions, businesses, and other organizations devoted to the advancement of management education. It also is the premier accrediting agency of collegiate business schools and accounting programs worldwide.
The following are examples of business schools that offer online MBA programs with AACSB accreditation:
  • Saint Joseph's University Erivan K. Haub School of Business
  • University of Massachusetts Amherst Isenberg School of Management
  • Indiana University Kelley School of Business
  • Drexel University LeBow College of Business
  • Temple University Fox School of Business
  • Thunderbird School of Global Management
  • Northeastern University 
  • Washington State University
  • Portland State University
  • Colorado State University
Before you enroll in business school, check to see if they are accredited by the AACSB.

    Tuesday, December 28, 2010

    Physician Executive Forum: In Pursuit of Meaningful Use of Health IT (HIMSS 2011)

    Are you attending HIMSS 2011? The American College of Physician Executives (ACPE) and the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) are working together to get more physician executives to attend in 2011. I hope to see you there.

    HIMSS11 Annual Conference & Exhibition, February 20-24, in Orlando, Florida.

    If you’re a physician, make sure you don’t miss the Physician Executive Forum: In Pursuit of Meaningful Use of Health IT. Hosted by C. Martin Harris, MD, MBA, FHIMSS, HIMSS Board Chairman and CIO of the Cleveland Clinic, the Forum offers key strategies to equip you and your staff for success.

    Here are some more details (and some reasons why you may want to attend HIMSS 2011):

    Meaningful use. Eligible hospitals. Eligible professionals. These are terms that you, as a physician executive, are aware of and need to fully understand. No matter your level of exposure to meaningful use, you realize it’s crucial to your health facilities’ future. The reality is that whether you are a physician leader in a hospital or an ambulatory environment, the implications of meaningful use will have a tremendous impact on how you deliver care and conduct your business.

    Impact of a dual PharmD/MBA degree on career opportunities and earning potential

    What can medical students and physicians learn from our pharmacy colleagues? Let's take a look at this study titled, "Impact of a dual PharmD/MBA degree on career opportunities and earning potential."

    OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the academic experience and satisfaction of students who completed a dual PharmD/MBA degree program and the program's long-term impact on the students' career choice and earning potential.

    METHODS: GPAs, job placement, and starting job salaries were compared between graduates who completed the dual PharmD/MBA program and those who completed only the PharmD program. A satisfaction survey instrument was administered to 17 students who completed the dual PharmD/MBA degree program in May 2007. Data from a standardized job placement and starting salary survey instrument completed by all PharmD graduates were also obtained, as well as all students' final grade point averages (GPAs). GPAs, job placement, and starting job salaries were compared between graduates who had completed the dual PharmD/MBA program and those who had completed only the PharmD program.

    RESULTS: The graduating GPAs of dual-degree students were higher than those of both pharmacy (3.52 vs 3.41, p > 0.10) and business (3.82 vs. 3.68, p = 0.018) students not enrolled in the dual-degree program. Dual-degree students were slightly less likely to enter a residency (17% vs. 27%, p = 0.44) than other pharmacy graduates. Among those who elected not to pursue a residency, both mean starting salaries ($111,090 vs. $101,965) and mean total first-year compensation ($127,290 vs. $110,388) were significantly higher for dual-degree graduates compared to the PharmD graduates.

    Monday, December 27, 2010

    I hope you'll join me at HIMSS 2011 for my presentations

    I'll be giving a few presentations at the HIMSS Social Media Center (which will be in the Exhibit hall) during the annual HIMSS 2011 conference. One of my presentations is tenatively titled, "Blogging as a Career: Strategies for Clinicians and Health IT Bloggers." My other presentation is tenatively titled, "Physicians and Meaningful Use: What Are We Seeing in Social Media?"

    I hope you'll join me in Florida for the HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) conference in Feb.  You can learn about the conference here: http://www.himssconference.org/

    2011 BioSpace Career Fairs

    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.

    Mark your calendars for the 2011 BioSpace Career Fairs:

    February 10, 2011: Pharm Country Career Fair
    Bridgewater Marriott, Bridgewater, NJ

    February 22, 2011:Genetown Cambridge Career Fair
    Cambridge Marriott, Cambridge, MA

    March 2, 2011: BioCapital Bethesda Career Fair
    Bethesda North Marriott & Conference Center, Bethesda, MD

    April 4, 2011: Bio NC Durham Career Fair
    Sheraton Imperial Hotel & Convention Center, Durham, NC

    Learn about these career fairs here.

    Sunday, December 26, 2010

    Enterprise Value - EV

    I'm currently taking a marketing course for my pharmaceutical and healthcare executive MBA through St. Joseph's University Erivan K. Haub School of Business. As I take different courses during business school, I'll write about some of the things that I'm learning about business. One of the main reasons I wanted to get an MBA was to learn the language of business. Many of these words and acronyms were not in my regular vocabulary when I was in medical school. You can learn the language of business on your own, but I wanted structure and the ability to engage with other business-minded professionals. That's why I enrolled in business school.

    This week, I thought I'd write about Enterprise Value or EV. What is EV and what are all those ratios like EV/Sales and EV/R? I took the following excerpts from Investopedia:

    What Does Enterprise Value - EV Mean?

    A measure of a company's value, often used as an alternative to straightforward market capitalization. Enterprise value is calculated as market cap plus debt, minority interest and preferred shares, minus total cash and cash equivalents.

    Think of enterprise value as the theoretical takeover price. In the event of a buyout, an acquirer would have to take on the company's debt, but would pocket its cash. EV differs significantly from simple market capitalization in several ways, and many consider it to be a more accurate representation of a firm's value. The value of a firm's debt, for example, would need to be paid by the buyer when taking over a company, thus EV provides a much more accurate takeover valuation because it includes debt in its value calculation.

    Saturday, December 25, 2010

    Happy Holidays!

    Happy Holidays! From NonClinicalJobs.com

    Hope you have a wonderful time with family and friends. Remember that the holiday season is a great time for networking.

    Friday, December 24, 2010

    Featured physician executive: Vijai Kumar, M.D.

    This week's featured physician executive is Vijai Kumar, M.D., President and Chief Medical Officer of Excel Life Sciences.

    Dr. Vijai Kumar joined Excel Life Sciences from Neeman Medical International, Inc where he served as the first President and CEO. He is responsible for starting the concept of site management organizations in Asia. Prior to that, Dr Kumar worked as Medical Director, Sandoz and Regional Director, Asia for The Upjohn Company, where he was responsible for contributing to more than 20 NDA submissions. Dr. Kumar has experience as a clinician, investigator, pharmaceutical physician, consultant and service provider. He has over 34 years experience in Global Drug Development, Strategic Relationship building, Business Development and various other aspects of clinical research and the pharmaceutical industry. He has served as a Member of the expert committee constituted by the Drugs Controller General (India) to develop GCP Guidelines in India and as a member of the Board of Governors for the Institute of Clinical Research, India. Dr Kumar has personally been involved in the conduct of over 200 clinical trials in various therapeutic areas such as, Infectious Disease, Neuropsychiatry, Cardiovascular Disorders, Metabolism and Rheumatology in Asia, Europe and the USA and has presented numerous papers on various aspects of clinical research across the globe. Dr Kumar holds an M.D. in Internal Medicine and an M.B.B.S. from Armed Forces Medical College, Pune.

    Thursday, December 23, 2010

    Additional networking tips from TheLadders

    This holiday season, spend some time to expand your social network. Here are some great articles from TheLadders.
    TheLadders.com  provides you with the ability to find high-paying non-clinical jobs in medical affairs, consulting, biopharma, investment banking, venture capital, and many other industries. Their targeted sites list more than 35,000 new $100k+ jobs each month across every industry, in companies of all types and sizes. They only list jobs that pay more than $100,000/year, including many C-level, VP, Director and Manager jobs. So, if you're in the market for a $100k+ job, you won't find a better resource anywhere.  Find $100K+ Jobs at TheLadders.com.

    FDA Internships and Fellowships

    There are many avenues available for those individuals interested in pursuing a career in science at the FDA. Some of those programs include:
    • Student Intern Program (CDRH-OSEL)
    • Medical Device Fellowship Program (EEP, OCD, CDRH)
    • Device Evaluation Intern Program (CDRH)
    • Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program
    • Faculty Research Program (NCTR)
    • and others
    To learn more about FDA Internships and Fellowships, visit the FDA website.

    Wednesday, December 22, 2010

    Intracorp Physician Advisor Services

    I took this information from the Intracorp website where they talk about two services: 1) Physician Advisor Services; and 2) Impairment Review Rating.

    Intracorp's robust suite of Physician Advisor Services and Impairment Rating Reviews provides reviews that give direction and recommendations on files in the process of settlement or set realistic reserves. We assist in addressing issues such as disability duration, functional ability to return to work, treatment appropriateness and projected treatment plans. We also offer telephonic consultation for adjusters, outside the formal review process.

    Intracorp employs staff physicians supplemented by a broad network of contracted physicians spanning over 40 diverse specialties. All physicians play an active and clearly defined peer review role. Intracorp has used physicians to review treatment for over 38 years.

    Our Physician Advisor Services Include:

    * Utilization Management Medical Necessity Review
    * Complex File Review
    * Appeal Review
    * Physician Advisor Consultation

    Tuesday, December 21, 2010

    ACPE panel discussion on ACO's with Dr. Elliott Fisher

    If you weren't able to get to Tucson for the 2010 American College of Physician Executives (ACPE) Fall Institute, you missed a great panel discussion on ACO's (Accountable Care Organizations) with the CMO's from the three hospitals that are participating in the national ACO pilot, facilitated by Dr. Elliott Fisher.

    The good news is - you can watch a video of the panel discussion here on the ACPE Media Center: http://fms.acpe.org/acpeTV/aco/aco.html

    Thanks to Dr. Mark Browne (Twitter @consultdoc) for sharing this video.

    Upcoming ACPE Institutes - 2011

    Mark your calendars! Upcoming American College of Physician Executives (ACPE) Institutes - 2011
    • 2011 Winter Conference (Weekend PIM and MSO only) • Jan 28-30, 2011
    • 2011 Annual Meeting & Spring Institute • April 8-12, 2011 
    • 2011 Summer Institute • July 15-19, 2011 
    • 2011 Fall Institute • November 6-10, 2011 
    Visit: http://www.acpe.org/

    Monday, December 20, 2010

    2011 MD/MBA Conference (AMMP)

    The Association of MD MBA Programs (AMMP) is having its annual meeting in Texas in 2011.

    I hope to see you there, so save the date:

    April 8-10th, 2011, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX

    In 2003, MD/MBA program directors of the then thirty-three identified dual degree programs in the U.S. began meeting annually in order to build ties, share experiences hone the mission of the programs, and help new programs to prosper from lessons learned. The meetings were held at rotating universities to highlight their MD/MBA program. Program directors shared details of their programs and invited dual degree speakers to discuss their chosen career paths. MD/MBA students from the programs attended with their directors. Such enthusiasm was evident; naturally these annual meetings emerged into weekend long conferences with increasing attendance and have been supported by the hosting universities.

    5 Tips to Network More Effectively (and Intentionally) this Holiday Season

    This holiday season, you may have the opportunity to expand your social networks if you act more intentionally.  Here are a few tips that may help you create some meaningful connections:
    1. Arrive early and stay until the end. Attending a social event? Make sure to arrive early and stay until the end so that you have the chance to "connect meaningfully" with people when there aren't too many people.
    2. Carry business cards with you wherever you go. You simply never know who you will meet. Don't be afraid to bring up business and to pass along your card.
    3. Create an online profile on LinkedIn. This is the largest professional social networking website and membership is free.
    4. Follow-up with an e-mail or phone call after you meet someone interesting. Need a reason to follow-up? Ask for some additional information regarding something you had discussed previously.
    5. Finally, be intentional about meeting new people. This may seem obvious, but so many people (especially those who are introverts) have a difficult time doing this. We're so comfortable chatting with friends and people we already know. Be intentional about starting conversations with new people. 
    Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season this winter!

      Sunday, December 19, 2010

      Your chance to win $5,000 ends on Dec 21

      If you're a physician in the United States, you have until Dec 21, 2010 to Join Sermo, expand your social network, and get a chance to win $5,000

      Companies are hiring physicians for these types of non-clinical positions

      There are a number of companies and organizations that are hiring physicians for a variety of non-clinical positions such as:
      and much more! Make sure to browse all the job listings found on the "Jobs" section of NonClinicalJobs.com.

      There's room for 2 more: Group Career Coaching and "Let's Talk NonClinicalJobs"

      There's room for 2 more people to sign up and register for our Jan 5 conference call Join Me on Jan 5 for Group Career Coaching and "Let's Talk NonClinicalJobs"

      This conference call is limited to 5 participants. 

      If this call fills up, I may schedule an additional call in January so stay tuned. 

      Saturday, December 18, 2010

      The four Ps of marketing

      I'm currently taking a marketing course for my pharmaceutical and healthcare executive MBA through St. Joseph's University Erivan K. Haub School of Business. As I go through business school, I'll periodically share some of the lessons that I'm learning. This week, I thought I'd share with you the "four Ps of marketing." There's nothing like reading a textbook and having discussions with other business students. Professor Bill Trombetta does a great job facilitating discussions in the classroom.

      So, the 4 Ps of marketing are:
      1. Product
      2. Price
      3. Promotion
      4. Place
      Before you can market a product or service, you need to consider this "marketing mix" that includes various elements from these "4 Ps of marketing."

      The world of marketing is rapidly evolving today because of the power of social media. Websites like Facebook and Twitter are changing the way consumers are communicating about companies and brands. As a result, non-traditional forms of marketing (e.g., blogs, tweets, user-generated videos, etc.) will soon become the "norm" in marketing.

      Well, time to get back to my business school assignment. It's fun being a student again!

      Friday, December 17, 2010

      George Washington University Online MBA Program Review

      Author: Dr. Thomas Pane

      I recently completed George Washington University’s online MBA program, and I am happy to share my experience with the NonClinicalJobs.com community. I always had an interest in business; consuming books in business, finance and economics for quite a while. I felt it made sense to go further with a formal degree program.

      As a practicing physician, I needed to have a program that took place mostly or entirely online. The GW website provides comprehensive program information, so I will add my own points below.

      It’s Convenient:
      The program is 100% online, but access is needed only when downloading information or uploading assignments. Some classes have recorded lectures with slides, and there are occasional live webinars.

      It’s Comprehensive:
      The program covers all typical MBA disciplines, with a few health-specific electives. There is substantial exposure to marketing, financial and managerial accounting, and finance. The structure of the program changed partway through my experience. The new structure has core courses and elective choices.

      Featured physician executive: Barton Cobert MD, FACP, FACG, FFPM

      Each week, we feature a physician executive. This week's featured physician is Barton Cobert MD, FACP, FACG, FFPM and I pulled his information from his LinkedIn profile:
      http://www.linkedin.com/in/bcobert

      Bart Cobert is a consultant in drug safety (DS) and pharmacovigilance (PV) with 30 years in the pharmaceutical industry at senior levels and was a founding member and working group chair in ICH. He has written 4 textbooks on drug safety. He offers expertise in all areas of strategic pharmacovigilance including data management committees, mock Advisory Committee meetings as well as FDA & EMA/MHRA/AFSSAPS interactions, compliance, training, risk management (REMS/RMPs), crisis management, medical & safety analyses & white papers, organizational change management. He is a board certified gastroenterologist.

      Thursday, December 16, 2010

      How to Choose a Career That’s Best for You

      There's a short blog article on U.S. News titled, "How to Choose a Career That’s Best for You." The author asks several questions to help you determine how to choose a career:
      • What are your natural talents?
      • What’s your work style?
      • Where do you like to work?
      • Do you enjoy social interaction?
      • How important to you is work-life balance?
      • Are you looking to give back?
      • Are you comfortable in the public eye?
      • Do you deal well with stress?
      • How much money do you want to make?
      These may seem like simple questions, but did you ask these questions before you pursued a career in medicine? It's not too late to switch gears. You may find that a non-clinical career may be a better "fit" for you. Read the complete article here.

      2011 Annual Medical Tourism Research Conference

      2nd Annual Medical Tourism Research Conference

      “Increasing Knowledge in the Medical Tourism Industry- The Growing Importance of Research”

      The Center for Medical Tourism Research (CMTR- also see www.medicaltourismresearch.org) will be holding the 2nd Annual Medical Tourism Research Conference in Washington, D.C. on February 23rd to 25th, 2011.

      The CMTR examines business, clinical, economic, ethical, legal, marketing, operational, policy, social justice, and societal impacts of the Medical Tourism/Travel industry worldwide.

      Wednesday, December 15, 2010

      CareerBliss: Company Salaries and Reviews

      Do you love your job? Are you thinking about finding a new job? CareerBliss.com is a website that has salary data for millions of companies and job titles nationwide. Plus, CareerBliss provides company reviews so that you can research what others are saying about their own companies (anonymously, I'm sure).

      So, what are the Best Bliss Companies? The Top 3 companies are:
      1. Google
      2. USAF
      3. Johnson & Johnson

      40% of physicians to leave clinical medicine?

      Here's are a few snippets from a recent Healthcare Finance News story:

      The Physicians Foundation, based in Boston, released the results of a survey conducted by Merritt Hawkins, a national physician search and consulting firm, which indicates growing dissatisfaction among doctors as they struggled with less time for patient care and increased time dealing with non-clinical paperwork, difficulty receiving reimbursement and burdensome government regulations.

      According to the survey, healthcare reform could intensify existing problems for doctors and worsen the shortage of primary care doctors, making it more difficult for patients to access quality care.
      • 40 percent of physicians said they would drop out of patient care in the next one to three years, either by retiring, seeking a non-clinical job within healthcare or seeking a job out of healthcare.
      What will happen to the health care system if 40% of physicians leave clinical medicine to pursue non-clinical opportunities? I think that many physicians are hoping that the health care system will change, but the current reform law has too many gaps and holes. I suppose that's what can happen if we rush through some major changes and try to fix a huge burden like the health care crisis.

      Physician Careers: Academic Medical Centers - Dr. Peter Slavin (MD/MBA 8th AMMP Conference)

      Here's a video of a presentation given by Dr. Peter Slavin at the 8th Annual AMMP conference titled, "Physician Careers: Academic Medical Centers." I blogged about his presentation (here) back in April when I was in Boston attending the Association of MD/MBA Programs (AMMP) 8th Annual Conference.

      Now, you can view a video of his presentation and slides here (you'll need Microsoft Silverlight to play the video).

      Tuesday, December 14, 2010

      PPD (global contract research organization) adds 190 jobs in Virginia

      Here are some snippets from a recent news story about PPD, a global contract research organization or CRO:

      RICHMOND, Va., Dec. 10 -- Gov. Bob McDonnell, R-Va., issued the following news release:

      Governor Bob McDonnell announced today that PPD, Inc. (Nasdaq: PPDI), a leading global contract research organization providing drug discovery, development, and lifecycle management services, plans to invest $28 million to expand its Lab Services Division in Henrico County over the next three years. The operation provides research and development services and clinical trial services for drug development. The project is expected to create 190 new jobs over the next three years.

      Job Post: Physician Executive for Cerner

      Here's a job post that may be of interest for those who would like to break into health information technology:  Physician Executive for Cerner

      If you are a physician interested in making a change to Healthcare IT where you can leverage both your clinical and IT background to help larger patient populations, this may be the time to look at opportunities at Cerner Corporation.

      Physicians in our Demonstration Strategy group work with physicians from potential clients as they help select a healthcare IT vendor.

      Physicians in our Consulting organization work with physicians at client sites as they implement Cerner solutions. These physicians primarily work with Clinical Physician Order Entry and Physician Documentation.

      Careers in regulatory affairs

      Here's some information about regulatory affairs and the regulatory affairs certificate program offered by Colorado State University:

      Regulatory affairs management is a rapidly growing field. The number of regulatory affairs managers in Colorado is expected to grow 17% by 2016 to about 22,500 workers. Nationally, employment opportunities for regulatory affairs managers are expected to grow by about 7.3%. Regulatory affairs managers earn about $47 hourly or $99,360 annually on average in Colorado and about $43 hourly or $90,230 annually on average in the U.S. as a whole.

      The Regulatory Affairs Certificate is comprised of three tracks:

      * Drug and Biologics
      * Medical Devices, In-vitro Diagnostics (IVD), and Tissue Products
      * Clinical Trials Management

      Monday, December 13, 2010

      Travel this week: Boston, MA; Richmond, VA; Washington D.C.

      I normally don't travel much for work. However, this is an unusual week where I'll be traveling quite a bit. I'll be flying to Boston, MA for a day. Then, I'll be on a train headed to Richmond, VA for a day. Then, I'll be in a car driving to Washington D.C. for a day. Fortunately, I'll be at home every night this week, so I'll get to sleep in my own bed.

      Many non-clinical jobs require a significant amount of work-related travel, so make sure you know how much travel will be required before you sign any employment contracts. I've known quite a few physicians who've gotten burned out from traveling so much that they quit after less than 12 months of employment. Travel can be a significant burden if you're still required to keep up with your work when you're out of the office. 

      Medical Science Liaison Management Summit

      No matter what you call it – MSL, CSL, MSD, etc. – the role of the Medical Science Liaison is evolving rapidly. Changes to internal structure, including shrinking sales forces and budgets, combined with shifts in the external environment prompted by healthcare reform are affecting the responsibilities and the visibility associated with this role. They are also opening up new avenues of growth for the MSL – including opportunities to specialize in communicating with healthcare policymakers and involvement in REMS.

      5th Annual Medical Science Liaison Skill Building and Management Summit
      Strategies to Build Internal Awareness of MSL Value and Maximize Compliant KOL Relationships
      January 12 - 13, 2011
      Philadelphia , PA

      Join MSLs and their managers in January at CBI’s Medical Science Liaison Skill Building and Management Summit. Now in its fifth year, this forum provides a unique training opportunity for both MSLs and MSL leadership. Attendees choose from customized tracks and workshops to develop and refine strategy while building practical, take-home skills. A few of the takeaways you will gain from the distinguished faculty at this meeting include strategies to:

      • Define and communicate value internally
      • Get your Legal and MSL Departments on the same page
      • Lead small group meetings effectively and utilize PowerPoint to influence rather than to merely provide information
      • Discover novel opportunities for the MSL role in REMS, clinical development and as a key conduit to healthcare policy makers
      • Overcome retention challenges and maximize performance

      Click here for more information about the 5th Annual Medical Science Liaison Skill Building and Management Summit.

      Sunday, December 12, 2010

      Part-time medical writing opportunities

      I'm currently in the process of recruiting and hiring contributors for several different medical websites. If you'd like to explore some part-time writing opportunities, take a look at this:  Medical Writing Jobs

      McKinsey Internships and Insight Program

      McKinsey & Company has the following short term opportunities, including internships.

      OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE
      McKinsey & Company is a management consulting firm that advises senior management of the world's leading organizations on issues of strategy, organization, technology and operations. We are always on the lookout for high caliber individuals to help us fulfill our mission: 1) to help our clients make positive, lasting and substantial improvements to their performance, and 2) to build a great firm that is able to attract, develop, excite and retain exceptional people.

      If you like the idea of a career alternative that will stimulate and challenge, together with the opportunity to work with highly motivated colleagues in a supportive, team-based environment, please apply for an internship position or Insight program with McKinsey & Company

      PAID INTERNSHIPS IN SELECT WORLDWIDE OFFICES
      Medical students, Interns, Residents and Fellows are invited to apply.

      Saturday, December 11, 2010

      Join Me on Jan 5 for Group Career Coaching and "Let's Talk NonClinicalJobs"

      Here's an opportunity to join me on the phone so that we can discuss non-clinical career opportunities.

      "Let's Talk NonClinicalJobs: Group Career Coaching" is a group career coaching conference call service for physicians, medical students, and others who are interested in pursuing non-clinical job opportunities. I am providing this as a cost-effective option for those who are exploring non-clinical careers. I am still offering an individualized career coaching service (more information here).

      Our next group career coaching conference call titled "Let's Talk NonClinicalJobs" is scheduled for Wed, Jan 5th at 9 pm Eastern time. Before the call, you'll have the opportunity to tell me about your situation so that I have a better understanding of your background. All email communications will be held highly confidential.

      During the conference call, we will talk about the following:*
      • Career opportunities for recent medical school graduates who have no or partial residency experience.
      • Unique career barriers and opportunities for foreign medical graduates.
      • Part-time and full-time employment opportunities for experienced physicians who have 3+ years of clinical experience (but no industry experience).
      *The agenda is subject to change based on who registers for the call.

      This conference call will be limited to 5 participants. If the call fills up, I will schedule an additional call in January. The call will be an interactive discussion and you'll have plenty of opportunities to ask specific questions. If you'd like to participate but the scheduled day/time for the call does not fit your schedule, please contact me.

      The 12 Habits of Highly-Effective Job Seekers in a Down Market

      Looking for a new job? You’re invited to a FREE teleseminar, EXCLUSIVELY for friends of Career Potential, LLC. A recorded version of this teleseminar will be available after the call.

      "The 12 Habits of Highly-Effective Job Seekers in a Down Market"

      Tuesday, December 14, 2010
      7:00pm Eastern; 6:00pm Central;
      5:00pm Mountain; 4:00pm Pacific

      In this one-hour presentation, Career Coach and author Ford R. Myers will reveal the 12 most powerful strategies that consistently generate exceptional results for job seekers, “even when no one’s hiring.”

      Learn more here.

      Ford R. Myers is a nationally-known Career Coach and President of Career Potential, LLC. His firm helps clients take charge of their careers, create the work they love, and earn what they deserve! Ford has held senior consulting positions at three of the nation’s largest career service firms. His articles and interviews have appeared in hundreds of national magazines and newspapers, and he has conducted presentations at many companies, associations and universities. In addition, Ford has been a frequent guest on television and radio programs across the country. He is author of “Get The Job You Want, Even When No One’s Hiring.”

      Friday, December 10, 2010

      Join Sermo, expand your social network, and get a chance to win $5,000

      What could you do with an extra $5,000? If you're a U.S. physician, join Sermo, the largest online physician-only community. Sermo is running a contest until December 21 and you might win $5,000 for joining!

      Here's a portion of the "Promotion rules:"
      The following are the rules governing the promotion:
      1. Sermo has selected 5 physicians who are not currently members of Sermo as of December 2, 2010 to be “Dr. Sermo”.
      2. Current Sermo members refer their colleagues to join Sermo.
      3. If a Dr Sermo joins Sermo via a referral from an existing Sermo member, the Dr. Sermo and attributed Sermo member each receive $5,000.

      Membership to Sermo is free, but you must be a U.S. physician. Click here to join.

      The 50 Best Careers of 2011

      US News and World Report has released an article where they feature the "50 Best Careers of 2011." As expected, a number of those careers are in the health care industry.

      Here are the health care careers that they picked:

      • Athletic trainer
      • Dental hygienist
      • Lab technician
      • Massage therapist
      • Occupational therapist
      • Optometrist
      • Physician assistant
      • Physical therapist
      • Physical therapist assistant
      • Radiologic technologist
      • Registered nurse
      • School psychologist
      • Veterinarian

      So, I see that physician isn't on the list. What does this imply? Does it suggest that physician careers are not so appealing if they're not considered one of the 50 best careers?  Maybe this is why so many physicians are looking for alternative careers outside of clinical medicine.

      Featured physician executive: George Linney, Jr., MD, FACPE

      Each week, we feature a physician executive. This week's featured physician executive is George Linney, Jr., MD, FACPE. George E. Linney, Jr., M.D., heads Tyler & Company’s office in Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as leads the firm’s Physician Executive Search Practice. He joined the firm in 1995.

      Before joining Tyler & Company, Dr. Linney spent seven years as an independent consultant with clients that included group practices, hospitals and managed care entities. During that time, he also served at MetLife in Florida as a consulting medical director. He began his career at the Nalle Clinic, a large multispecialty group in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he practiced pediatrics for 11 years. Following his tenure at Nalle Clinic, he served as medical director of a staff-model HMO for CIGNA Health Plan of Orlando.

      Thursday, December 9, 2010

      Job Post: A Medical Writing Opportunity

      Medical Writing Job or Internship

      Are you a talented writer? Interested in developing a writing career? If you enjoy technology, here is an opportunity to gain experience in health writing and medical blogging. Raise your visibility on the Internet by publishing your content on several high-profile medical websites and being featured as a regular contributor. Click here to see who's currently contributing to the MedicineandTechnology.com website.

      Job Description:

      We are primarily looking for physicians, medical students, and others who have a background in health care to join the writing team for these websites:
      1. http://www.MedicineandTechnology.com
      2. http://www.MedicalSmartphones.com
      3. http://www.MobileHealthComputing.com
      Articles that you write are meant to be informal, editorial blog posts where you will have the opportunity to share your personal experiences and opinions about some of the current trends in medicine, mobile health, and health information technology.

      Technology Careers with UnitedHealth Group

      Here's a short video where IT leaders talk about differences, similarities, challenges, and opportunities in having a technology career in the health care industry at UnitedHealth Group.

      Beyond the dual degree

      Have you heard of the Boonshoft Physician Leadership Development Program? Here's a fascinating article about this titled, "Beyond the dual degree: development of a five-year program in leadership for medical undergraduates."

      Abstract:
      The current state of physician leadership education consists mainly of executive degree programs designed for midcareer physicians. In 2004, the authors proposed that, by educating medical students in physician leadership and integrating this with a business management or public health degree program, graduates, health care organizations, and communities would benefit sooner. Given the lack of program models to guide program integration and development, the authors began a one-year inquiry to build a model leadership curriculum and integrate leadership education across degree programs. The qualitative inquiry resulted in several linked tasks. First, the authors identified a feasible method for concurrently delivering all three program components (MD degree, Leadership Curriculum, and MBA or MPH degree) during a five-year plan. Second, the authors chose a competency-based educational framework for leadership and then identified, adapted, and validated existing leadership competencies to their context. Third, the authors performed an extensive program alignment to identify existing overlaps and opportunities for integration within and across program components. Fourth, the authors performed a needs analysis to identify educational gaps, subsequently leading to redesigning two courses and to designing three new courses. A description of the Leadership Curriculum is also provided. This inquiry has led to the development of the Boonshoft Physician Leadership Development Program, which provides physician leadership education integrated with medical education and education in business management or public heath. Future program initiatives include developing leadership student assessment tools and testing the link between program activities and short- and long-term outcome measures of program success.

      Crites GE, Ebert JR, Schuster RJ. Beyond the dual degree: development of a five-year program in leadership for medical undergraduates. Acad Med. 2008 Jan;83(1):52-8. PMID: 18162751

      Wednesday, December 8, 2010

      Here's why one anesthesiologist got an MBA

      I know quite a few anesthesiologists who have an MBA. There's something about that specialty that seems to attract business-minded (and entrepreneurial) physicians. In 2009, there was a paper titled, "Should I get a Master of Business Administration? The anesthesiologist with education training: training options and professional opportunities."

      Here's the abstract:

      PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Many physicians want to know whether they should get a Master of Business Administration (MBA), what type of program is best, and what career paths exist.

      RECENT FINDINGS: It is commonly (incorrectly) assumed that a physician successful in clinical practice can easily transfer to managing/leading an organization. To be effective, the MD/MBA must bridge the cultures of the business world and medicine. Often just a single management course is sufficient to give the physician the knowledge they seek. MBA programs come in many forms and require choosing from a range of time commitments. Leaving a good clinical job in favor of the less-defined course of an MD/MBA can be daunting. Although a wide spectrum of opportunities are available, the MD/MBA may have to start over professionally, most likely with a pay cut, and will have to 'work their way up' again. A stigma exists for MD/MBAs because they are often perceived as caring more about business than about patients. Many MD/MBAs eventually choose to stay in full-time medical practice because financial and geographic stability may be more easily attained.

      SUMMARY: The MBA is a good idea for the physicians who enjoy the intellectual challenges of business administration and proactively plan their own career.

      Desai AM, Trillo RA Jr, Macario A. Should I get a Master of Business Administration? The anesthesiologist with education training: training options and professional opportunities. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. 2009 Apr;22(2):191-8. PMID: 19307894

      Biodesign Innovation Fellowship (for surgical residents)

      Stanford University offers a novel opportunity called the Biodesign Innovation Fellowship for surgical residents.

      Surgical Fellowship

      A subset of the Biodesign Innovation Fellowship is the Surgical Fellowship - available to surgical residents in their research years. They join the Biodesign Innovation Fellowship and spend two years. Those who wish to join the Innovation fellowship but are also completing their Surgical Residency or Fellowship may apply for the special Innovation Surgical Fellowship, which is a two-year program.

      FDA Fellowship

      The Biodesign program offers a fellowship opportunity at the Center for Devices and Radiological Health at the FDA. Read more on the FDA Fellowship page.

      Learn more on the Stanford Biodesign website.

      Tuesday, December 7, 2010

      Consulting Opportunities at McKinsey & Company

      This information is from the D.O.C. Drop Out Club - Linking Physicians, Scientists and Business.

      McKinsey is hosting the following upcoming events for medical students, interns, residents and fellows, where attendees will learn about the type of work we do at McKinsey.

      Thursday, December 9
      UCSF Open House
      5:30-7:30pm
      Eos Wine Bar
      901 Cole Street (at Carl), San Francisco
      RSVP to Justinia_Holiat@McKinsey.com

      Monday, December 13th
      Presentation @ UPenn
      6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
      The Austrian Auditorium, Clinical Research Building
      415 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia
      To RSVP, or to register to receive more information from us, please click on the following link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/UPenn12132010

      Winter 2011 Isenberg Part-Time MBA Elective Course Registration Now Open

      Winter 2011 Isenberg Part-Time MBA Elective Course Registration Now Open to All Students

      Classes begin: December 20, 2010

      View Winter 2011 MBA Elective Courses
      Go to: www.isenberg.umass.edu/mba

      The Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst offers exciting and challenging Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree programs to meet your educational, career, and lifestyle goals; Full-Time MBA, Part-Time MBA, and an Online MBA options.

      The Part-Time and Online MBA program is a flexible 37-credit program and is one of the most efficient ways to advance your business knowledge and skills while balancing the demands of an ongoing career. Students can take as few or as many courses in a given semester and the Part-Time Online MBA program can be completed in as little as 11 months or up to a maximum of 4 years.

      Monday, December 6, 2010

      15th European Career Fair (ECF 2011)

      The 15th ECF will take place January 22-January 24, 2011 on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge (MA).

      For Candidates : After an overwhelming amount of resume upload yesterday (Dec. 3rd) and many concerned requests of candidates who, because of that, were temporarily not able to access our database, we decided to extend the registration period for another week.

      The new and final deadline is Dec. 10th!

      Learn more here: https://www.euro-career.com/

      Does Your Resume Make You Look Too Old?

      If you're planning on pursuing a non-clinical "encore" career after you retire from your clinical career, make sure your resume doesn't make you look too old. Otherwise, you'll fall victim to age discrimination and you'll have a difficult time finding a job.

      Here are 7 Resume Tips from recently-surveyed hiring managers (published on BioSpace.com)
      1. Trim your employment history to reflect your past 10-15 years. 
      2. Avoid leaving dates of education off your resume unless you have a strong strategic reason to do so.
      3. Ensure that your resume showcases valuable age-related attributes most likely to be valued by prospective employers – e.g. your judgment and decision-making abilities, your range of expertise, your reliability and dependable work ethic, and your commitment to corporate goals.
      4. Highlight achievements that reflect strong technical or professional expertise, a high energy level, and the ability to flexible and adaptable.
      5. Employment accomplishments need to be concise, but detailed. Employers want to know as specifically as possible what you will “bring to their party”.
      6. Leave off "references upon request" – this is a "given."
      7. Most importantly, have your resume critiqued.
      Click here to read the entire article on BioSpace.com.

      Indiana University's Flexible, Online MBA: Kelley Direct

      Established in 1999, Kelley Direct provides high-caliber professionals access to the highly-reputable Indiana University Kelley School of Business programs online, no matter where they live or work. Through Kelley Direct, you'll earn the world-renowned Kelley MBA degree on your own schedule, while making connections with students across the globe.

      IU's on-campus MBA ranked #22 in the nation with 8 separate concentrations ranked in the top 20 (US News & World Report, 2010). Among public universities, IU Kelley ranked #4 in the nation (BusinessWeek, 2008). Kelley Direct offers you access to the same faculty and curriculum online.

      The Master of Business Administration

      The MBA program can be completed in as few as two years or as many as five years. It includes two one-week in-residencies, during which students have the opportunity to get to know their classmates and professors while taking a 1.5-credit hour class.

      The focus of the program is general administration and covers topics such as business ethics, economics, marketing, finance, operations, information technology, and project management. Students can also take 9 hours of electives to tailor the program toward their career goals.

      Online Experience

      The same faculty that teaches in the Kelley full-time and evening MBA programs teaches in Kelley Direct. Many have taught in Kelley Direct for years, allowing them to master the best teaching techniques for the online environment. Kelley Direct uses top-notch technology, including the ANGEL Course Management System and Breeze live meeting software.

      Learn more here: http://kd.iu.edu/

      Saturday, December 4, 2010

      Non Clinical Options for Physician Assistants

      Author: Rachel Davis

      There are various reasons why those in the medical field choose to move to a non-clinical position – the latter have reasonable and fixed working hours, the stress levels are lower, they don’t bring on frequent litigation and lawsuits, and they’re free of dealings with insurance companies. Some may be bored in their clinical positions because it’s not challenging anymore – they’ve achieved all that they wanted to and they now want to explore their options in the corporate world.

      Friday, December 3, 2010

      Physician Executive Forum at #HIMSS11

      Interested in a career in health information technology? Attend HIMSS and network with other health IT executives. Become a member of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society. Make HIMSS11 your CME meeting for 2011.

      At HIMSS 2011, there will be something called the Physician Executive Forum. Here's more information:
      In Pursuit of Meaningful Use of Health IT — an exclusive event for CMOs, CMIOs, Medical Directors, Informatics Officers or other physician leaders in the enterprise healthcare setting.
      I'll be at HIMSS 2011 and I hope to see you there too.

      HIMSS11
      Feb 20-24, 2011
      Orlando, Florida

      Here's something else to consider: Take the CPHIMS exam at HIMSS11 and earn the mark of professional distinction.
      Being a CPHIMS gives you a professional edge in the marketplace and distinguishes you among your peers. Validate your industry expertise and credibility by taking the CPHIMS exam at HIMSS11.
      To learn more about the HIMSS11 conference, visit: http://www.himssconference.org

      Featured physician executive: Silvia Zieher, M.D.

      Each week, we feature a physician executive. This week's featured physician executive is Dr. Silvia Zieher.

      Silvia Zieher, MD
      Executive Director, Clinical Development, Latin America
      INC Research, Inc.

      Dr. Zieher has 15 years experience in clinical research as clinical team leader, clinical development manager of a top ten pharmaceutical company in Argentina and as a CRO clinical research director and head of clinical operations for Latin America. She joined the CRO industry in 2004.

      Her responsibilities have included operations and project leadership activities related to the conduct of global clinical trials and the implementation of studies in Latin America. She has had direct line management responsibility of project teams. She has contributed to the development of training, quality control activities and development of processes and SOPs at the regional and global level. She has served as the the local safety officer with pharmacovigilance responsibilities for a pharma country affiliate. Dr. Zieher contributed to the preparation of the PAHO (Pan American Health Organization) guidelines: titled: “GCP: Document of the Americas” that was published in 2005, being the FIFARMA (Latin America Global Pharma industry) representative of the GCP expert working group at PANDRH (Pan American Network for Drug Regulatory Harmonization). This guideline is the foundation of all new regulations in Latin America. She has conducted academic activities in clinical research and is a frequent presenter as international conferences as DIA.

      Prior to entering the pharmaceutical industry, she worked for 8 years as a pediatric physician public and private institutions in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and taught at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Buenos Aires, where she also completed postgraduate studies in clinical pharmacology.

      Thursday, December 2, 2010

      American Medical Forensic Specialists

      Here's some information about an organization called the AMFS:
      American Medical Forensic Specialists (AMFS) is America's premier medical expert witness and medical legal consulting company. We have been a trusted partner with the legal community for more than 20 years providing experts to both plaintiff and defense counsel for personal injury, medical malpractice and other medical-legal matters. Our superior method of retaining the most qualified experts has enabled us to provide board-certified experts in active practice in over 15,000 malpractice and personal injury cases.

      Benefits of joining the AMFS network:

      * Earn supplemental income without disrupting your practice
      * Keep informed of issues affecting your specialty and the medical community
      * Accept or decline casework at your discretion and according to your schedule
      * Outsource all non-billable administrative tasks and ensure payment for services rendered
      * 20 years and 15,000 cases of medical-legal experience and expertise
      * Receive complex case facts and briefings from a doctor (AMFS Medical Director)

      Learn how you can become an AMFS expert here. (panel of experts limited to actively practicing, board-certified physicians who are willing to testify in support of their unbiased opinion)

      Physician Careers: Clinical Management - Dr. Christopher Baugh (MD/MBA 8th AMMP Conference)

      Here's a video of a presentation given by Dr. Christopher Baugh at the 8th Annual AMMP conference titled, "Careers: Clinical Management." I blogged about his presentation (here) back in April when I was in Boston attending the Association of MD/MBA Programs (AMMP) 8th Annual Conference.

      Now, you can view a video of his presentation and slides here (you'll need Microsoft Silverlight to play the video).

      Christopher Baugh, MD, MBA
      Medical Director, ED Observation Unit
      Brigham and Women’s Hospital

      Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Dr. Baugh moved to the East Coast for college, where he has remained for the past fifteen years. As an undergraduate at Johns Hopkins University, he graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A. in Biology and minor in Economics while earning All-American honors in football and multiple research grants from the Howard Hughes Foundation and Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, among others. His education continued at the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated AOA from medical school while earning an MBA from Wharton Business School. While at Penn, Dr. Baugh worked for both GlaxoSmithKline and McKinsey & Company during summer sessions. After graduating from the MD/MBA program, Dr. Baugh came to Boston, where he completed a four-year Emergency Medicine residency at Brigham and Women's and Massachusetts General Hospitals. During his residency, Dr. Baugh's publications included a financial analysis of Observation Medicine which introduced the novel valuation concept of options modeling to this area of practice. Academic interests also include healthcare quality, and Dr. Baugh has served on the national American College of Emergency Medicine's Quality and Performance Committee for the past two years.

      Wednesday, December 1, 2010

      Win up to five (5) Lenovo ThinkCentre M90z all-in-one PCs

      Win up to five (5) M90z PCs! There are 2 contests here: 1) Contest #1 is for a single Lenovo ThinkCentre M90z all-in-one PC; 2) Contest #2 is for a package of five (5) M90z units.

      Click here for more details.

      Career coaching for medical students interested in non-clinical options

      Starting in 2011, I'm offering a career coaching option for medical students through the "Let's Talk NonClinicalJobs: Group Career Coaching" service that I'm launching in 2011. The fee to participate is $50 per call and each call is limited to 5 participants. Currently, I have one call scheduled per month in Jan, Feb, and March. You can view the group call schedule here. I may be adding additional call dates based on the volume of responses.

      You also have the option to participate in individualized career coaching.