Career outcomes of medical school graduates who failed USMLE Step 1 on the first attempt

What happens to medical students who struggle with USMLE Step 1? Do they have a different career outcome compared to their peers who don't struggle with standardized exams? The following is an abstract from a journal article titled, "Academic and professional career outcomes of medical school graduates who failed USMLE Step 1 on the first attempt."

This study sought to determine the academic and professional outcomes of medical school graduates who failed the United States Licensing Examination Step 1 on the first attempt. This retrospective cohort study was based on pooled data from 2,003 graduates of six Midwestern medical schools in the classes of 1997-2002. Demographic, academic, and career characteristics of graduates who failed Step 1 on the first attempt were compared to graduates who initially passed. Fifty medical school graduates (2.5 %) initially failed Step 1. Compared to graduates who initially passed Step 1, a higher proportion of graduates who initially failed Step 1 became primary care physicians (26/49 [53 %] vs. 766/1,870 [40.9 %]), were more likely at graduation to report intent to practice in underserved areas (28/50 [56 %] vs. 419/1,939 [ 21.6 %]), and more likely to take 5 or more years to graduate (11/50 [22.0 %] vs. 79/1,953 [4.0 %]). The relative risk of first attempt Step 1 failure for medical school graduates was 13.4 for African Americans, 7.4 for Latinos, 3.6 for matriculants >22 years of age, 3.2 for women, and 2.3 for first generation college graduates. The relative risk of not being specialty board certified for those graduates who initially failed Step 1 was 2.2. Our observations regarding characteristics of graduates in our study cohort who initially failed Step 1 can inform efforts by medical schools to identify and assist students who are at particular risk of failing Step 1.

Adv Health Sci Educ Theory Pract. 2012 Apr 7.

Authors: McDougle L, Mavis BE, Jeffe DB, Roberts NK, Ephgrave K, Hageman HL, Lypson ML, Thomas L, Andriole DA.

PMID: 22484965

Free webinar: Careers in Health Information Technology (health IT)

Don't miss this free upcoming webinar titled, "Careers in Health Information Technology" from the National eHealth Collaborative (NeHC).

When: Tuesday December 20, 2011 @ 1pm ET

This semester, NeHC will convene a new program focused on careers in the world of health information technology. Understanding that breaking into the industry may be daunting, NeHC will convene speakers with specific insights into the types of skills and experiences needed to be successful in the HIT workforce, and will provide examples of various career opportunities in HIT. This class was developed in response to a specific need expressed by attendees of NeHC University’s HIT Orientation program.

Faculty:

• Norma Morganti, Executive Director - Midwest Community College Health Information Technology (HIT) Consortium
• Tammy McNeil, RHIA, CPHIT, CPEHR, HIT Clinical Advisor - Wide River Technology Extension Center (TEC)
• Todd Searls, Director of REC Operations - Wide River Technology Extension Center (TEC)
• Angie Agage, EHR Coordinator - Dialysis Center
• Charles Friedman, Ph.D, Director, Health Informatics Program - Schools of Information and Public Health, University of Michigan

For more information, visit: http://www.nationalehealth.org/careers-health-information-technology-hit

Early Career Day at AHA Scientific Sessions 2011

Are you attending the AHA Scientific Sessions this year? Want to develop your career in the world of cardiology?

Early Career Day
Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

To further your area of expertise and to explore various educational opportunities, join us for Early Career Day, on Saturday November 12, 2011. This year there will be panel discussions on topics important to everyone, especially early career investigators. No advance registration is required and attendance is free as part of Scientific Sessions registration.

Early Career Day is to promote networking and mentorship between early career members and senior investigators for scientific outreach and career building. The sessions are open to all attendees but will be specifically targeted to early career participants.

Here are some of the sessions:

• Early Career: Lunch with the Mentor
• Early Career: Opening the Door to Successful Careers in Clinical Practice and Clinical Research (Clin Card)
• Early Career: Training and Funding: How to Get Started as an Early Career Investigator (EPI/NPAM/QCOR)
• Early Career: Navigating the Road to a Successful Career in Cardiovascular Research (BCVS)
• Early Career: Global Cardiovascular Health Opportunities
• Early Career: Starting a Successful Career in Quality of Care and Outcomes Research (QCOR)

Learn more about Early Career Day here.

I'll be speaking about biopharma careers at BioConference Live 2011

I'll be speaking at BioConference Live 2011. My session is titled, "Physician careers in the biopharma industry" and it will occur on Wed June 15, 2011 from 2 to 3 pm EDT.

Abstract: As the health care industry undergoes significant changes over the next several years, we can anticipate that more physicians will be eager to leave clinical medicine and pursue careers in the biopharma industry. As a result, it becomes critical for biopharma professionals to recruit the best talent and to prepare new physicians for an industry career in pharmaceutical medicine.

This presentation will reveal physician attitudes and career trends that reflect the transition process as physicians consider careers in the biopharma industry. We will also examine results from recent physician surveys and polls to explore myths and misconceptions that are highly prevalent as physicians prepare for a career transition. Finally, we will explore effective strategies that will help physicians will make a smooth and successful transition into the pharmaceutical industry.

10 Trends Shaping Careers in Pharma

Don't miss the The MM&M Virtual Summit.
Tues, May 24, 2011

You'll find a session titled, "10 Trends Shaping Your Career" that will start at 1:30 pm Eastern Time.

Joe Shields, Director, Worldwide Innovation, Pfizer, will explore the forces acting on pharma, the resulting challenges and opportunities facing this industry in transition, how it affects you, and where you can inject a little innovation along the way.

You can register for this free virtual conference here.

"Mathematics, Common Sense, and Good Luck: My Life and Careers"

Here's an MIT World video that captured my attention titled, "Mathematics, Common Sense, and Good Luck: My Life and Careers."

Don’t expect to glean any market tips or trading secrets from James Simons, who steadfastly refuses to disclose the method behind his remarkable record in investing. Instead, listen to this mathematician, hedge fund manager and philanthropist sum up a remarkably varied and rich career, and offer some “guiding principles” distilled along the way.

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.

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.

Career & Salary Survey: Rain Check

This article on MMM (Medical Marketing and Media) talks about salaries 24th annual MM&M Career & Salary Survey. In a nutshell, salaries went down in the medical marketing industry in 2009. Not a surprise, given that we're in a recession and many pharmaceutical companies are feeling the effects of the recession trickle down to patients and their medications. Then, in 2010 those average salaries went up by 5.4% to $129,200.

As for job satisfaction, 29.6 % report they are “thoroughly satisfied” with their job vs. 25.9% in 2009. Only 7.4% report that they are “not satisfied” with their position.

You can read the article here on MMM.

Career Tracks in Pharmaceutical Marketing

There's an article that briefly describes the career tracks of 8 pharmaceutical professionals (not necessarily physicians) who currently work in pharmaceutical marketing. What's interesting is to read about the diverse backgrounds and the non-linear career progressions that are associated with some of these individuals. Some are clinicians, others are pure businesspeople. There are a number of physician career opportunities in the pharmaceutical marketing industry. You could work for a pharmaceutical company, an advertising agency, a publisher, a promotional education company, etc. Want to learn more about pharmaceutical marketing? You can read the article here on Medical Marketing & Media.

Best alternative careers for physicians

The other day, I wanted to know what I'd find if I typed "best alternative careers for physicians" into Google.

As I started typing, the search box got pre-populated with the phrase "best alternative careers for lawyers." Attorneys must be really miserable with their jobs. Of course, visitors to this site may think that physicians have low levels of job satisfaction. Then, I went back to Google and typed, "alternative careers for" and I wanted to know how the list would get populated. The most common phrase is "alternative careers for lawyers," followed by "alternative careers for teachers." Doctors and physicians ranked #3 and #6, respectively. Here are the top "10" professions who are looking on Google to find information about alternative careers:

1. lawyers
2. teachers
3. doctors
4. architects
5. nurses
6. physicians
7. attorneys
8. engineers
9. accountants
10. librarians

Wow, there are many people out there who are looking for alternative careers.  Why is that the case? Why would a librarian or an architect want to find an alternative career?

10 fastest growing jobs over the next 10 years

According to a recent article in US News and World Report, the occupations projected to grow fastest between 2008 and 2018 are:

1. Biomedical engineers (72% projected growth)
2. Network systems and data communications analysts (53%)
3. Home health aids (50%)
4. Personal and home care aids (46%)
5. Financial examiners (41%)
6. Medical scientists, except epidemiologists (40%)
7. Physician assistants (39%)
8. Skin care specialists (38%)
9. Biochemists and biophysicists (37%)
10. Athletic trainers (37%)

That's a very interesting list. They source the Bureau of Labor Statistics and remark that some of the median income levels for some of these positions (such as home care aids) is less than $20k. Half of the top 20 fastest-growing careers are related to healthcare (no surprise there).

Physician career opportunities in Canada

Sometimes, the transition from a clinical career to a non-clinical career isn't the best option. Some physicians simply need a change in scenery and if they move to a new clinical opportunity, they end up much happier.

How many physicians do you know who practice medicine in Canada? Do they seem to have a high level of job satisfaction, or do they seem disgruntled by administrative paperwork? Do they seem to be struggle with reimbursement issues and are they contemplating cash-only or concierge practice models?

It's been many years since I've visited Canada, but perhaps you may be interested in exploring your career options in Canada. I recently got a brochure in the mail describing physician career opportunities in Ontario, Canada. To learn more, visit www.HealthForceOntario.ca for more information.  You may want to look at some Ontario Physician Locum Programs (OPLP) opportunities as well.

What are your career goals for 2010?

As we prepare for 2010, have you thought about your career goals for 2010? Will you make any significant changes? Perhaps you're considering a complete career transition. Maybe you'll decide to explore the world of non-clinical medicine in 2010 by attending some conferences, reading some books, and exploring sites like http://www.nonclinicaljobs.com.

If you're serious about making a career transition in the New Year, make sure you don't go through that process by yourself. The holidays is a wonderful time to reconnect with old friends, expand your social network, and explore various career opportunities that may be appropriate for you.

Personally, I'm very excited about 2010 because I see many new opportunities opening up. As I strive to balance work and my personal life, I know that I'll have to turn some of them down.

Pharmaceutical Executive Magazine December 2009

If you're interested in careers in the pharmaceutical industry, then you may wish to stay current on pharmaceutical issues by reading Pharmaceutical Executive Magazine. You can read the digital version of the December 2009 version by clicking here.

Was medical school a mistake?

How many dissatisfied medical students do you know? In certain cultures, young people are heavily pressured to attend medical school. Parents and other family members may place substantial pressure on students to apply for medical school. This happens quite often in the Asian American community, especially if your parent(s) is a physician. If you tell your parents that you plan to pursue a "non professional" career, you can pack your bags and say good bye to your family. Now, that may sound like an extreme example, but I know many people who feel like they would get disowned if they were to drop out of medical school.

My intent is not to discuss and debate parenting principles. Instead, I'd like to focus on those medical students who often feel "trapped" while they're in medical school or residency. They feel like they have no other options. They can't imagine a job outside of medicine. They have substantial student loans. They feel like they would be disappointing so many people if they leave the medical field.

• Medical students don't learn about non-clinical career options in medical school.
• Medical students feel trapped because of their debt burden.
• Medical students may feel like they made a mistake about their career.

The good news is that you can apply your medical training and expertise to pursue some great non-clinical career opportunities. 

Experience with outplacement services

Have you ever had any experience working with outplacement services? Traditional outplacement can be defined as: "The process of facilitating a terminated employee's search for a new job by provision of professional services, such as counseling, paid for by the former employer." These days, so many people are looking for work and I see some non-traditional outplacement services being offered by various groups/companies/individuals. If you're looking to switch careers, you may have a difficult time finding a company to pay for outplacement services.

Outplacement services may cover things such as:

• Resume improvement
  
• Counseling
• Career coaching
• Negotiation skills
• Networking
• Job search
• Career transition
  
• Interview coaching
• Career assessment guidance

Live outside North America? Below the equator? Southern hemisphere? Do you live in Australia? Perhaps you may want to see what you can find if you search for "career outplacement adelaide" or for "outplacement melbourne." Maybe you'll stumble upon a group called the Donington Group. They specialize in:

• Career Transition and Outplacement
• Career Management and Career Coaching
• Career Development and Redeployment
• Corporate Outplacement Support

I'm doing some research about outplacement services and I'd love to hear your stories (good or bad). Some organizations seem to be quite effective, but many don't seem to help a whole lot. Job seekers need to be coached by others who really understand that specific industry, but it seems like much of the coaching is being provided through generalists.

Looking for a New Career Opportunity?

If you're thinking about a new career opportunity, you may be looking for resources that point you in the right direction. Maybe you know someone who has lost a job and needs to find work, but you don't know how to help. Maybe you even know some people who are completely switching industries and they're thinking about a healthcare-related vocational career like nursing. In the world of healthcare, there are many jobs that are currently available for people who have the right education and training. Do you know what it takes to get into medical billing? What if you wanted to become a nurse or a pharmacist? There are also many opportunities for pharmacy technicians. Would you know where to begin? Maybe you've been thinking about going back to school and you're looking for some information about educational programs.

What is the median hourly rate for medical billing managers? It seems to range between $15 to 18 according to PayScale. You can find this time of information at Train4VocationalCareer. At this site, you'll find information ranging from vocational careers for adults to various educational programs. You'll even find information about teaching and healthcare programs. Many schools now offer online programs for nursing and other healthcare fields so that you can study and maintain a flexible schedule. The need for healthcare workers is only going to grow, so the opportunities are out there for people who wish to switch careers of find a new one.

Making the Non-Clinical Transition

I often get asked, "how do you make the transition into the non-clinical world? Isn't it risky?" The answer is that change can be risky. But, you have to be certain of your talents and interests. If you find yourself very dissatisfied working in clinical medicine, then ask yourself why you're dissatisfied. I try to encourage people to look for another opportunity in clinical medicine where the work-life balance might be a better fit. Many physicians who wish to leave clinical medicine are simply burned out and they need a break. If that's you, then make sure you take a break and be comprehensive as you plan your future. It's important to remember that it can be very difficult to re-enter clinical medicine after you leave.

Pharma Job Fair

Pharm Country Career Fair
Monday, March 30, 2009, 2pm to 7pm
Radisson Valley Forge
King of Prussia, Pennsylvania

Looks like you can get information about business school if you're interested in getting an MBA during these difficult economic times.

Companies include:

Aerotek Scientific, LLC
Almac Clinical Technologies
CSL Behring
Fox School of Business - Temple University
Globus Medical, Inc.
Merck Research Laboratories
Morphotek
Octagon Research Solutions, Inc.
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Shire
Siegfried (USA), Inc.

Find out more at BioSpace: http://www.biospace.com/