Aug 31, 2021
This discussion was first presented in June of 2019. It was in response to one of the most common questions brought up in the Physician Nonclinical Career Hunters Facebook Group.
Your MD or DO degree is valuable. It enables you to compete for jobs with PhDs and PharmDs. Remember, too, that these jobs are open to residency-trained physicians, often at slightly higher salary levels to start.
For physicians looking for flexibility and work they can do from home, medical writing may be the answer. With a vast range of options, from blog articles to technical writing, discouraged doctors are sure to find something that fits their needs.
Medicare regulations have caused an explosion of companies focused on Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI). As a CDI professional, you will be trained in the intricacies of translating chart notes and discharge summaries to appropriate billing codes. This work is extremely important to hospitals because it determines whether appropriate payments are collected and how quality measures are reported.
Generally, you’ll be working in marketing agencies that deal with pharma and device companies. It’s a great role if you enjoy working in a conventional office with a regular schedule. Teamwork and communication skills are important. There are ad agencies that hire medical directors in most major metropolitan areas of the U.S.
Consulting can be an excellent career choice for physicians lacking postgraduate training. Firms sometimes prefer doctors without experience so they can train them to their way of doing things, without the need to break old habits. Depending on the firm and your location, it may require significant amounts of travel. It can be very lucrative, though, with opportunities for advancement.
Doctors with experience working in research or on pharmacy committees are suited to a career as a medical monitor. Medical monitors support research studies and ensure that they are medically sound. They track adverse drug reactions. And they serve as liaisons between principal investigators and the coordinating Contract Research Organization or pharmaceutical company.
An MSL is a good entry-level job in the pharmaceutical space. Ideal candidates must be familiar with the regulatory landscape. This career involves regular travel and meeting new people. The course Build a Rewarding, Lucrative Career as a Medical Science Liaison will walk you through the process of finding your first MSL position.
There are many jobs in the healthcare industry available to physicians without residency training. Since the original episode aired, additional jobs have been presented here on the podcast. In Pharma, there are jobs beyond MSL and medical monitor positions.
In Episode 209, Dr. Marsha Caton described the tactics for landing clinical scientist, clinical research associate, or technical medical writer jobs. And there will be more on that subject in Episode 214 with Dr. Laura McKain.
To access the show notes and all of the links for this episode, go to nonclinicalphysicians.com/no-residency-is-no-problem
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