Four simple steps physicians can take to boost their careers

In healthcare, climbing up the career ladder takes time and hard work. But Allan Cacanindin, Senior Executive Vice President of Client Services for Cejka Search, a physician and health executive recruitment firm, says physicians can easily take small steps to advance their career.

He offers this advice:

1.  Focus on Google and use it to your advantage. – While it may seem simple, Cacanindin says this is one task physicians often overlook. “Look up one thing in the evening to see what’s going on in your specialty,” he says. “Set up Google alerts. Those allow individuals to have knowledge that’s immediate. Having that edge of knowing what’ s going on in the marketplace is essential. You don’t want to become stagnant.”

2.  Become a member and stay active in professional organizations. – Get involved in the association for your specialty. “Having those conversations with your colleagues and learning about best practices is essential,” he says “You don’t want to fall behind the curve. Look for some local groups that you can belong to.”

3.  Look to those physicians who helped you get started. – Cacanindin suggests that physicians stay in touch with their program directors long after they leave medical school. “[They] are peppered with a wide variety of knowledge to help them go in their career with the best foot forward,” he says. “Every program director has it in their directive to really build the physicians of tomorrow. Ask them, ‘What do I need to learn? What do I need to be award of? What have other alumni faced? What’s happening in the field that caused you to changed you curriculum?’ Those questions will help you identify key attributes that will help you set a foundation for success in the future.”

4.  Choose a mentor in your field. – “Every physician should identify one mentor who is experienced and has a great insight into the practice of medicine,” says Cacanindin. “Someone that keeps them challenged constantly, so they are learning and progressing in their field.”