Do You Feel Like You Wasted All That Training?: Answers About Transitioning to Non-Clinical Careers for Physicians Paperback – May 2, 2014

I found this book to be very helpful as personally consider leaving clinical medicine. It was very validating of my personal experience, especially coming from a plastic surgeon who had way more training than I and was in a much higher paying specialty than mine. Despite it being older most of the material remains very relevant today. I recommend it.

Well written, concise. The book generated many ideas.Some of the shortcomings included limited resources to check out, networking help (emphasized but not adequately covered), and overview of non-clinical jobs available.

Fantastic book! If you are considering a career transition, and in particular if you are considering medical communications, you must buy this book. I gained so many "pearls of wisdom." Most importantly, I will be patient and not rush into this transition (even though I want to!). Well worth the money.

Would love to have a book and an author who stayed longer in medicine. Perhaps 10 to 20 years in practice. At the top of their game and then transitioned to either ‘nothing’ and just living or just living and with some consulting or quite part time work. I know these folks are out there too. Thanks for writing this book Michael.

I’ve been feeling alone in my desire to leave clinical medicine after 20 years. Reading this book made me feel sane, like I’ll be ok, there is a path, just take one step at a time.

Readable and with great resources, especially if reading on Kindle- can click on websites, connect with networking options and very helpful ideas for doctors considering transitions in their clinical careers. Encouraging that there are lots of options in addition to or instead of just maintaining the grind of the status quo.

A good description and step by step guide to transitioning to a non-physician vocation.Certainly helpful to plan and execute when one is tired of being a doctor.

This book is a crucial resource for anyone contemplating a major change in their medical career. Dr. McLaughlin recounts his own process of choosing medicine, pursuing plastics and hand surgery, becoming board certified, working in private practice and then sifting through feelings of disenchantment about what was once his life’s goal. The book is written in a question:answer format that smoothly shares his journey from practicing as a plastic surgeon to starting his own medical communications company. McLaughlin’s account of his own experiences are relatable and frankly fun to read. He writes about diligently sticking to a set of specific phases as he endeavored to figure out what kind of work would bring him satisfaction without as much sacrifice and stress as his surgical practice. Not only does he detail the sequence he followed to reflect, brainstorm and subsequently identify and pursue an alternative to his work as a clinical physician, but he shares what it felt like to pursue such a change. Reading about the challenges he faced in balancing his private practice and simultaneously investigating an the viability of a different path gives a sense of real reassurance. The book reinforces that although no job is perfect, it is truly possible to leave clinical medicine without going broke, feeling lost and regretting the move. The book is a quick read when you are hungry for details and short on time. But in rereading it, more helpful pointers and good ideas come to light. While some how-to types of books are superficially enticing, but end up being mediocre and a waste of your money, this one is definitely worthwhile. One of my favorite passages is toward the end of the book when, referring to his work in medical communications, he answers the question, “What to you like best about your job?”. The inspirational reply is what we all want to feel with a career move:“My career transition became an essential step in a natural evolution, rather than a desperate attempt to back out of a dead end. I no longer saw myself as “changing careers.” I was taking multiple sets of experiences and interests and merging them together in a unique way to open a career path that I never would have imagined. The spark was finally back in the relationship with my career. I enjoyed going to work again.”