Friday, September 30, 2011

Don't miss the Medical Fusion conference this November!

Medical Fusion brings together physician thought leaders as mentors who have developed careers outside of traditional, clinical practice.

Whether you are a medical student, a budding physician entrepreneur, a full time clinician with a busy practice, or a seasoned physician considering retirement, Medical Fusion will help you evaluate your options, teach you unique ways to leverage your clinical training, and introduce you to career possibilities that you have not considered. Come learn from physicians who have already succeeded in their attempts to create more personal freedom, a more balanced lifestyle, increased financial security, and a thriving career.

November 11-13
ARIA Resort & Casino, Las Vegas

“The Medical Fusion Conference is a great way to meet other physicians considering non-clinical transitions or learn more about how to supplement your income. If you’re stuck in a rut, I’d recommend it.”
Arlen D. Meyers, MD, MBA, President and CMO of Medvoy.com, CEO, Society of Physician Entrepreneurs

Stopping the Effects of Heart Disease as an X-Ray Technician

Guest Post:

There’s a reason why heart disease is known as the silent killer, because before a victim becomes aware of what’s happening, it’s either too late or the damage is severe. With an x-ray technology degree, an X Ray Technician can become a vascular and/or echocardiography specialist. These specialists can help people save themselves from a damaged heart.

Featured Physician Executive: Barbara Gastel, M.D., M.P.H.

Interested in medical writing? This week, our featured physician executive is Barbara Gastel, M.D., M.P.H.

Barbara Gastel, a physician specializing in biomedical writing and editing, is professor of integrative biosciences, humanities in medicine, and biotechnology at Texas A&M University, where she coordinates the master's degree program in science and technology journalism.

Dr. Gastel earned a BA from Yale and an MD and an MPH from Johns Hopkins. After medical school, she did an American Association for the Advancement of Science mass media fellowship at Newsweek. She then worked in communication and administration at the National Institutes of Health. She also has taught science writing at MIT, and she spent two years as visiting professor of technical communication at Beijing Medical University (now Peking University Health Science Center). Before coming to Texas A&M University in 1989, she was assistant dean for teaching at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine.

BayBio (Bay Area Bioscience Association)

BayBio is the voice of Northern California’s life sciences industry. BayBio serves the region’s 1,300+ life science companies, a dozen private research institutions, nine regional universities, and numerous local government agencies. BayBio supports the life sciences community through networking, advocacy, and outreach programs. As a voice of the world’s oldest, largest and most productive life science cluster, BayBio promotes its science and innovation to internal and external audiences. Established in 1990, BayBio was built by a consortium of universities, public officials, educators, and bioscience executives and was charged with the task of fostering a regional climate that nourishes the bioscience life cycle. BayBio members include organizations engaged in, or supportive of, research, development, and commercialization of life sciences products. BayBio is an independent, non-profit 501 (c)(6) organization whose staff and services are paid primarily through memberships, sponsorships, and event registration fees. BayBio provides services to more than 430 of it corporate members through representatives in South San Francisco, San Francisco, Emeryville, Sacramento, and through coalition partners in Washington, DC. In addition to being an affiliate of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), BayBio is a member of the Global Bioscience Partnership, the Technology Convergence Consortium, and other groups.

Learn more about BayBio (Bay Area Bioscience Association) here.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Job Post: Director of Operations

Director of Operations
Global Rescue LLC - Boston, MA 02115

COMPANY DESCRIPTION
Global Rescue is a crisis response company that provides best-in-class medical, security, advisory and evacuation services to individuals, corporations, government agencies, travelers and expeditions worldwide. Through an exclusive partnership with Johns Hopkins Medicine, Global Rescue members benefit from the advisory services of some of the world’s finest physicians. Global Rescue utilizes its worldwide network of personnel and assets to evacuate and extract its members from emergency arising from injuries, illnesses, natural disasters or security situations while traveling. For more information, www.globalrescue.com.

RESPONSIBILITIES
•Participate in an aggressive, entrepreneurial group engaged in managing and leading crisis response and other operational initiatives for Fortune 500 clients and strategic partners
•Take ownership of, develop strategy for and implement policy surrounding evacuation and repatriation
•Lead, manage and coordinate evacuations for emergencies and natural disaster
•Evaluate and manage strategic partners
•Lead the development of new crisis management processes and procedures
•Provide leadership and guidance for an operations center staffed to support client needs
•Work directly with other internal functional areas to support clients and partner
•Represent the company on sales calls or client visits
•Oversee and prepare client reports and documents
•Domestic and international travel

AMIA (American Medical Informatics Association) Career Center

The AMIA (American Medical Informatics Association) Career Center encourages the wide spread adoption of EHRs and supports the goal of a well trained informatics workforce. By facilitating productive and geographically diverse recruitment and hiring transactions, the Career Center directly contributes to the quality and safety of health care. The Career Center creates "connective tissue" in a multidisciplinary profession, among individuals as well as organizations.

The AMIA Career Center is a venue provided to members of the biomedical and health informatics community. It is not an employment agency. The content of all postings are the exclusive responsibility of the individual or employer who submits a listing. AMIA does not make any inquiry into, and cannot be held responsible for, the truth or accuracy of any assertions in any posting. Discover job openings and find valuable employees and employers through AMIA’s Career Center. When viewing position openings or resumes, note that all inquiries should be directed to the organization or individual in the posting.

Learn more here.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Med Ad News to Host Virtual Career Fair for Healthcare Communications Industry

NEWTOWN, Pa., Sept. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Med Ad News, the trusted source of pharmaceutical business and marketing news, announces it will host its first-ever virtual career fair tailored to the healthcare communications industry from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET on Wednesday, October 12.

The $500 billion pharmaceutical industry spends nearly $30 billion annually on marketing for drugs, and leading healthcare communications agencies, like those featured in Med Ad News, are charged with marketing those products. These agencies are currently searching for new talent from a variety of disciplines to add to their teams in places like New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago.

The Med Ad News Virtual Career Fair will connect pharma marketing professionals and motivated candidates – ranging from entry level to experienced specialists – with employers who are actively recruiting team members.

71st Annual Conference of the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA)

If you're interested in medical writing, make sure to attend the 71st Annual Conference of the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA). AMWA is the leading professional organization for writers, editors, and other communicators of medical information. Here's a brief overview of the organization:
  • Mission: AMWA's mission is to promote excellence in medical communication and to provide educational resources in support of that goal.
  • Membership: More than 5,600 members in the US, Canada, and 30 other countries. Members work for pharmaceutical companies, universities and medical schools, hospitals, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, journals, and many other businesses and organizations. Many work as freelance writers and editors.
  • Organizational Structure: Headquartered in Rockville, MD, AMWA is governed by a board of directors composed of a 13-member executive committee and representatives from its 19 US and Canadian chapters.
Can't attend the annual conference? Look for a local AMWA chapter in your area and get involved.

Learn more about AMWA and the conference here: http://www.amwa.org

Learning about the business of medicine after medical school

Author: Michelle Mudge-Riley, DO, MHA

Thinking back to my medical training, one thing I regret is not taking advantage of the Masters degree in Health Administration program at my medical school. At the time, I was focused solely on medicine and on being a doctor. I didn’t think the business side of medicine was all that important. In fact, I didn’t consider the business side of medicine at all.

Three years after I graduated from medical school I went back to school and got the business degree. Going back to school requires a huge investment of time and resources that many of us are already short on. With the financial and time demands on me now (due to a family and life goals), I don’t think going back to school would be an option for me now and I know it’s not an option for many people. However, most of the skills needed to succeed in the corporate world are already inherent in a doctor or cultivated by the discipline, dedication, drive and desire it takes to become a doctor. It’s important to know that a business degree (or any alternate degree) alone isn’t going to put you on the fast track to success.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

I'm in Boston speaking in hospitals for Grand Rounds

I'm in Boston speaking in hospitals for Grand Rounds at Hallmark Health. I'll be speaking at Lawrence Memorial Hospital of Medford and Melrose-Wakefield Hospital in Melrose. My presentation is focused around social media and mobile health (mHealth) and I'm looking forward to the opportunity to return to Boston in several weeks to speak at the 2011 Connected Health Symposium (Oct 19-21).

While I'm here, I'll be revisiting MIT and walking around very familiar parts of Boston. It will be nice to catch up with some friends as well. Every year, my wife and I usually take a trip to Boston to revisit MIT. This year, I'm the only one coming to Boston, but I'm sure we'll be here next year with the whole family.

BioMidwest Career Fair

If you live in the Chicago area, you won't want to miss this event:

BioMidwest Career Fair
Chicago Marriott Oak Brook
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
11am to 4pm

Attend the BioMidwest Career Fair!
Job seekers can spend a day with HR representatives and Hiring Managers from top biotech, pharma, medical device and diagnostics companies in the Midwest region.

What types of positions are available?
Exhibiting companies are recruiting for positions in areas such as: QA/QC, clinical research, engineering, manufacturing, biostatistics, clinical data management, chemistry, regulatory affairs, and research. Exhibitors who have jobs posted on BioSpace.com have their company name linked to their job postings in the list below. We highly recommend researching open positions before you attend the event. It will help you determine which companies are a good match and make you look more prepared and knowledgeable when approaching recruiters.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Upcoming Harvard Coaching Conference

Author: Heather Fork, MD, CPCC

If you are interested in Wellness or Leadership Coaching, consider attending the upcoming conference presented by the Institute of Coaching at Harvard:

Fourth Annual Coaching in Leadership and Healthcare Conference
Date: October 21-21, 2011
Location: Boston Massachusetts
This is a great opportunity to find out more about the field of coaching and network with coaches experienced in wellness and lifestyle medicine coaching.

The following is from the Institute of Coaching’s website:
“This year we will have four tracks:
  1. Leadership
  2. Positive Psychology
  3. Health & Wellness
  4. Advanced Coaching Practice

Don't miss these featured non-clinical jobs!

Periodically, we feature jobs that get posted on the NonClinicalJobs.com Job Board.  Here are the current featured jobs:


Scientific Editor
Continuing Education Alliance - Stamford, CT


Physician to perform consultative exams
Tri State Occupational Medicine
Cheyenne, Casper, and Rock Springs, WY


SouthEast Medical Science Liaison (Atlanta, GA; Miami, FL or Orlando, FL)


National Provider Business Medical Leader - Healthcare
Thomson Reuters


Biocompatibles Inc. is a BTG International group company. They have the following positions currently available:
Employers: 
Want to advertise a position and post a job on NonClinicalJobs.com? Click here to post a job.  To learn about the benefits of posting a job on NonClinicalJobs.com, click here.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Clinical Informatics Becomes a Board-certified Medical Subspecialty Following ABMS Vote

September 22, 2011
AMIA to offer prep courses for clinicians who sit for Board Exam

Washington, DC—Today, AMIA—the association for informatics professionals—announces the success of a multi-year initiative to elevate clinical informatics to an American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) subspecialty certified by an examination administered by the American Board of Preventive Medicine and available to physicians who have primary specialty certification through the American Board of Medical Specialties. Joining such subspecialties as pediatric anesthesiology, medical toxicology, sports medicine, geriatrics medicine, and cardiovascular disease, clinical informatics (CI) certification will be based on a rigorous set of core competencies, heavily influenced by publications on the subject that were developed by AMIA and its members, many of whom have pioneered the field and supported CI’s new status as an ABMS-recognized area of clinical expertise. The goal for the first board exam is to have it available in Fall 2012, with the first certificates awarded early in 2013. To prepare physicians who wish to sit for this examination, AMIA is developing preparatory materials both as online and in-person courses starting Spring 2012.

"It is entirely appropriate and timely to certify clinical informatics as a specialized area of training and expertise in an era when more and more clinicians are turning to data-driven, computer-assisted clinical decision support to provide care for their patients," said AMIA’s Board of Directors Chair Nancy M. Lorenzi, PhD, of Vanderbilt University Medical Center. “Clinical informatics blends medical and informatics knowledge to support and optimize healthcare delivery."

Featured Physician Executive: Steve Ondra, MD

This week, our featured physician executive is Steve Ondra, MD.

Steve Ondra, MD, Co-Chair of Health IT, National Office of Science and Technology Policy, Senior Policy Advisor, Department of Veterans Affairs
Dr. Stephen Ondra, M.D., was appointed as Senior Policy Advisor for Health Affairs in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by President Obama on May 10, 2009. Prior to that, he served on the Veterans Affairs group in the Obama-Biden Presidential Transition Team, as well as on the Obama-Biden Campaign Health Policy and Veteran’s Policy committees.

SEAK: Non-Clinical Careers for Physicians 2011

The 2011 SEAK Non-Clinical Careers Conference information will be in Chicago on September 24-25, 2011.

SEAK (Skills, Education, Achievement, Knowledge) was founded in 1980 by attorney Steven Babitsky, who as a practicing attorney recognized the need for excellence in continuing education. SEAK is the world's leading provider of Expert Witness training and texts and sponsors the nation's longest running and largest Workers Compensation and Occupational Medicine conference. SEAK sponsors writing seminars for physicians and lawyers and publishes professional directories for Expert Witnesses and IME Doctors. SEAK is also the leading provider of Non-Clinical Career training for physicians.

At this year's conference, there will be 25 speakers, 11 mentors (for free 1-1 assistance), as well as employers and recruiters looking to hire physicians on a part time or full time basis.

Learn more about the SEAK Non-Clinical Careers Conference here.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

International Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Health (IEH)

Get ready for the 1st annual International Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Health (IEH).

Jointly sponsored by Oklahoma State University, Indiana University, Oklahoma University, and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, the conference will be held in Oklahoma City on March 5-6, 2012.

This inaugural conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Health reflects a growing need to transform todays’ dysfunctional health care systems into one in which creative and innovative solutions will lead to better health and health care delivery. We are living through what is, arguably, the most challenging time for the health care industry. Globally, health systems are characterized by rising costs, poor access and diminishing quality and safety of care and there appears to be no imminent solution on the horizon. In the wake of this crisis in health, the world is looking for new sources of efficiency and alternative business models. Now, more than ever, we need health sector academics and practitioners to embrace innovation and entrepreneurship ... not just to survive, but to redefine and reshape health and health care delivery.

Learn more here: http://ieh.okstate.edu

Annual Wharton Healthcare Alumni Conference

Join Wharton Healthcare MBA for an all-day event with great topics and numerous national healthcare leaders confirmed as speakers. This event is open to all Wharton Club of Philadelphia Members. You don't have to be a Wharton alumni to join the Wharton Club of Philadelphia.

Date: Saturday, October 22, 2011
Time: 8:15am – 6:00pm
"At the intersection of policy, implementation, and innovation in the healthcare industry"
Jon M. Huntsman Hall

Cost: $125.00 for Wharton Club of Philadelphia Members until September 15th.
After September 15, prices increase to $150.00 for Wharton Club of Philadelphia Members.

Learn more here.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE)

The United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) is the largest independent, professional, academic organization in the world dedicated to advancing the discipline of entrepreneurship. With over 1000 members from universities and colleges, for-profit businesses, nonprofit organizations, and the public sector, USASBE is a diverse mix of professionals that share a common commitment to fostering entrepreneurial attitudes and behaviors.

USASBE is built around four pillars that guide the ongoing development of our organization. The pillars include:
  • entrepreneurship education
  • entrepreneurship research
  • entrepreneurship outreach and
  • public policy

Interested in connecting with the USASBE? Attend the 2012 conference Jan 12-15, 2012 in New Orleans. More information can be found here.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Attend the Medical Fusion conference and explore alternative career opportunities

Medical Fusion brings together physician thought leaders as mentors who have developed careers outside of traditional, clinical practice.

Whether you are a medical student, a budding physician entrepreneur, a full time clinician with a busy practice, or a seasoned physician considering retirement, Medical Fusion will help you evaluate your options, teach you unique ways to leverage your clinical training, and introduce you to career possibilities that you have not considered. Come learn from physicians who have already succeeded in their attempts to create more personal freedom, a more balanced lifestyle, increased financial security, and a thriving career.

2011 Medical Fusion
November 11-13
ARIA Resort & Casino, Las Vegas

“The Medical Fusion Conference is a great way to meet other physicians considering non-clinical transitions or learn more about how to supplement your income. If you’re stuck in a rut, I’d recommend it.”
Arlen D. Meyers, MD, MBA, President and CMO of Medvoy.com, CEO, Society of Physician Entrepreneurs

Here's a short video about the conference:


Learn more about the Medical Fusion conference here.

The 4 main factors that I weighed as a physician considering an MBA program

I'm currently enrolled in an MBA program. Recently, the NY Times reported that more physicians are adding an MBA for various reasons. If you're one of those physicians strongly considering an MBA, here are some factors to consider:

1. Time. The biggest factor here is my stage in life. I'm married, I have young kids, and I am working full-time. I can't afford to enroll in a full-time program. For that matter, I also need to really weigh my ability to commit every-other-weekends for two straight years. That's the kind of schedule that's often required for traditional executive MBA programs. Plus, you'll need to take a week off for orientation and another week off for an international trip. These are some of the factors that made me decide that a traditional executive MBA format wasn't right for me.

2. Cost. I don't work for a large employer who is able to cover my tuition costs. Therefore, when I evaluated MBA programs in my area, cost was a significant consideration. An executive MBA at Wharton will cost over $160k. An executive MBA at Penn State or Villanova is over $90k. Then again, you can get an MBA for less than $10k at a number of different state schools if you're an in-state resident. Plus, you can get an online MBA from a school like U Mass Amherst for less than $30k.

3. Benefits. I love asking my classmates this question: what do you plan to do with your MBA? Some will candidly tell me that they're hoping it will help them find a new job when they get laid off because they feel that it's inevitable that they will someday lose their job. Others tell me that their managers strongly urged them to get an MBA to increase their ability for job promotions. I'm probably getting an MBA for reasons that are very different from most of the people in my program. I currently the president of a small company, so I'm not trying to climb any corporate ladders. For me, the benefits mainly revolved around having the degree, expanding my business network, enriching my perspectives around different types of companies, and filling my knowledge gaps around some of the fundamentals of business.

4. Location. I knew that I wanted to gain the business school experience through a face-to-face interaction with my classmates. I've experienced online classes, so I already knew that I did not want to enroll in an online MBA program. In my area, I'm very fortunate to be surrounded by a number of major universities that offer a variety of MBA programs. So, I visited most of the programs and sat through some classes so that I could observe and experience the program. There are many students who commute to take classes at an executive MBA program at a top-tier school. If you're willing to travel every other weekend

Job posts: CMIO (Chief Medical Information Officer)

If you're interested in finding a Chief Medical Information Officer (CMIO) job, take a look at the job posts here.

You'll find jobs in places like:

  • Yuma Regional Medical Center - Yuma, AZ
  • University of Georgia - Athens, GA
  • Anne Arundel Medical Center - Annapolis, MD
  • Connecticut Children's Medical Center - Hartford, CT
  • and more...


Find CMIO jobs here.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Job post: Global Fund Procurement Supply Management (PSM) Consultant

Medical doctors or pharmacists needed for Global Fund Procurement Supply Management (PSM) short-term (1-2 months) projects. Work including assessments of the country PSM plans and the capacity and resources available to implement the PSM plan effectively. Work locations include countries in Africa, Latin America and Central Asia. Candidates with fluency in Portuguese, Spanish and French would be preferred.

Required Qualifications:
Advanced degree in pharmacy-related field complemented by education and/or professional training/experience in Health Management, Logistics and Public Health.

Get a Master’s in Health Informatics from Drexel Online

The demand for workers who understand healthcare, information systems, and technology is growing rapidly. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates a 49% growth in the demand for educated individuals prepared to be administrators, specialists, consultants, educators, and researchers at health organizations.

Gain necessary knowledge and skills of healthcare IT systems to further your career. Drexel Online offers a comprehensive curriculum covering topics in Database Management, Systems Analysis and Leadership.

Receiving a Master’s in Health Informatics can increase your earning potential. Healthcare Informatics was named one of the top careers in U.S.News & World Report.

Learn more about this degree here.

Pharm Country Career Fair Oct 5

The Pharm Country Career Fair is an opportunity for leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies to meet face-to-face with experienced job seekers.

Pharm Country Career Fair
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
11am to 4pm
Bridgewater Marriott
Bridgewater, NJ

Exhibiting Companies

  • Aerotek Scientific, LLC
  • Daiichi Sankyo Inc.
  • One Stop Career Center
  • Sanofi-aventis
  • SGS North America
  • ThromboGenics, Inc.
  • Vertex Pharmaceuticals
  • and more

Spend the day speaking with representatives from top biopharmaceutical companies in the tri-state area. Face time is hard to get in today's world of technology, so take advantage of this great opportunity to speak with HR reps and hiring managers in person!

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Connecting with other physicians at the Medicine 2.0 conference at Stanford #med2

Over the weekend, I was at Stanford attending the Medicine 2.0 conference and the Stanford Summit. It was great to connect with physicians who are involved in social media or mobile health. Here are some of the physicians I met at Medicine 2.0:
  • Kelly Choi, MD, Vice President of Innovation and Customer Solutions, QuantiaMD
  • Bryan Vartabedian, MD FAAP, Baylor College of Medicine
  • Homero Rivas, MD, MBA, FACS, Stanford University
  • Larry Chu, MD, MS, Stanford University
  • Jennifer Shine Dyer MD, MPH, EndoGoddess, and eProximiti
  • Bertalan Meskó, MD, Webicina.com
  • Ramez Ethnasios, MD, UCLA
  • And others...
It was also great to spend some time with Enoch Choi, MD. I learned that he used Segway to commute to work. Now I really want one!

At Medicine 2.0, attendees were actively using social media during the conference. People were sending Tweets using the #med2 Twitter hashtag, posting updates on Facebook, sharing information on LinkedIn, and blogging.

Next year, the Medicine 2.0 conference will be in Boston at Harvard Medical School. I hope to see you there!

Friday, September 16, 2011

I'm on my way to Stanford today for the Medicine 2.0 conference

I'm flying out to Stanford today to speak at the Medicine 2.0 conference (not to be confused with the Health 2.0 conference). I'm really looking forward to this event and you can follow my other blog (http://www.medicineandtechnology.com) for updates from the Medicine 2.0 conference which focuses on the use of social media in medicine.

Medicine 2.0'11 (Stanford University, USA)
Stanford University
September 16, 2011 – September 18, 2011
http://www.medicine20congress.com

This year, I'm speaking about social media and CME (continuing medical education). I'm weaving those two topics together into a concise, 20-minute presentation where I will talk about some of the ways we're using social media to enhance CME.

Featured Physician Executive: Roni Zeiger, MD


This week, our featured physician executive is Dr. Roni Zeiger.

Dr. Roni Zeiger is Chief Health Strategist at Google where he leads health efforts including health search and the recently launched Google Body. He continues to see patients on occasional evenings and weekends at a local urgent care center. Roni co-founded the blog Seduce Health, and writes for ABCNews.com and The Huffington Post. He has written and edited several medical textbooks and has published articles on topics including continuing medical education, clinical decision support tools, and searching for health information on the web. Roni also created a tool called Diagnosaurus which helps clinicians remember the possible diagnoses for given symptoms.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

The Business of Biotechnology

Want to learn more about the "Business of Biotechnology"? Consider this course that is offered at the UC Berkeley Extension: The Business of Biotechnology Gain an understanding of the biotechnology industry—what makes it so compelling and what makes it one of the riskiest sectors for investors. Study the career paths of some of the innovative entrepreneurs who created the industry back in the late 1970s. Learn about the risks they took and how the value they generated surpassed even that of dot-com successes. You also get a guided tour of the mysteries of the drug development process and the convoluted funding trail, from venture capital through the all-important initial public offering (IPO).

 This course is a requirement in the Professional Program in Biopharmaceutical Business program from the UC Berkeley Extension. Learn more here.

Quality of life, debt, and burnout among doctors-in-training (residency)

A recent JAMA article titled, "Quality of Life, Burnout, Educational Debt, and Medical Knowledge Among Internal Medicine Residents," concludes:
In this national study of internal medicine residents, suboptimal QOL and symptoms of burnout were common. Symptoms of burnout were associated with higher debt and were less frequent among international medical graduates. Low QOL, emotional exhaustion, and educational debt were associated with lower IM-ITE scores (Internal Medicine In-Training Examination (IM-ITE) scores).
Here's what the researchers found:
  • Quality of life was rated “as bad as it can be” or “somewhat bad” by 2402 of 16 187 responding residents (14.8%). 
  • Overall burnout and high levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization were reported by 8343 of 16 192 (51.5%), 7394 of 16 154 (45.8%), and 4541 of 15 737 (28.9%) responding residents, respectively.
  • In multivariable models, burnout was less common among international medical graduates than among US medical graduates (45.1% vs 58.7%; odds ratio, 0.70 [99% CI, 0.63-0.77]; P < .001). Greater educational debt was associated with the presence of at least 1 symptom of burnout (61.5% vs 43.7%; odds ratio, 1.72 [99% CI, 1.49-1.99]; P < .001 for debt >$200 000 relative to no debt).
  • Residents reporting QOL “as bad as it can be” and emotional exhaustion symptoms daily had mean IM-ITE scores 2.7 points (99% CI, 1.2-4.3; P < .001) and 4.2 points (99% CI, 2.5-5.9; P < .001) lower than those with QOL “as good as it can be” and no emotional exhaustion symptoms, respectively.
  • Residents reporting debt greater than $200 000 had mean IM-ITE scores 5.0 points (99% CI, 4.4-5.6; P < .001) lower than those with no debt. These differences were similar in magnitude to the 4.1-point (99% CI, 3.9-4.3) and 2.6-point (99% CI, 2.4-2.8) mean differences associated with progressing from first to second and second to third years of training, respectively.
So, what does this suggest? For one thing, residency is grueling and many people burn out or feel that life is terrible. Does this change once physicians complete their residency and enter the busy working world of high-volume patients and stressful working conditions? For some, their outlook improves because their salary has significantly gone up. For others, they battle with greater stress and anxiety because they now have more responsibilities to shoulder as an attending. They no longer have that backup or safety net they used to have during residency training. 

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Lunch with the former president of a big pharma company

Over the weekend, I was taking a business school class called Business Ethics. The class was very interactive and we explored a series of cases within the pharmaceutical industry that involve some serious ethical issues. I enjoyed the dialogue, met some new classmates (we're now connected on LinkedIn), but one of the best parts of the course was that we had a guest in the classroom. This guest was the former president of a major pharmaceutical company. He's now retired and he's also an SJU alum, so it was a unique and valuable experience having him in the class. I also had the chance to sit at a lunch table with him on Saturday and he shared his perspectives on some of the ethical issues we were discussing in the classroom.

Do you know any senior executive management team members of a major pharmaceutical company? Where else can you have the opportunity to have lunch with a former president of a major pharmaceutical company?

If you're seriously thinking about an MBA program and you have a strong interest in the pharmaceutical industry, consider the program at SJU. When the faculty members are well-connected with business executives in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, you gain a rich perspective and you also have unique opportunities to meet people who are working in that industry. In my recent class business school class, we had scientists, attorneys, epidemiologists, and marketing professionals who work in various pharmaceutical companies.

The Art of Transforming a CV into a Resume

Author: Jocelyn Clarke, SPHR

Bottom line: To transition to a non-clinical job, a physician must build a resume that artfully describes a complex career trajectory using the language of business.

As a practicing physician, you likely had a CV in your back pocket. It cleanly laid your education, residency and experience, confidently listing your research/publications/presentations, licensure, and memberships. Through their CV, a physician constructs a representative identity based on medical practice and knowledge, but as you transition into a non-clinical field you must create a document that conveys business value.

Most physician CVs are simple (yet lengthy) documents that outline the facts of your career, with little embellishment and personal marketing. Using this type of CV to apply for jobs in non-clinical fields requires hiring executives to extrapolate how exactly you might fit into their organization and what value you would bring to their organization. A well-tailored resume, on the other hand, will address these issues head-on and get to the heart of your value proposition.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

I'm on my want to Research Triangle Park today

I don't travel to North Carolina very often, but I'm headed there today to visit a company in the Research Triangle Park area. I'm flying there and back in one day, so I still get to sleep in my own bed tonight. I'm not a big fan of business travel, so I try to sleep at home whenever I can.

As you probably know, Research Triangle Park is home to more than 170 global companies, including IBM, GSK, Syngenta, RTI International, Credit Suisse, and Cisco, that foster a culture of scientific advancement and competitive excellence. RTP is located between three major universities: Duke University in Durham, North Carolina State University in Raleigh, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The Research Triangle Park's creation remains one of the most transformational public-private partnerships in national history.

FDA Clinical Investigator Training Course

FDA Clinical Investigator Training Course

The third annual FDA Clinical Investigator Training Course, co-sponsored by the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Office of Critical Path Programs and the Clinical Trials Transformation Initiative (CTTI), is now open for registration.

DATES: November 7 and 8, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on November 9, from 8 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
LOCATION: National Labor College, 10000 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, Maryland 20903.
REGISTRATION: Registration ends October 28, 2011.

Registration Information Here.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Job Posting: Scientific Editor

Scientific Editor
Continuing Education Alliance - Stamford, CT 06902

Continuing Education Alliance, a dynamic and unique medical education company based in Stamford, CT, is searching for a scientific editor with prior medical publishing, medical communications experience. A Master's degree or higher in biologic sciences or healthcare field is required. Candidates should have the ability to analyze and interpret complex clinical data to assist in developing continuing education activities in various formats. This is a diversified position that requires a take-charge, organized, enthusiastic person who can handle multiple assignments and deadlines. Candidates should have experience working with medical faculty as well as assisting in the research and content development for preparation of manuscripts, slides, needs assessments, and online programs in multiple disease states.

Biotech Bay Hotbed

The Biotech Bay Hotbed community highlights the organizations that comprise the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device industries in San Francisco and Northern California. The Biotech Bay Hotbed Map is printed on thousands of promotional pieces and distributed at major life science events and career fairs throughout the annual campaign, while the Biotech Bay Hotbed Page keeps the BioSpace audience informed of the daily activities and events throughout the region.

Learn more here.

Friday, September 9, 2011

American Medical Writers Association's 2011 annual conference

Interested in a medical writing career? Make sure you don't miss the American Medical Writers Association's 2011 annual conference in Jacksonville, FL. Oct 20-22, 2011.

The American Medical Writers Association (AMWA), founded in 1940, is the leading professional organization for writers, editors, and other communicators of medical information. The association offers a highly regarded continuing education program, including distance learning and a certificate program; an annual conference featuring prominent speakers, discussion sessions, and workshops; networking opportunities through the annual conference and chapter activities; job services, including Jobs Online and a Freelance Directory; a Web site with comprehensive information, member discount opportunities, and listserves; and the AMWA Journal, an indexed, peer-reviewed publication.

Featured Physician Executive: Benjamin Kanter, MD

This week, our featured physician executive is Benjamin Kanter, MD. He is the Chief Medical Information Officer (CMIO) of Palomar Pomerado Health.

Dr. Kanter is board-certified in internal medicine and pulmonary disease, and received special certification in critical care in 1990. He has been in private practice in Escondido, CA, for 22 years. Dr. Kanter graduated from the University of Michigan with distinction and honors, after which he received his medical degree and internal medicine training at Northwestern University in Chicago.

Dr. Kanter completed his post-doctoral studies in both pulmonary disease and critical care medicine at the UCSD Medical center. Dr. Kanter continued to teach at UCSD as an associate clinical professor of medicine after going into private practice. He has served in numerous leadership roles within PPH including chairing the Departments of Medicine at both Palomar Medical Center and Pomerado Hospital, directing respiratory and critical care services at Pomerado Hospital. He founded and maintains his directorship over the Palomar Medical Center Sleep Disorders Laboratory.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Job Posting: Physician to perform consultative exams

Physician to perform consultative exams
Tri State Occupational Medicine
Cheyenne, Casper, and Rock Springs, WY

I am looking for physicians to join a group performing Independent Medical Exams (IMEs) and/or Consultative Exams for Social Security Disability in Kentucky, West Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina, Missouri, and Mississippi. We have new opportunities in Wyoming and Georgia for full or part time work. My group provides all administrative needs including scheduling, transcription, assisting, and billing. Pay for the day's work is guaranteed regardless of turnout and is paid promptly regardless of time of collection. Of course there is no call and no weekend work. Most full time physicians see patients 3 or 4 days a week. Physicians working for us have various background and training including IM, FP, pain mgt., surgery, orthopedics, neurosurgery, cardiology, and general practice.

Contact: bgube@aol.com

Futures in Life Sciences Program - Commercialization 2 (Reimbursement, Market Access, Patient Advocacy, and Pharmacoeconomics)

Propel Careers, MassBio, and the MassBioEd have joined together to organize a series of networking and panel events focused on raising awareness of career paths that exist in life sciences for individuals with advanced degrees. This Futures in Life Science program will bring together experts across a wide range of disciplines and functional areas within the life science industry, who will detail their roles and will provide a rich context for the audience to gain a clear understanding of the skills, aptitudes, competencies, and personalities that thrive in their particular functions.

Attendance for this program is open to current graduate students, post doctoral fellows, and medical residents who are interested in careers in the life sciences industry. Space is limited to 100 individuals.

17th Annual BIO Europe 2011

Looking for an excuse to visit Germany? Look no more! Attend Bio Europe and learn about the biotechnology industry. Network with biotech executives and find your next job or career in the world of biotechnology.

17th Annual BIO Europe 2011
October 31-November 2, 2011
Duesseldorf, Germany

BIO-Europe® is Europe's largest partnering conference, serving the global biotechnology industry. The conference annually attracts leading dealmakers from biotech, pharma and finance along with the most exciting emerging companies. Produced with the support of BIO, it is regarded as a “must attend” event for the biotech industry.

Learn more here.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Job Posting: Consulting Medical Director

Update: they are no longer accepting applications at this time.

Consulting Medical Director
CE Outcomes, LLC
Any location in the US, AL

CE Outcomes is currently seeking a Consultant Medical Director. Position can be remote from any area of the United States.

CE Outcomes, LLC is a full service global assessment company dedicated to providing high quality, scientific and objective measurement services in healthcare education. We develop, design, and implement research studies to determine the effectiveness of educational interventions and identify unmet needs among healthcare professionals. Our primary focus is to be the most trusted and valued in the industry, devoted to providing superior client service in our delivery of evidence-based assessments. In the delivery of our work, we are guided by values focused on integrity, change and innovation.

Duties may include:
• Participate in kickoff calls to establish scope of surveys
• Manage development of literature reviews including working with medical writer
• Lead small focus groups surveys
• Conduct structured interviews
• Directing survey development including working with expert case writers
• Reviewing survey data and assisting with data synthesis
• Participating in developing reports and slide sets

Update: they are no longer accepting applications at this time.

The anatomy and physiology of bioentrepreneurship

Author: Arlen D Meyers, MD, MBA

Measuring the competencies of professionals—doctors in particular—has undergone significant change in the past few years. For example, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education has formulated competency-based education guidelines for graduate medical education that include the three elements of structure (anatomy), process (physiology) and outcomes. Residency training programs and their directors are now being held accountable for measuring competencies of trainees and graduates in these areas:
  • Medical knowledge
  • Patient care
  • Practice-based learning and improvement
  • Systems-based practice
  • Professionalism
  • Interpersonal and communications skills
Suppose we were to apply a similar thinking to how we train bioentrepreneurs? In an article published in the Journal of Commercial Biotechnology in January 2008, my co-author Patrick Hurley and I reported an overview of bioentrepreneurship education programs in the U.S. and proposed some core learning objectives for those completing bioentrepreneurship education programs. Not unlike the ACGME guidelines, we tried to identify learning objectives related to some general competencies, suggested ways to use increasingly more-dependable methods of assessing a graduate's attainment of these competencies throughout the program and recommended we begin to use outcomes data to facilitate continuous program improvement.

Jobs for doctors without residency

I continue to encounter countless physicians who are looking for jobs even though they have not completed a residency here in the United States. Some are US medical school grads who wish to drop out of residency. Others are foreign-trained physicians who have faced difficulty finding a residency position here in the United States.

I wrote an article back in 2008 titled, "Jobs for Physicians with No Residency Experience." This article continues to draw traffic from search engine users who are searching for "jobs for doctors without residency."

If you're a doctor looking for a non-clinical job, I encourage you to visit the NonClinicalJobs Job Board to find a variety of job opportunities for physicians who don't have residency experience. You can find a number of different employment opportunities in small and large companies where you won't need an active medical license, board certification, or post-graduate training.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Healthbox: an exciting platform for healthcare entrepreneurs

HEALTHBOX ANNOUNCES STRATEGIC PARTNERS, OPENING OF APPLICATIONS
Leading Healthcare Organizations to Provide Early Support to Healthcare Startups

CHICAGO, August 2011 – Healthbox, a business accelerator for healthcare startups that was introduced by Sandbox Industries in May, today unveiled a diverse group of healthcare organizations as strategic partners. Additionally, Healthbox launched its website and simultaneously opened applications to the program, set to begin in Chicago in January 2012.

Healthbox strategic partners represent national players in the provider, payer, investor and retail spaces. They include BlueCross BlueShield Venture Partners, Walgreens, Ridgeview Medical Center, the California HealthCare Foundation, Merrick Ventures, and a number of successful healthcare investors and entrepreneurs. Strategic partners will provide Healthbox participants with invaluable mentorship, guidance, beta site testing, and access to their broad customer bases.

I'm taking an MBA course on business ethics

This weekend, I'll be taking a business ethics course for my MBA program. The course textbook is Contemporary Issues in Business Ethics, 5th Ed. The authors are professors Joseph R. DesJardins and John J. McCall. The text approaches business ethics from a social and political perspective, asking students to consider the proper place of business in society, particularly as played out through the tension between strategies that rely on market mechanisms and strategies aimed at protecting individual rights. This book focuses on the rights and responsibilities of employees, laying out a rigorous discussion of economic markets and a close philosophical analysis of ethical theories in the context of contemporary business responsibility. While often neglected in other texts, this focus remains an extremely relevant area of business ethics for today's students as they prepare for their careers in an ever-competitive workplace. This text's mix of readings, text, case studies, and decision scenarios has proven its accessibility across a wide range of student interests and abilities.

Monday, September 5, 2011

Happy Labor Day!

Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September (September 5 in 2011) that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.

The first big Labor Day in the United States was observed on September 5, 1882, by the Central Labor Union of New York. It was first proposed by Peter J. McGuire of the American Federation of Labor in May 1882.

I hope you're having a blessed time with your friends/family this Labor Day weekend. I had a wonderful time with my wife and kids and we enjoyed the beach, good food, and lots of ice cream! Now, we're back getting ready for a busy fall. We'll be closing our swimming pool and saying good bye to those hot summer days!

Every Labor Day, I'm reminded that I need to re-evaluate how I am balancing work and my personal life. How is your work/life balance? Is your career consuming you? Do you feel trapped or enslaved by work? I hope you'll find a way to escape into a career that is both satisfying and freeing.

Friday, September 2, 2011

America Hires Virtual Job Fair

America Hires is a collaborative effort amongst hiring companies and organizations alike committed to helping America get back to work. By participating in the America Hires Virtual Job Fair you are supporting American workers, companies and the local economies where you live, work, and do business.

The America Hires Virtual Job Fair will run from October 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011 at AmericaHires360.com and aims to connect millions of job candidates with hiring companies throughout the United States. The America Hires Virtual Job Fair will provide candidates with the opportunity to apply to multiple job listings at the click of a mouse and interview with Recruiters and Hiring Managers in an interactive environment. Employers who participate in the America Hires Virtual Job Fair will benefit from instant visibility on the web, an unlimited number of job ad listings and the potential to discover quality candidates with ease. Say good-bye to traditional job fairs and say hello to America Hires 360.

Rick Marini, Founder & CEO of BranchOut will be speaking there. Plus, Carlos Gil, CEO at JobsDirectUSA.com will be speaking as well.

Don't miss this virtual event! Learn more here: http://www.americahires360.com

Featured Physician Executive: Murray M. Lumpkin, M.D., M.Sc.,

This week, our featured physician executive is Murray Lumpkin, MD, Senior Advisor and Representative for Global Issues at the FDA.

Dr. Murray M. Lumpkin was formerly the deputy commissioner for international programs at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dr. Lumpkin was responsible for all of FDA's international activities, including:
  • interactions with foreign counterpart agencies and major multinational public health organizations
  • foreign confidentiality and other agreements
  • foreign technical cooperation and harmonization programs
  • interactions with embassies in Washington, D.C.
  • activities of FDA’s Office of International Programs, including the 13 FDA foreign posts in China, Europe, India, Latin America, and the Middle East

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Register for this MBA Fair: Business schools, webinars, + career guides

Thinking about business school? Meet business school admissions officers, view MBA webinars and download free career guides at The Economist's Which MBA? MBA Fair on September 7th and 8th 2011. Here are some reasons to attend the fall MBA Fair:
  • Download FREE MBA guides with resume tips and advice on finding the right MBA program
  • Talk online with admissions officers from graduate business schools around the world
  • Broaden your perspective and learn more about diverse MBA programs
  • Gain insight into the MBA experience by chatting with alumni and watching webinars and videos
Meet these business schools:

• University of Virginia
• University of California, Riverside
• Virginia Tech
• National University of Singapore
• York University
• University of New South Wales
• Worcester Polytechnic Institute
• ... and many more

Register here for the Which MBA? MBA Fair.