Trading a white coat for the business suit of an executive offers its share of rewards, but requires hard work and added responsibility, say rheumatologists who have transitioned from clinical practice or academia to the boardroom.
The job of a physician executive comes with added responsibilities, such as reporting to governing boards and reviewing performances of fellow doctors. These are areas that rheumatologists may not have been exposed to but should consider before pursuing an executive track, says Barbara Linney, vice-president of career development for the American College of Physician Executives (ACPE), an organization that offers training and career services to physician executives.
Still, for rheumatologists who relish collaborating with other leaders in the field, multitasking, and making big-picture decisions for their organizations, a career as a physician executive can be challenging and rewarding.
Careers in Hospital Administration
A man who laughs and jokes a lot, Robert Lahita, MD, chair of medicine and corporate vice president at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, N.J., thoroughly enjoys his job and thrives under pressure. It takes a certain kind of temperament—a mixture of ambition and pleasant personality—to become a good physician executive, he says.