When you first entered college, you had to make the decision of what you wanted to study; you decided medicine. Upon entering medical school, you then had to make a decision on what you want to specialize in. That particular decision is one that you have to take very seriously because that decision is what shapes your entire medical career. Once you determine your specialty, all you have to do is complete your classes and graduate! If only it was that simple
Nonetheless, once you graduate, you will be faced with yet another career-changing decision to make… the type of setting that you want to practice in. There are several different practice options available for you to choose from and luckily, you can easily transition from one setting to another if one setting isn’t working out for you.
Studentdoctor.net states that all the different practice settings are different and one may work out better than the other for some people but it’s definitely worth your time to research the pros and cons of each set to help you make a better decision based on facts and not solely on what people have told you. Take a look at the different types of medical settings you can practice medicine in.
Employed Physician Practices
More and more physicians are becoming employed within many different practice models. Hospitals, long-term care facilities, and walk-in clinics are a few different health care establishments that doctors are being hired on directly. They make it seem so easy, right? Well, that’s because it is! Doctors have a slight advantage over others when it comes to job hunting.
Did you know that there are job search engines specifically designed for doctors? That’s an advantage that doctors have over other career fields. Now, there may very well be job search engines for teachers and engineers but there are definitely ones for doctors of several specialties! That’s how lots of doctors get established at employed physician practices.
Group Practices
For the most part, group practices have been divided into single-specialty and multi-specialty practices. With single-specialty practices, there may be a group of physicians providing patients a specific type of care based on their specialty. With multi-specialty practices, there’s a group of physicians offering patients various types of care according to the specialties of the various physicians.
Group practices actually have many benefits to not only the doctors but also to the patients. In group practices, because there are different specialties, it makes it easier not only on the doctors but also on the patient for referrals. If a patient comes in to see their primary care doctor but some test results reveal cardiology problems, that primary care doctor can easily refer their patient to their trusted cardiologist colleague.
Solo Practices
A solo practice is a practice solely of its own without any type of partners or affiliations with other businesses or companies. Solo practices usually have a smaller patient base and a small staff but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing to have. In most business ownerships, it’s better to start out small.
Having a practice with a small staff and patient base can actually be very beneficial to you. The smaller patient base allows you to build closer relationships with your patients. A smaller staff allows you to implement practices you believe in and train them the way want and expect your business to be ran.
Starting out small just gives your practice the capabilities to grow and expand just by how your care for your team and patients. Now, if you do want to open your own practice, it’s best to practice medicine either in group practices or employed practices first, just so you can get a sufficient amount of experience under your belt. That will add more credibility to your name and make patients and staff want to embody your practices and beliefs.
Keep in Mind…
Regardless of the type of setting you choose, one of the most important aspects to the success of your title is your reputation. You want to have a great reputation online and offline. This will especially be important if you decide to open your own practice.
The way you treat your patients and colleagues while you’re practicing medicine in group practices or in employed practices will definitely enhance the likelihood of patients and even colleagues and staff members to follow you to your solo practice. Because the world of medicine involves helping improve the lives of others, always remember kindness goes a long way.
