Clarity,
Office 17622,
PO Box 6945,
London.
W1A 6US
United Kingdom
Phone/ Voicemail:
+44 (0)20 3287 3053 (UK)
+1 (561) 459-4758 (US).
Hello All,
I haven't been here in a long, long time...I'm so happy to see this site is still so active! I would really appreciate some input into some job choice questions I posed if you would share your expertise.
A brief background: I am an advanced practice nurse working in a very specialized field. I work with an internationally-recognized specialist in the top of his field in an internationally-recognized health system that usually is in the top 3-4 of the US News and World Report Top Hospitals list every year. And this health system is the leader in training physicians for this specialty. I actually work at a smaller hospital on the other side of city; MOST of the benefits of the larger health system but at a facility with smaller, community feel. Although there are supposed to be two in my role, I have been the one and only and the other position has been vacant for last 6 months. I am tired and a bit frustrated, because my role has become more task and less practice as I am trying to do the job of two. I also work long days and have a long commute (1 hr each way, sometimes longer, sometimes shorter...it's 35 miles but city traffic is difficult as is typically); I have also been spending a lot of time logging in from home and doing work; if I had to quantify I would say 5 hrs/wk minimum. I do only work 4 days/wk though.
One of my ongoing 'gripes' (not really a gripe, but a concern that I have shared) is that there is very little structured training in this position (and in the field in general for non-physicians). It is very difficult, and at my facility, where I work with a top-of-his-field doc, there is even less because 1)program is small; 2) top doc is the director of this program but actually spends most of his time either at the university-based hospital ('the big house') or travelling to conferences, etc, etc, etc. i.e. he's not there much 3) he has a reputation for being cranky 4) he doesn't really see the 'training' as his job at this facility. I have been left to 'figure things out myself' many times. That being said, I'm a self-starter, I figured it out; I'm finding there's not an abundance of those like me for whatever reason. I have other concerns as well...
I was offered another position, one that is somewhat closer (so maybe commute would take 30 min each way), has set hours (as it is in an office), and working with another top-doc, one that was trained by my current doc. This doc is offering 1:1 mentoring, something I have not had, for a minimum of 6 months. He's also reportedly a really nice guy. The pay cut, however is huge. If I factor out costs of commuting to city and parking, it's still a significant pay cut. Enough that I have turned it down twice...but they have come back with higher offers. And benefits aren't as generous, as it is not a university-based health system. That being said, it is a regional group of docs with about 20+ offices in the greater metropolitan area. I don't think I'm going to get a higher offer (never higher in salary, just came back with bonuses and other perks).
I know I mentioned above that the doc I work with can be cranky. He has that reputation, but, probably because I figured things out without him, he LOVES me. I told him that I was considering another offer, and he told me to make a 'wish list' of whatever I wanted to stay, and he went to the CMO of hospital who also asked me the same. What do I want? I want to work in office as well as in hospital to expand my knowledge...I have been told up until this point that 'it's complicated' and 'we'll see what we can do' but there hasn't been any movement...I also want to be closer to home and have regular hours (I have one child left at home, age 11, as well as a 90 yr old MIL with dementia; we have to hire help to care for and transport both; 11-yr old is involved in soooo many extracurricular activities). I am also excited about the idea of 1:1 mentoring of new doc, one who is looking for a 'protoge' so to speak; one who has established and witnessed leadership skills, one who sees to have a decent work/life balance and fosters the same.
But the pay really sucks.
I spoke to my old doc about future, about what his vision is for me, for the service. His response is that I can do whatever I want, and I sense that he really would...as long as I figured out how, because he's not really available to provide guidance or mentoring.
So I posed the question: Please give me a picture of which job is best for me professionally, financially, and for my family: 26.1 > 18
I really can't figure out which job this is referring to...so it probably wasn't the best question. Is it telling me that I can't improve my current situation so I should leave, or that I should stay and work on getting the most of my current situation?
A follow-up question to help clarify: Please give me a picture of how 'Job B' (new job) is for me overall: professionally, financially, and for my family: 36.4 > 55. Is this telling me that even though pay sucks now, that it won't always? that I will ultimately benefit much more?
I'm at a total loss as far as direction here...and I don't think I've ever been so torn. I work well with old doc, although many do not. He is world-reknowned, but if I continue, I will still have to commute, I'll probably get paid even more, and I will carve my own path, and I will have to be ok with that.
I would appreciate any thoughts/advice anyone has to offer...it's not smacking me in the face and I feel like it should be.
I haven't been here in a long, long time...I'm so happy to see this site is still so active! I would really appreciate some input into some job choice questions I posed if you would share your expertise.
A brief background: I am an advanced practice nurse working in a very specialized field. I work with an internationally-recognized specialist in the top of his field in an internationally-recognized health system that usually is in the top 3-4 of the US News and World Report Top Hospitals list every year. And this health system is the leader in training physicians for this specialty. I actually work at a smaller hospital on the other side of city; MOST of the benefits of the larger health system but at a facility with smaller, community feel. Although there are supposed to be two in my role, I have been the one and only and the other position has been vacant for last 6 months. I am tired and a bit frustrated, because my role has become more task and less practice as I am trying to do the job of two. I also work long days and have a long commute (1 hr each way, sometimes longer, sometimes shorter...it's 35 miles but city traffic is difficult as is typically); I have also been spending a lot of time logging in from home and doing work; if I had to quantify I would say 5 hrs/wk minimum. I do only work 4 days/wk though.
One of my ongoing 'gripes' (not really a gripe, but a concern that I have shared) is that there is very little structured training in this position (and in the field in general for non-physicians). It is very difficult, and at my facility, where I work with a top-of-his-field doc, there is even less because 1)program is small; 2) top doc is the director of this program but actually spends most of his time either at the university-based hospital ('the big house') or travelling to conferences, etc, etc, etc. i.e. he's not there much 3) he has a reputation for being cranky 4) he doesn't really see the 'training' as his job at this facility. I have been left to 'figure things out myself' many times. That being said, I'm a self-starter, I figured it out; I'm finding there's not an abundance of those like me for whatever reason. I have other concerns as well...
I was offered another position, one that is somewhat closer (so maybe commute would take 30 min each way), has set hours (as it is in an office), and working with another top-doc, one that was trained by my current doc. This doc is offering 1:1 mentoring, something I have not had, for a minimum of 6 months. He's also reportedly a really nice guy. The pay cut, however is huge. If I factor out costs of commuting to city and parking, it's still a significant pay cut. Enough that I have turned it down twice...but they have come back with higher offers. And benefits aren't as generous, as it is not a university-based health system. That being said, it is a regional group of docs with about 20+ offices in the greater metropolitan area. I don't think I'm going to get a higher offer (never higher in salary, just came back with bonuses and other perks).
I know I mentioned above that the doc I work with can be cranky. He has that reputation, but, probably because I figured things out without him, he LOVES me. I told him that I was considering another offer, and he told me to make a 'wish list' of whatever I wanted to stay, and he went to the CMO of hospital who also asked me the same. What do I want? I want to work in office as well as in hospital to expand my knowledge...I have been told up until this point that 'it's complicated' and 'we'll see what we can do' but there hasn't been any movement...I also want to be closer to home and have regular hours (I have one child left at home, age 11, as well as a 90 yr old MIL with dementia; we have to hire help to care for and transport both; 11-yr old is involved in soooo many extracurricular activities). I am also excited about the idea of 1:1 mentoring of new doc, one who is looking for a 'protoge' so to speak; one who has established and witnessed leadership skills, one who sees to have a decent work/life balance and fosters the same.
But the pay really sucks.
I spoke to my old doc about future, about what his vision is for me, for the service. His response is that I can do whatever I want, and I sense that he really would...as long as I figured out how, because he's not really available to provide guidance or mentoring.
So I posed the question: Please give me a picture of which job is best for me professionally, financially, and for my family: 26.1 > 18
I really can't figure out which job this is referring to...so it probably wasn't the best question. Is it telling me that I can't improve my current situation so I should leave, or that I should stay and work on getting the most of my current situation?
A follow-up question to help clarify: Please give me a picture of how 'Job B' (new job) is for me overall: professionally, financially, and for my family: 36.4 > 55. Is this telling me that even though pay sucks now, that it won't always? that I will ultimately benefit much more?
I'm at a total loss as far as direction here...and I don't think I've ever been so torn. I work well with old doc, although many do not. He is world-reknowned, but if I continue, I will still have to commute, I'll probably get paid even more, and I will carve my own path, and I will have to be ok with that.
I would appreciate any thoughts/advice anyone has to offer...it's not smacking me in the face and I feel like it should be.