Learning Resources for Alternative Positions in Clinical, Teaching, and Leadership/Administration 

An Excerpt From the Curriculum of Module 4

Alternative Medical Positions

So you think you might want to leave clinical practice and hop into another medical position of some kind? In this section, you’ll have the chance to explore several types of alternatives to traditional medical practice and learn more about their positives and negatives. We’ll be exploring three basic categories of medical positions as follows:

• Leadership & Administration
• Teaching
• Nontraditional Clinical Practice

Before hopping aboard the tour bus, let’s review some of the common myths and misconceptions about these types of positions:

Belief	Reality
Better working hours	In reality, many alternative medical positions require more time than might be spent in traditional clinical practice. This is often related to meeting schedules (including after hour meetings) and administrative work which usually winds up being done in the evenings and/or weekends.
Less stress	Alternative medical positions are far from stress-free! Generally speaking, you will trade one set of stresses for another – kind of like rotating your tires. Remember that you will have the additional stress of taking on new challenges and being on a learning curve.
Higher pay	Higher paying alternative medical positions are quite rare and generally require advanced skills, experience and taking on lots of responsibility and accountability.
Will be able to get by without working hard	While the work of alternative medical positions is different than clinical practice, it is not necessarily easier. It will often require the development and application of new skills. Just as in clinical practice, one must invest a significant effort to master the skills necessary to be effective in these positions.
Much simpler environment	Alternative medical positions are most often found within large organizations such as hospitals or other health care systems. These organizations are generally very complex and require experience to navigate effectively.
Better infrastructure and administrative support	Since these positions are often part of large organizations, support staff are often at a minimum. Furthermore, these administrative resources are usually providing support for multiple individuals.

 

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