Job/career options

[dr goodhead]

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hi all, have been mostly a lurker and occasional poster for a while, but this isn't public knowledge yet so i'm posting under an alias. details changed to protect the innocent.

i am a BC EM doc w/ a medical problem that is affecting my ability to practice. am worried this problem will adversely affect my longevity in the field. having trouble w/ physical nature of job as well as variable/longer shifts.

what are the best resources to investigate my options? anyone know someone who had to make a change for a health problem? i really love the patient aspect of EM (mostly!), speak Spanish, and am fairly versatile as far as book knowledge. at the same time, i'd hate to totally waste my training!

i have no problem sharing details over PM - it's not a sensitive issue per se but again, don't want to alarm my employer.

thanks in advance.

 

[Apollyon]

People that know me, the above is not me (as there are elements in common with me).

Although props to the OP for the "Dr. Goodhead" reference...oh boy golly Holly!

 

[dr goodhead]

c'mon guys... surely someone has a colleague who had to alter his/her career b/c of illness or injury. i know the options as far as fellowships go... talking about things a little outside the box. my CV isn't teaching or research heavy b/c my favorite part of my job is patient care... but i may have to sacrifice that to be human again.

thanks for the props, apollyon!

 

[deleted109597]

Tox requires less of the difficult physical stuff, more H&P stuff. You'd have to work at a huge center to only do tox stuff though.
My answer would be disability insurance. Work until you can't work anymore, then do whatever you want. You could also just work less as you get further along. You might not have your pick of shifts though.

 

[dr goodhead]

don't have DI... was treated for depression in residency so declined. only option was $1k/mo. now w/ this i don't even think i can get the secondary market DI.

 

[dchristismi]

You never know what you can do until you try.

My current medical director was in a horrific accident post-residency that left him a paraplegic.

He pulls shifts in the pit just like the rest of us, but we make some accomodations - he never works solo coverage, and pretty much always works the same daytime shift. But he was a member of this group when the accident happened, and they bumped him up to medical director and insist he stay when the contract was bought by the current (insanely awesome) group. He's a fixture, and we are thrilled to have kept him, even though he is somewhat limited in procedures. He's part of the reason I took this job - that's a level of committment to the members of the group that you just don't see many places.

I don't know what your exact problem is, but you might be surprised at what can be done at the right place.

Danielle
PS: We're hiring.