Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Before starting your own practice, do these 3 things first

Frederick Gandolfo, MD
Physician
July 10, 2019
500 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

If you’re a young doctor reading this, chances are you are employed by someone else. Your paycheck may come from a hospital system or a group of other doctors, but you’re not your own boss. This may be working out just fine for you: I hope you are happy and have a well-balanced work and personal life, and are getting a fair paycheck. I hope you have a sense of professional and personal satisfaction, and can see yourself working for the same organization for the rest of your days with a smile on your face each day! If this describes you, you can probably stop reading now because you have found a unicorn job! Keep it!

However, if you’re like the majority of doctors I know, there may be something that you feel is lacking in your life. Maybe you feel overworked with no time left for yourself or your family. Maybe you feel under-appreciated, under-valued, and think you have more to offer your patients but can’t make it work in your current job situation. Perhaps there is pressure on you from above to see more patients per hour than you think is reasonable, and you are being forced to rush your patients in and out without giving them the time they deserve. Maybe your senior partners aren’t using you to the best of your abilities, and see you as cheap labor to feed their endless desire for more of everything … more money, more patients, a bigger practice, fancier cars, more expensive toys, whatever.

Does any of this sound familiar? When the honeymoon period is over and you realize you’re running uphill everyday chasing promises that are actually lies, trading your hard work and sacrificing more of the prime years of your life to make more money to stuff into someone else’s already fat bank account, what are you going to do about it? Have you thought about where this path will lead you in ten years? You’re not going anywhere good; I can tell you that with certainty!

If you’re employed by a hospital or private group and have thought about leaving them behind and going solo or finding another employer, this article is for you! Even if the thought of opening up your own medical practice seems completely overwhelming right now, keep reading. A few years from now the idea of going out on your own will seem less scary. If you ever actually make the move, you will be happy you did the following three things NOW. Think of yourself as planting trees that will take many years to grow — you can’t wait until you’re sweating in the sun and desperately looking for shade to plant the seeds!

1. You need to build an internet presence centered around you. Doctors need a digital footprint on the internet. This should be built around you personally, as your employer may change in the future, but you are a constant. Patients increasingly use Google to find their doctors and read up on all kinds of health-related topics. If you are relying on your current practice’s website as your internet presence, as soon as you leave that practice *poof!* you’re gone from the internet too! How will patients find you? Will your patient’s even look for you? Do they remember your name? Are you engaging your patients in some meaningful way or are you just another doctor following an algorithm that any other “health care provider” can do?

How do you build an internet presence? Start by signing up for social media accounts as your professional self. Use your title in the profile name and use a professional headshot as the profile picture. Try to post regularly and let patients know where to find you. This is super-easy and you can literally do this right now. (Make sure to adhere to professional guidelines about social media usage for professionals. Don’t even think of sharing inappropriate content or making comments online that you wouldn’t share with an actual real patient in a medical setting. HIPAA still applies online too. This should go without saying.)

If you want to take things to the next level (and you should), start your own website, blog, or whatever you want to call it. Think of a name for the site (you can just use your name for now, for example fredgandolfo.com), buy the URL for $10 on GoDaddy.com, and put up something basic on there. You can learn how to do this by searching Google, but you can also just pay someone to set up a website for you. Either way, there are many ways patients can engage with you on your own site, and a few years from now when you make the move your patients should have no problem remembering your name and finding you on Google. (I should mention that you actually need to like writing, otherwise having a blog will almost surely fail after a few months.)

Just to illustrate how long it takes to generate some real traffic on your blog, here is a snapshot from Google Analytics for Retroflexions (this site). As you can see, it takes time to get the traffic going, and it’s not a linear growth, it’s more like a punctuated equilibrium. This is why it’s important to start your site now, not a month before you are starting your new position.

Actual traffic for Retroflexions.com over three years. Each dot on the graph is one month.

If you don’t want to commit to having your own blog-type site, you can also write some high-quality articles and shop them out to other blogs, news sources, websites, etc. Many places are happy to publish your stuff for free as long as it’s well-written and pertinent. Make sure you can put links back to your own website (which can simply be a static page with your picture, credentials, contact information, and social media links) in the biography and these articles will continue to serve you for years to come.

2. Evaluate your financial situation now, save money, avoid lifestyle inflation. This can’t be stressed enough. Don’t paint yourself into a corner where you are forced to stay in a job that is crushing your soul because you desperately need the money to pay for things that you have no business owning anyway. Do you really need a $90,000 luxury car? Do you truly get enough enjoyment out of it to justify the cost? Are you running yourself ragged, putting your own health and your family’s well-being at risk, just to afford all this bullshit that you don’t need? Be honest with yourself!

What if you drove a nice $30,000 car instead, and instead of working all of those extra hours, you put that time into some productive activity, like taking care of your body or your mind? Would your family be happier if you were home a little earlier each night to spend time with them but didn’t drive a 362-hp Mercedes S 450? I think you already know the answer to that question!

It will take a bunch of your own money to make a career change, especially if you choose to go solo and start your own practice like I did. You will basically need to live on savings for a while since even if you start out busy it will take months or longer for your accounts receivable to ramp up to the point where you can take home a reasonable paycheck. Sure, you can amass more debt and take out big loans to pay yourself from, but why? Make things easier on your future self by cutting the fat out of your spending today, and save the money you’re making now to help with your escape later!

3. Keep kicking ass every day! Continue to work hard for your patients and build a good reputation among your colleagues. If you are a rockstar physician, your patients will find you and follow you no matter where you go or who you work for in the future. Your reputation with your colleagues and co-workers (other doctors, nurses, office and hospital staff) will follow you wherever you go. You are not defined by your employer, you are a professional and it’s your name on that medical license…not your bosses name. Don’t forget that!

Truth be told, it’s easy and somewhat natural to become bitter and feel burned out when you’re not happy with your job. These feelings can quickly turn into apathy and other counterproductive behaviors, which can be self-sabatoging in the long run. Don’t let your circumstances define you. Focus the energy from these negative emotions and use it to start a fire in your heart that burns for a brighter future. You are moving on to bigger and better things, so act accordingly!

Two years from now when you finally pull the trigger on your new life, your future-self will be happy you did these three things today.

Frederick Gandolfo is a gastroenterologist and founder, Precision Digestive Care. He blogs at Retroflexions.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

Not all ambulance rides are emergent

July 10, 2019 Kevin 2
…
Next

The conundrum of dual physician households

July 10, 2019 Kevin 1
…

Tagged as: Practice Management

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Not all ambulance rides are emergent
Next Post >
The conundrum of dual physician households

More by Frederick Gandolfo, MD

  • White coats should no longer be worn by physicians

    Frederick Gandolfo, MD
  • Don’t forget this common trigger of cyclic vomiting syndrome

    Frederick Gandolfo, MD
  • Be the honest doctor instead of the confident one

    Frederick Gandolfo, MD

Related Posts

  • Improving physician satisfaction by eliminating unnecessary practice burdens

    Yul Ejnes, MD
  • Medical school is more than practice problems

    Kira Kopacz
  • 13 tips for medical students starting their clinical rotations

    Netana Markovitz
  • Independent practice: Nurse practitioners respond

    Rebekah Bernard, MD
  • The Wild West approach to PICU practice

    Christopher Johnson, MD
  • Starting medical school in the midst of COVID-19

    Horacio Romero Castillo

More in Physician

  • Dr. Glaucomflecken for president!

    Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Amy Bissada, DO & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD
  • What is driving physicians to the edge of despair?

    Edward T. Creagan, MD
  • Do residents deserve the title of physician?

    Anonymous
  • When an MBA degree meets medicine: an eye-opening experience

    Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA
  • The hidden gems of health care: Unlocking the potential of narrative medicine

    Dr. Najat Fadlallah
  • The dark side of immortality: What if we could live forever?

    Ketan Desai, MD, PhD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Healing the damaged nurse-physician dynamic

      Angel J. Mena, MD and Ali Morin, MSN, RN | Policy
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician
    • Breaking the stigma: Addressing the struggles of physicians

      Jean Antonucci, MD | Physician
    • Beyond the disease: the power of empathy in health care

      Nana Dadzie Ghansah, MD | Physician
    • Deaths of despair: an urgent call for a collective response to the crisis in U.S. life expectancy

      Mohammed Umer Waris, MD | Policy
  • Past 6 Months

    • The hidden dangers of the Nebraska Heartbeat Act

      Meghan Sheehan, MD | Policy
    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Breaking free from gaslighting [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The pros and cons of using ChatGPT for your health care needs

      Liudmila Schafer, MD | Tech
    • Dr. Glaucomflecken for president!

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Amy Bissada, DO & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD | Physician
    • What is driving physicians to the edge of despair?

      Edward T. Creagan, MD | Physician
    • Do residents deserve the title of physician?

      Anonymous | Physician
    • A new era of collaboration between AI and health care professionals

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 4 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • How Did Pulse Oximeters Perform in Black Kids?
  • Coffee and Heart Function; Ionizing Radiation and CVD
  • Health Inequity Should Be Labeled as a 'Never Event'
  • Healing the Damaged Nurse-Physician Dynamic
  • Doc Moms, Mind the Gap -- $3M Earning Difference by Sex

Meeting Coverage

  • Switch to IL-23 Blocker Yields Deep Responses in Recalcitrant Plaque Psoriasis
  • Biomarkers of Response With Enfortumab Vedotin in Advanced Urothelial Cancer
  • At-Home Topical Therapy for Molluscum Contagiosum Gets High Marks
  • Outlook for Itchy Prurigo Nodularis Continues to Improve With IL-31 Antagonist
  • AAAAI President Shares Highlights From the 2023 Meeting
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Healing the damaged nurse-physician dynamic

      Angel J. Mena, MD and Ali Morin, MSN, RN | Policy
    • The struggle to fill emergency medicine residency spots: Exploring the factors behind the unfilled match

      Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH | Physician
    • Breaking the stigma: Addressing the struggles of physicians

      Jean Antonucci, MD | Physician
    • Beyond the disease: the power of empathy in health care

      Nana Dadzie Ghansah, MD | Physician
    • Deaths of despair: an urgent call for a collective response to the crisis in U.S. life expectancy

      Mohammed Umer Waris, MD | Policy
  • Past 6 Months

    • The hidden dangers of the Nebraska Heartbeat Act

      Meghan Sheehan, MD | Policy
    • The real cause of America’s opioid crisis: Doctors are not to blame

      Richard A. Lawhern, PhD | Meds
    • Nobody wants this job. Should physicians stick around?

      Katie Klingberg, MD | Physician
    • The fight for reproductive health: Why medication abortion matters

      Catherine Hennessey, MD | Physician
    • The vital importance of climate change education in medical schools

      Helen Kim, MD | Policy
    • Resetting the doctor-patient relationship: Navigating the challenges of modern primary care

      Jeffrey H. Millstein, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Breaking free from gaslighting [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The pros and cons of using ChatGPT for your health care needs

      Liudmila Schafer, MD | Tech
    • Dr. Glaucomflecken for president!

      Aaron Morgenstein, MD & Amy Bissada, DO & Corinne Sundar Rao, MD | Physician
    • What is driving physicians to the edge of despair?

      Edward T. Creagan, MD | Physician
    • Do residents deserve the title of physician?

      Anonymous | Physician
    • A new era of collaboration between AI and health care professionals

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today iMedicalApps
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Before starting your own practice, do these 3 things first
4 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...