The transition from fellow to attending is filled with a great sense of pride after years of hard work and personal sacrifice. With high hopes and dreams and an uncertain confidence, you will now embark from the safe haven of medical training and pave your own path in the medical world. You will be faced with a world of new decisions to make. Patients and staff will look to you for guidance and authority.
In my young career, I have had the privilege of working with and learning from renowned colleagues who have offered their support and guidance as I paved my own path. In that process, I’ve learned several important lessons:
- Be gracious. Be open-minded. Strive to learn. Medicine involves lifelong learning in various forms, from mentors, patients, staff, and administrators. Listen carefully—their feedback will help you develop as a professional. Be prepared for your new colleagues to challenge what you’ve learned in the past— remember that there is more than one way to accomplish a task or handle a situation.
- Find something in IR that you are passionate about and run with it. Are you passionate about PAD, IO or venous disease? Perhaps you are passionate about resident/ fellow education? Whether it’s building a robust clinical IR program in your hospital, getting involved with an SIR committee, or something else, be passionate about it. This passion will not only lead to personal and professional success but will carry you through the most difficult days of your career.
- Remember that all eyes are watching. The first few years of being an attending will lay the foundation for your career You will not only continue to hone your technical skills, but you will also begin to establish your reputation in your institution. Be easily accessible to physicians from other services. Respond promptly to all consults. Most importantly, be sure to do the simple cases well without complications. If you are asked to perform a complex procedure with which you are unfamiliar, consider seeking assistance from a more seasoned colleague. No one will remember the case that you declined to do but they will always remember the case that ended with a bad outcome.
- Advocate for your patients. If you feel that you can provide an alternative approach to a more invasive treatment, be bold and speak your mind. Network and develop relationships with other specialists so you can provide a multidisciplinary approach to patient care. Remember that medicine involves teamwork, and the more you reach out to others, the more they will reach out to you.
- The most important and valuable thing you own is not your medical degree . . . it’s your reputation. It takes years to develop a great reputation and only days to destroy one. As you start your career, take time to write down how you would like your patients and colleagues to remember you when you retire. Once you have that vision, work toward making that vision a reality.
