When looking for ways to advance your medical career, it can often be beneficial to explore new opportunities for career growth and development. Fortunately, there are numerous opportunities available that physicians can pursue to expand their horizons or use to challenge themselves.
A recent article from Weatherby Healthcare outlined five such opportunities that medical professionals could use to grow their careers:
- Volunteering at a Free Clinic—Many free clinics around the United States rely on experienced medical volunteers to provide care to those without insurance. In exchange, you can receive a rewarding experience that you can put on your CV or simply use to gain new insight into the medical world. To find a free or charitable clinic in your area, you can visit the National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics website.
- Going on a Medical Mission—Individuals in a wide range of locations across the world need medical attention. Volunteers can travel to places where obtaining quality care is difficult and provide aid to ill patients. By doing so, you can gain a new perspective, be a part of a global community, and gain additional expertise you may not otherwise acquire. MedicalMissions.org is one organization that helps connect healthcare volunteers with mission-centered organizations around the world that need them. You can find missions by your specialty, starting date, and country.
- Joining a Committee—Serving on a committee is an excellent way to further develop your career because it allows new and valuable connections to be made. Joining a committee demonstrates your willingness to benefit the community, which can make a strong impression on others. These committees can be at healthcare institutions, medical societies, government organizations, or at the community level. If you are interested in joining a committee at a physicians’ association, you can generally find information about such appointments on their websites.
- Earning Another Certification or Certificate—It is never too late to change a field of work if you feel discontented with your career. Working towards achieving another certification can be the perfect way to gain career gratification. Although studying for another certification requires a large commitment, it may also prove to be a fulfilling venture. Certification and certificate programs are plentiful. One opportunity you can consider if you love writing and sharing your medical expertise is the American Medical Writers Association Essential Skills Certificate Program.
- Take on a Locum Tenens—Undertaking locum tenens allows you to try something new, work in a different environment, and learn new skills, all of which will promote greater workplace satisfaction. Additionally, healthcare providers who work in these positions tend to have greater flexibility with their schedules, enabling them to pursue other ventures, such as some of the other opportunities included in this list of career growth opportunities.
By partaking in these opportunities, you will be able to broaden your horizons, experiment with new opportunities, and challenge yourself to become better, resulting in professional growth and development.
