This is still the question I get asked frequently, mostly by non-physicians. Hence the name of my book. After all, I spent 4 years in medical school and 6 years in internship, residency, and fellowship training. When I felt trapped in clinical practice with no exit in sight, the answer would have been “yes.” Being in the wrong career can be defeating, and all efforts feel wasted, including all the work to get to that point. As soon as I made my career transition, however, my outlook changed abruptly.
Medical knowledge is essential in my current career, as well as many other types of non-clinical careers. Although I no longer perform surgery on patients, the transferable skills that I acquired during my subsequent training provided unique marketability in the demanding world of business. SImilarly, I was definitely not ready to become a business owner when I left practice. These skills evolved during my two other medical communications jobs. Looking back and second guessing yourself is counterproductive, but if forced to do so, I am pleased that I took the path that I did all along the way. The only thing I would have changed was to have a crystal ball at various points to know that all of my hard work would pay off.
