Richard G Soper: Alternative Careers for Doctors

While many doctors, such as Richard G Soper, are attracted to the adrenaline rush and mental stimulation that a medical career brings, a growing number of MDs get burned out and decide to quit. Fortunately, there are a number of careers for doctors that still require their education and expertise while not requiring the same number of hours. Richard G Soper suggests the following alternative career paths.

1. Medical education. Teaching is a viable option for physicians who wish to use their medical expertise to help inspire the next wave of healthcare professionals. Joining the faculty at a university might involve preparing curricula, checking test papers, and doing research. Another option for a medical education career, says Richard G Soper, is the community college system, which often hires physicians who could teach a limited number of hours while forgoing research requirements.

2. Public health. Public health involves decision-making at the policy level and dealing with communities as they seek to improve sanitation and access to health care facilities. This field has many distinct sub-specialties, such as infectious disease, biostatistics, and community relations and fundraising. Many younger doctors seek careers in public health due to travel opportunities and the chance to network with other doctors. Most public health jobs do not involve working at night or on weekends, which makes the field even more appealing to those who desire a more structured working schedule.

3. Finance, investments, and startups. As more healthcare and pharmaceutical companies start going public, investment firms are seeking out physicians to evaluate the viability of potential investments. Alternatively, a physician might work with a startup that develops innovative medical technology or an established medical device and equipment company as an industry analyst.

4. Online jobs. Physicians have different options for working online, including medical writing and editing, teaching, and telemedicine. Medical writing, in particular, is in high demand among textbook publishers, test prep companies, and healthcare publications and journals. Online jobs offer a lot of flexibility in terms of schedule. Richard G Soper believes that such a career path is ideal for those who would like to start a family.