So here's the issue...I have been out of practice for about a year due to health related issues and I am now looking to get back into the OR. I am a recent graduate back in 2016, so how does my year of non-patient care look when I am applying for jobs and credentials? I'm kind of stressing out because the lack of practice will look negatively in the eyes of future employers. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
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Advice needed for individual getting back into practice
Started by sdt672002
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deleted87051
Best place to start looking would be your old job, your old program, and where your co-residents went.
Brah I would recommend the same as nimbus. I think residency program might be best bet. Also try the locum route. Some places are actually hard to credential with that much of a gap though. Like you need to prove x amount of cases in 2 years or so.
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deleted162650
Always smart to heed career advice that starts with “Brah . . .”
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deleted171991
$1M question: are you board-certified yet?
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deleted171991
That's a big problem. That is much harder to explain by health problems (you should have passed your orals by 2017). At this point, I would say you are almost unemployable, except for the most desperate practices. Your best chances are people who know you, as @nimbus said. Take anything remotely decent you are offered and get back into the OR. Then pass your boards. Avoid ANY malpractice issues, in the meanwhile. These are your priorities.
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deleted171991
They may or may not, depending how desperate they are. You may have to go out of state.
At this point, you remind me of the Groucho Marx quote: "I don't care to belong to any club that will have me as a member."
Gotta get the boards then contact your old program. That would be your best bet
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deleted171991
Listen, sandy pants, we don't take advice from people who go to work in sandals and shorts.
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deleted171991
You will need those excuses, and proof. Future employers and their committees will want to know that you truly had a medical problem, not just an excuse for some yet unknown professional issues. I would get strong recommendation letters/references from my last place of work, and I would be open about my healthcare problems (if resolved and unlikely to recur).
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deleted171991
Basically, you need credible people to advocate for you, and a job that hires imperfect candidates (think locums, bad management companies, rural areas, flyover states etc.).
Get in contact with your former PD, boss, co-workers, co-residents etc. Your former program (or another) may give you a 6-12 month-long non-ACGME OR-based "fellowship"; I would take one of those in a heartbeat, if I were you.
Get in contact with your former PD, boss, co-workers, co-residents etc. Your former program (or another) may give you a 6-12 month-long non-ACGME OR-based "fellowship"; I would take one of those in a heartbeat, if I were you.
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This is really great advice, hopefully you went to a more-academically inclined place that would have some funding for this (basically you’d function as an attending at a fellow’s salary and you’d have plenty of people of bounce of clinical issues with). Some programs out there I think offer a quick 3 or 6 month “residency recharge” or something as well, but I don’t know any specifics there.
Not having board certification and being out for so long... I’m not sure what other options you have. Maybe desperate locums but that might not be the best idea as those jobs may have major issues.
Have you had at least one full, uninterrupted state license during this time?
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deleted643396
Do a fake fellowship, like OB or pre-op history taking.
In 'Merica that's not the worst of excuses though. Some places, albeit desperate as FFP says, may give you an extra nod because you served. You MUST pass your oral boards and then do anything and everything to get bak into the OR, whether it's deperate locums or through your old progam. As FFP also said, during you comeback season, dont "eff" up.
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Over half the people here are speculating.
Your career is NOT over. YOu will easily find a job. Just keep talking to people. You have told us you havent been in the OR for a year and someone else mentioned they want case logs for the past 2 years. Whats the problem? You can easily provide that.
I know a guy who spend 20 years away and got back into it.
Locums is also available to you.
If you want further direction just PM ME.
YOu will have no problem if your work ethic is solid. If you are one of these people who looks at the board and runs away from anything remotely troublesome you will have problems gap or no gap.
My Medical license is still active so at least I have that going for me.
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deleted697127
Also speculating here but I’d be shocked if there arent a few new mothers around who have taken a year off after having a kid.
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deleted87051
They usually have a solid re-entry plan back to their old practice.
Are you still active duty? Do you have your evaluations from when you were active duty? This is a very difficult situation. When a hospital credentials you they will reach out to your active duty hospitals you worked at.
2016 grad
One year of non-patient care (it's 2019 now so presumably you had 2 years of practice).
Looking for work now - if you were still in the military, finding a place to do cases would be no problem, so you're out of the military.
3 years of post-residency service is a year short of most service obligations. Were you medically discharged prior to the end of your ADSO? Were you honorably discharged?
2 years of practice followed by one year of non-practice - board certification ought to be a given by now. Are there other issues, i.e. academic problems, probation, extended residency?
Agree that if you have a clean license and malpractice history, you'll be able to do locums somewhere and build some new history.
