Three reasons why reading non-medical books will boost your career.

“The man who doesn’t read has no advantage over the man who can’t.” Epictetus. 

Reading is the most effective way to stay well-informed in your field.  But is it okay to limit our literature to medical-only? When I started off my career all I read was medical literature and noticed quickly, that I missed important points. I now read at least one non-medical book a month. Here is why:

Photo courtesy of IStockphoto.com

Photo courtesy of IStockphoto.com

5 Typical Interruptions of Your Workflow – and How To Handle Them!

Interruptions of your workflow are common in your work as a doctor. Most of them are legitimate, after all we get paid for solving medical problems.

Photo courtesy of IStockphoto.com

Photo courtesy of IStockphoto.com

But if we manage to channel these interruptions in time slots that work for us, your concentration and your work will improve tremendously.

How to choose a Medical Specialty: 5 Steps to Clarity.

In my most recent blog post I wrote about the best point of time when to choose a specialty:

The earlier, the better.

You will have a great advantage in your future career if you start preparing for your specialty while studying.

Photo courtesy of istockphoto.com

Photo courtesy of istockphoto.com

That is easier said than done. These five steps will help you make up your mind:

How to recognize whether you work in a good hospital

Hospitals have one great advantage over general companies. You don’t have to spend a whole lot of money hiring consultants to find out if you make a good job. You just have to be honest and ask yourself  this one question: “Would you go there if you were sick?”

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4 Steps to Learning a New Skill

In a changing work environment we permanently have to learn new skills to become and stay uptodate. In a 60-hour-week it can be challenging to acquire new knowledge and skills. But with the right plan it is possible.

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Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com

 

Throughout my studies and  my career I had several chances  to learn a new skill.  Some of them I used and learned something for my carreer, others I failed, because I had no strategy.
I learned that I need a 4-step plan, regardless what it is that you want to learn :
  • Ultrasound techniques
  • A new Operation Procedure
  • Heart Auscultation
  • Placing Catheters
  • Lumbar puncture

Here are my 4 steps to make sure you get the most out of your chance.