Alternative Science Careers

A physician’s life often seems to be programmed. We move from college to school of medicine to internship to residency to fellowship to practice in a very seamless path. Twelve to 15 years pass by without lots of questions for we have been consumed with the educational process and the brass ring by the end on this marathon event. Another straight line seems to be in front of us as we pursue our career.

But, are our lives as physician’s really such a straight line or are they influenced by minor events which happen to have major influences upon the paths we travel? I feel that life is more sort of a novel, where minor or serendipitous events take us in a very different direction until another such event pushes us down another path. Most of the major decisions in our lives may be created with inadequate information- the choice to marry someone, turn into a physician, and choose a specialty. Who really knows what marriage or maybe a particular career will likely be like?

A Serendipitous Meeting

I had been working for 35 years, written eight books and produced multiple DVDs. (http://www.richardsenelick.com/books-dvds) I enjoyed lecturing and writing, but again felt that itch to use that little fork in the road that might open new doors and acquire the creative juices flowing again. I am a strong believer in reinventing oneself every 5-10 years. I received an e-mail flyer for Dr. Julie Silver’s course at Harvard on “Publishing Books, Memoirs and other Creative Nonfiction”. I can’t tell you the reason why I registered, nevertheless it seemed like the good diversion out of my usual meetings on Stroke, Brain Injury, and Rehabilitation. I already possessed a distribution system for my books so I wasn’t on the lookout for a dealer. However, I kept feeling this nagging resonated with this “fork around the road” section of my brain. It was March 2010 and winter had descended on Boston, with winds blowing the snow horizontally. It was perfect weather to be in a meeting and helped me steer clear of the temptation simply to walk along Newbury Street and spend time at a cafe with my new iPad. As many would say, I’m famous because I can not sit longer than 2-3 hours at a conference. So, I took my usual spot on the last row, convenient with the quick escape. What followed were 2 days that became one of those critical forks in the road to me.

Social What?

I was having a wonderful time learning a myriad of good information on writing, publishing, and meeting people, but nothing appeared to be happening that would make a major difference with my career. My curiosity was piqued by the talk on Social Media Marketing by Rusty Shelton of Shelton Interactive. I had a “facebook” account I never employed, but I didn’t have any experience with creating a website, how to “tweet”, or commenting/creating blogs.

I am your typical cynical neurologist, so I sat at the back of the room with my arms folded as Rusty Shelton started his pitch for the new order of social networking and publishing. It is not necessarily an understatement to suggest it was subsequently an absolute epiphany and resonated throughout my body. I instantly “got” social websites and saw that door that only needed to be opened. My experience had shown that it usually required one year to write a manuscript that would only be seen by a limited number of individuals. In addition, making it worse, that book could possibly be expired in half a year. It became clear. My books were intended to educate healthcare professionals, people who have disabilities, and their loved ones. Having a website together with a blog would allow me to instantly disseminate information, continue to keep it up to date, get in touch with colleagues and people in need of assistance, and allow me to have instant gratification. Furthermore , I noticed that my magazines and newspapers were getting thinner and that I seemed to be getting 90% of my information from the internet. I realized that if I wanted to reach the mainstream of society and contribute at an international level, I better get on board the social websites train or perhaps I would be left in the station.

With less than a year since I took Julie Silver’s course, Rusty Shelton has helped me develop a website with books, articles, and an active blog at www.richardsenelick.com. We also have created a professional “facebook” page and I am even starting to use Twitter. Being connected socially in these ways led me to interviews and other writing opportunities. It wasn’t much later when I received an opportunity to blog for the Huffington Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-c-senelick-md), which I accepted and have enjoyed very much. Additionally, I have been asked to guest blog on other people’s websites and am getting fully incorporated into social networking. Besides being invigorating, it has allowed me the opportunity to have a job around the national dialogue designed to ultimately impact providers, patients, and their own families.

Regardless of what you are considering writing, social networking should really be an essential portion of your plan as it will provide opportunities . On account of Dr. Silver’s course, now it is an essential section of mine.

About: Richard C. Senelick MD works as a neurologist who serves as the Medical Director of RIOSA, The Rehabilitation Institute of San Antonio, and Editor in Chief of HealthSouth Press, the publishing arm of one of a nation’s largest hospital systems. He works as a frequent lecturer on both a national and international level. Dr. Senelick writes an everyday Blog for the Huffington Post. Amongst his many books and publications, he has authored Living with Stroke: A Guide for Families, Living with Brain Injury: A Guide for Families, The Spinal Cord Injury Handbook, and Beyond Please and Thank You: The Disability Awareness Handbook.

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Freelance MD is an active community of physicians that gives them more freedom and control of their medical practice, income, and lifestyle. Freelance MD provides physicians with cutting edge information on everything they need to broaden their careers and make their lives more manageable.

Who Should Attend?
Candidates with a 4-year life science degree or a community college biotech degree are invited to attend.

What types of positions are available?
Exhibiting life science companies will be recruiting for positions in areas such as: Research & Development, Clinical, Engineering, QA/QC/Regulatory, Processing/Manufacturing, Sales and Marketing, and more.

How do I get more information and pre-register?
Visit www.biocareerfair.org to view a complete listing of attending companies as well as registration information. Take the time to research what each company is recruiting for to see if you are a match.

Exhibitors will range from regional, national, and international companies, all with the common goal of attracting top talent. If you can’t make it on event day, you can still register online to submit your resume. This will allow exhibiting companies to view your resume and contact you outside of the career fair.

The first part is to organize your job search materials on your computer. Have a separate folder on your computer where you store your resumes and cover letters so that you always remember where they are. You may also want to have a printed version stored in file cabinet or kept in a folder in your vehicle so that you always have one handy.

The next step is to either have a physical notebook or computerized notebook where you can make a list of which jobs you apply for, when you applied, what materials you sent, who you sent them to, etc. It is also important to write down if and when you get a confirmation on the website or a confirmation email that your materials have been received. If you do not receive a confirmation or if you mailed your materials, it is important to call the personnel office to ensure your materials were received. The notebook is also a good place to include a brief summary of the company and job description you applied to, especially if you are applying to a diverse set of jobs, such as alternative careers outside your typical job openings. You want your notebook to be a place that you can visit quickly if you get a call back so that you know whom you are speaking with and what specific job you are discussing.

Create a calendar with to-do lists for your job search. This calendar should include job interview dates, times, and locations. You do not want to be late or miss a job interview. The calendar should also include reminders to send out thank you notes following a job interview, which should be mailed out the next day. Additionally, the calendar can be used for any other reminders that you feel are important, such as the day you want to call to ensure your materials were received, etc.

The above organization notes are just ideas to get you started. Remember, you need to be organized in a way that works for you.

• Candidate whistled the entire time I was talking.
• She threw-up on my desk, and immediately started asking questions about the job, like nothing had happened.
• Candidate said he really didn’t want to get a job, but the employment office needed proof that he was looking for one.
• During the interview, an alarm clock went off from the candidate’s brief case. He took it out, shut it off, apologized and said he had to leave for another interview.
• Pulled out a Polaroid camera and snapped a flash picture of me. Said he collected photos of everyone who interviewed him.
• When I asked him about his hobbies, he stood up and started tap dancing around my office.
• Interrupted to phone his therapist for advice on answering specific interview questions.
• Wouldn’t get out of the chair until I would hire him. I had to call the police.
• Applicant challenged interviewer to arm wrestle.
• Balding candidate abruptly excused himself. Returned to office a few minutes later, wearing a hairpiece.
• She wore a Walkman and said she could listen to me and the music at the same time.
• Brought her large dog to the interview.