Dr. Kirikadou discussed questions fellows would be prudent to raise when looking for a job in an academic setting. She emphasized the importance of asking about research tracks and the requirements for each, the number of clinical sessions per week, the time allotted for new or follow-up patient visits, the adjustment of clinic templates for inpatient service and educational roles (e.g., participation in teaching with medical students and/or residency trainees), the direction of the division, relative value unit (RVU) goals, etc. The more questions one asks, the fewer the surprises that may arise and the more comfortable one will feel once starting the job, she said.
The next session was led by Tamika Webb-Detiege, MD, deputy head of admissions and enrollment and an associate professor of rheumatology, University of Queensland, Australia. She discussed the importance of maintaining work-life balance and time management. She offered techniques to improve work efficiency and develop financial well-being. She noted that work-life balance is not a benefit or something handed to you, but rather something created by an individual.
She referenced The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, noting that many of these habits are essential to creating a healthy work-life balance.3 She stressed the importance of putting family and friends first, especially at home, and creating a clear separation between work done at home and home life. She noted that developing sustainable long-term practices to maintain physical, mental and spiritual health is important, and that being efficient and managing time lead to financial success as a physician.
Dr. Webb-Detiege also referred to the book The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom, by Don Miguel Ruiz. Mr. Ruiz makes four central points: 1) be impeccable with your word; 2) do not take anything personally; 3) do not make assumptions; and 4) always do your best.4
Finally, Alexis Ogdie, MD, associate professor of medicine and epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, led the discussion on establishing a career niche. She described her journey into psoriatic arthritis and identified key points that she thinks are essential to developing a career niche. Once one identifies and becomes passionate about a particular area within rheumatology, she says that speaking with other physicians and clinical investigators in different divisions and departments is helpful to envision a future clinic.
When building a clinic, Dr. Ogdie said, identifying a team, collaborators and stakeholders, as well as clearly demonstrating need and value in a specific area, are important to further develop a specific disease or niche-based program and be set up to expand. Funneling as many patients with a specific disease into a clinic allows you to start noticing patterns and trends, which drives new questions.
