# Major career change **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 9, 2011, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-career-change/584906 "2011-06-09T20:41:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-career-change/584906/1 "2011-06-09T20:41:00Z")
I have no idea if this is a proper forum for this, however, I have recently decided to try to significantly change my career. Currently I am a physician, a Radiologist, and I wish to get out of the field of medicine. Unfortunately, physicians are trained to do only one thing, and it is difficult to imagine what other endeavors I might successfully take up. Something in health care policy would be something that I might like, but I don’t even know where to start. Anyone have advice or true stories to help or encourage me? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-career-change/584906/2 "2011-06-09T22:10:14Z")
Is there a way to find out what qualifications you need to work in the healthcare policy field? That might be your first step - do a little research into that field and get a better idea what it entails. Another thing you might want to consider is what you like about your current profession, and what you don’t like. There may be things you can tweak that will end up in your career going in a much better direction without a complete change. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-career-change/584906/3 "2011-06-09T22:42:01Z")
I don’t know anyone whose been hurt by getting an MBA. A typical career path for someone with your background would be to go to business school and then look for a career in management consulting as some sort of health care expert. [Something like this for example.](http://www.mckinsey.com/mgi/rp/healthcare/) ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-career-change/584906/4 "2011-06-09T23:10:33Z")
If you want to do policy, an MPH is more appropriate than an MBA. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-career-change/584906/5 "2011-06-09T23:15:08Z")
What about a MPA for policy? ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2011, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-career-change/584906/6 "2011-06-09T23:25:46Z")
More like an MPP, I’d think. ---
**Author:** ![pudytat72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@pudytat72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pudytat72)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-career-change/584906/7 "2011-06-10T00:40:04Z")
The AMA published a book: "Leaving the Bedside: The Search for a Non-Clinical Medical Career. You might find it helpful to locate a copy of that book. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-career-change/584906/8 "2011-06-10T06:57:31Z")
Before you decide on a potential career . . . what things do you enjoy doing when you’re not being a physician? ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-career-change/584906/9 "2011-06-10T07:33:46Z")
What aspects of your current job do you enjoy? What do you not enjoy? ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-career-change/584906/10 "2011-06-10T12:35:59Z")
The big radiography equipment suppliers may want qualified radiologists for R&D. Though not nearly at the same level you are, my brother went from being an ultrasound tech to working for the ultrasound machine supplier. ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-career-change/584906/11 "2011-06-10T13:15:23Z")
I’m a non-clinical veterinarian who has made a career in public health. Plenty of MDs do the same. If you have an interest in epidemiology and can work with numbers, this might be an area for you. PM me if you’re curious. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-career-change/584906/12 "2011-06-10T13:22:42Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > I don’t know anyone whose been hurt by getting an MBA. Everybody who has to work with people who have MBAs. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-career-change/584906/13 "2011-06-10T13:27:54Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Everybody who has to work with people who have MBAs. 😃 Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Necros](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/necros/32/11086_2.png) [@Necros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Necros)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-career-change/584906/14 "2011-06-10T17:30:02Z")
My dad did a very similar thing. He was a general surgeon for many, many years, and got really sick of it. He was interested in moving into the business side of it, so he followed **msmith537** ’s advice: Got himself an MBA. After that, it was a relatively easy matter to secure a position with a major insurance company as a medical director. He’s never been happier. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-career-change/584906/15 "2011-06-10T17:33:23Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Everybody who has to work with people who have MBAs. That was pretty much what I was thinking. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-career-change/584906/16 "2011-06-10T18:22:37Z")
I got my Master’s of Public Admin and looked at health policy before going into energy policy. There’s a TON of interesting issues and lots of money being thrown at the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Parenchyma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Parenchyma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Parenchyma)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2011, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-career-change/584906/17 "2011-06-11T03:49:57Z")
> **[Non-Clinical Physician Jobs, Careers, and Opportunities](https://www.nonclinicaljobs.com/)** > > NonClinicalJobs.com, Non-Clinical Jobs and Careers for Physicians. ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2011, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-career-change/584906/18 "2011-06-11T04:04:30Z")
I dunno if it’s far enough away from medicine for your taste, but look into working for the manufacturers of radiology equipment. With your background you might be able to make a smooth transition into sales, R&D or marketing of said equipment. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2011, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/major-career-change/584906/19 "2011-06-11T04:37:39Z")
Well… what do you want to do? You have a job that most people would consider to be near the apex of the occupational pyramid in the US. The vast majority of non-clinical jobs available to you are going to be a pretty large step down in terms of money, and quite possibly social prestige. You’re obviously smart enough to take on the analytical side of most jobs. So what’s your bliss?