Career Planning
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Defining the Ideal Position
Define Your Goals
You likely already have a good idea of your professional interests and goals, but taking the time to write them down and prioritizing them can be helpful.
This is one of the most critical aspects of your career planning process.
Having well-defined goals will serve you well throughout the remainder of your job search.
You likely already have a good idea of your professional interests and goals, but taking the time to write them down and prioritizing them can be helpful.
This is one of the most critical aspects of your career planning process.
Having well-defined goals will serve you well throughout the remainder of your job search.
In fact, some even suggest a five-year plan should be in place and personal milestones should also be considered when you plan your long-term career goals.
As you begin the process of finding your post-fellowship job opportunity, use the questions below to help you identify what you want to achieve in your career.
Envision Your Future
You’ve committed to becoming a Neonatologist. But within the field there are a wide array of options for different aspects of practice.
- How do you want to be spending your professional time in 10 years?
- What sort of impact would you like to make with your career?
- Is it important to be recognized or viewed as a leader in your field?
- Is prestige an important attribute of your career?
- Do you want to be published?
- Are you seeking to do regular presentations at local or national conferences?
- Does research excite you or do you prefer hands-on clinical work at the bedside?
- Would you like to be recognized for certain accomplishments or achievements?
- How do you want to be recognized professionally by your peers?
Reflect on Your Current Work
Thinking about your current likes and dislikes will help you identify where you enjoy spending your time professionally and help you seek similar work activities and professional duties during your job search.
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- What have you enjoyed the most in your work and professional activities?
- What was your greatest accomplishment in the past year? Three years?
- Are there specific areas you would like to continue to grow or evolve?
- What would you like to accomplish this year?
- What do you enjoy least about your current work?
- What work or professional activities do you find most unpleasant?
Examine Your Mentors and Role Models
Others have come before you. Use the experiences of your mentors and role models to help you decide what you might want to achieve in your own career.
- What about their career path do you most admire?
- What aspects of their career do you find most interesting?
- Are there certain elements of their careers that match your interests?
- Are there aspects of their work that you would find fulfilling?
- Are there aspects of their career that you dislike?
- Which of their professional activities or duties would you not want for your own career?
Additional Resources
John V. Hartline, MD, FAAP, and Marilyn Escobedo, MD, FAAP of the AAP provide a workbook to help define personal career goals.
Physician career and leadership development coach, Dr. Jacqueline Huntly, provides guidance on how to develop a career plan.
