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Oh the Places You’ll Go: Tips to Avoid EM ‘Rust Out’

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By Shilpa Amin, MD, FACEP Amin

I was recently at a conference at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and learned about the term “rust out.” It’s a fairly new concept described as your career’s deteriorating through disuse of your full potential. In other words, when you’re not using your personal gifts and talents to support something you believe in, you’re not growing but, at best, simply maintaining.

I found this term to be particularly intriguing as I sat in a room full of MBA students. I felt I was at the other extreme and that my career allowed me to continue to grow in ways I hadn’t imagined. As an emergency physician, I have practiced in several different settings: as a hospital employee, a private practitioner and an independent contractor. At each step along the way, I was able to assess my talents, challenge myself and seek out new opportunities.

I’ve always wanted a career in emergency medicine and not just a job where I was a straight pit doctor banging out shifts. I enjoy taking on multiple projects at once. During interviews with various companies, directors and recruiters, I asked a series of questions to see what contributions I could make to the department on an operational and administrative level, and what leadership opportunities were available. Some interviews were very clear cut: there was no room for advancement; I would be a “pit doc,” and the senior leaders would decide what direction the group was going. Others were vague and told me that there was room to diversify my career, but they laid out no clear path. The company I ultimately joined has provided opportunities to expand my career because it has an active interest in developing its physicians. So my young career has been filled with multiple routes to enhancing my professional development in ways that I could not have imagined. I’ve shared some examples below.

TV: I’ve had the opportunity to speak on television about our urgent care centers. My first broadcast entailed educating the public on symptoms, diagnoses and the benefits of going to an urgent care center. Many of my colleagues have presented short broadcasts on the local news station on a variety of topics. Many EDs have an established connection to local TV stations, and if you are interested in contributing, you should express your interest during your interview.

Social Media: Blogs are a relatively simple way to diversify your career. I have written blogs ranging from summer safety for children to teamwork to interview tips. There are thousands of blogging sites out there. Find one that interests you and reach out to them.

Books/Product Review: I have been a contributing author to text books and the MommyMD series. Through this writing opportunity, I’ve also been able to test and review multiple products, from skin ointments to sun safety products for children.

Recruiting: Besieged by the numerous cold calls and emails we receive daily from staffing agencies, we understand the shortage of emergency physicians. I took an active interest in recruiting for my company the first year that I started. Under my leadership, we have created an adjunct to our recruiting department and assembled a team of physicians to serve as a liaison to our new hires.

Billing and Coding: I know physicians are very excited about the upcoming ICD10 roll-out! During residency, I didn’t receive a lot of instruction on billing and coding. My attending physicians just seemed to absorb it along the way, and charting was highly variable from doctor to doctor. I recently became a certified ED coder for my practice and now review hundreds of charts monthly. Our practice then provides helpful feedback to the physicians to help them code appropriately.

Committees: I have joined multiple committees in the hospital, from pharmaceutical affairs to clinical operations. This has allowed me to network with various departments and participate in projects outside of the scope of the ED.

Dr. Seuss once wrote, “Oh, the places you’ll go.” Regardless of profession, we have the chance to find or even create opportunities to make ourselves more marketable by improving old skills and developing new ones. The “places you’ll go” in your career are up to you. Don’t rust out!

Shilpa Amin-Shah, MD, FACEP, is the Director of the Physician Recruiting Team with Emergency Medical Associates, Parsippany, N.J. She received a bachelor’s degree from Rosemont College in Rosemont, Pa., and her medical degree from SUNY Downstate, Brooklyn, N.Y. She completed the Jacobi/Montefiore Emergency Medicine Residency Program at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and served as chief resident. She enjoys spending her free time cooking, traveling and trying new cuisines with her husband and three young children.



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