Physician’s assistants provide essential care to patients in medical practices nationwide. While it is a challenging and frequently rewarding career path, physician’s assistants often find that they must take a proactive approach to building their own careers in order to reach their goals.
Here are five ways to advance your career in the coming year:
Set SMART goals.
First your goal was to make it through medical school. Then it was to complete your clinical rotations. Next, your goal was to pass your certification exams and get licensed.
Once you’re working, however, finding the clear “goal lines” can be more difficult. Your career becomes yours to direct – not subject to the endless requirements of school and licensing organizations.
Start by creating SMART goals: goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-Based. The clearer and more objective a goal is, the easier it is to determine what steps will take you there – and to know when you’ve achieved it.
Give yourself a performance review.
Examine the work you’ve accomplished over the past year. What accomplishments made you most proud? Where did you struggle? What unexpected challenges or opportunities turned out well for you, and which did not? If you could change one thing about your work in the past year, what would it be?
By looking back, you identify the areas in which your career needs the most work, giving yourself the opportunity to tackle those weaknesses.
Freshen up your portfolio and CV.
Gather evidence supporting your top accomplishments in the past year, whether these are official transcripts or paperwork or informal emails thanking you for your work on a particular patient or project. This information will help you update your CV, participate in your official performance review, or seek a new job if you’re looking.
Reconnect.
Whether you’re on the job or on the job hunt, reconnecting with a colleague you haven’t talked to for a while can open up new opportunities and give you a fresh outlook on your career goals. Make a plan to have lunch or coffee with a colleague at least once in the coming month.
Talk to a recruiter.
Your staffing partner can become an invaluable resource in helping you organize your career goals or consider your options for finding a new position with another practice. Your staffing firm can also connect you to other professionals in your field.
At KTE Services, our experienced recruiters strive to match physician’s assistants and other healthcare professionals to great jobs in pain management and other medical practices. Contact us today to learn more.
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