A physician’s life often appear to be programmed. We go from college to medical school to internship to residency to fellowship to train in a very seamless path. Twelve to 15 years pass by without way too many questions for we have been consumed with the educational process and then the brass ring by the end about this marathon event. Another straight line seems ahead of us when we pursue our career.
But, our way of life as physician’s really a great straight line or could they be influenced by minor events that have major influences relating to the paths we travel? Our life is much like a novel where minor or serendipitous events take us from a different direction until another such event pushes us down another path. The majority of the major decisions in our everyday life look like manufactured with inadequate information- the choice to marry someone, turn into a physician, and select a specialty. Who really knows what marriage or possibly a particular career is going to be like?
A Serendipitous Meeting
I’d been in work 35 years, written eight books and produced multiple DVDs. (http://www.richardsenelick.com/books-dvds) I enjoyed lecturing and writing, but again felt that itch to adopt that little fork in the road which may open new doors and have the creative juices flowing again. I am a firm believer in reinventing oneself every 5-10 years. I received an email flyer for Dr. Julie Silver’s course at Harvard on “Publishing Books, Memoirs along with other Creative Nonfiction”. I can’t tell you the key reason why I listed, but it seemed like the good diversion from your usual meetings on Stroke, Brain Injury and Rehabilitation. I already possessed a distribution system for my books, wasn’t searching for an agent, but some intangible nagging resonated with this “fork in the road” area of my brain. It’s March 2010 and winter possessed descended on Boston, with winds blowing the snow horizontally. This was perfect weather to settle in for a gathering and steer clear of the temptation just to walk along Newbury Street and sit at a caf with my new iPad. I’m famous for not having the ability to sit longer than 2-3 hours at a meeting. So, I took my usual spot in the last row, convenient for that quick escape. What followed were 2 days that became among those critical forks on the road to me.
Social What?
I seemed to be experiencing a excellent time and having heaps of different reliable information on writing, publishing and meeting people, but nothing appeared to be happening which could create a major difference with my career. It is not unusual in my opinion to blow from all the last morning of a 2 day meeting, but my curiosity was piqued by the talk on Social Websites by Rusty Shelton of Shelton Interactive. I had a “facebook” account I never made use of, but didn’t use a website, figure out how to “tweet” and acquired never commented on the blog, aside from written one.
I am your typical cynical neurologist, and so i sat at the back of the room with my arms folded as Rusty Shelton started his pitch for that new order of social networking and publishing. This isn’t an understatement to say it was an authentic epiphany and resonated throughout my body. I instantly “got” social media marketing and saw that door that only must be opened. It usually took me 1 year to create a novel after which it was subsequently only seen by the limited number of people. A whole lot worse that book may very well be outdated in several months. It became clear. My books were designed to educate healthcare professionals, people who have disabilities and their own families. By having a website and a blog I could possibly instantly disseminate information, continue to keep this to date, communicate with colleagues, people in need and get instant gratification. I also remarked that almost all my magazines and newspapers were getting thinner which I was getting 90% of my information from the Internet. I do not joined the school of medicine library weekly to sit down at the stacks, although the stacks came to me on my display screen. Generally If I dreamed of being portion of mainstream society and contribute while on an international level the remainder of my life, I acquired better jump in the social websites train or be left at the station.
It is just a little just one year since Julie Silver’s course presented me by using a new fork around the road. With Rusty Shelton by my side, we’ve created a website, www.richardsenelick.com with books, articles and an active blog. We developed a professional “facebook” page (facebook.com/richardsenelick) and I am even starting to use Twitter. (twitter.com/richardsenelick) Interviews and various writing opportunities have followed. It wasn’t much later which i received a major chance to blog with the Huffington Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-c-senelick-md) that has been more enjoyable than I’m able to remember. I have been asked to guest blog on other people’s websites and am getting fully incorporated into social networking. Not only has it been invigorating, it has allowed me to try out a task at the national dialogue that can ultimately impact providers, patients and their families.
No matter what you are considering writing, social media marketing and then the opportunities it provides ought to be a serious section of your plan. Owing to Dr. Silver’s course, now it is a vital a part of mine.
About: Richard C. Senelick MD works as a neurologist who is the Medical Director of RIOSA, The Rehabilitation Institute of San Antonio, and Editor in Chief of HealthSouth Press, the publishing arm of one of a nation’s largest hospital systems. He works as a frequent lecturer on both a national and international level. Dr. Senelick writes a regular Blog for that Huffington Post. Amongst his many books and publications, he’s authored Living with Stroke: A Guide for Families, Living with Brain Injury: A Guide for Families, The Spinal Cord Injury Handbook, and Beyond Please and Thank You: The Disability Awareness Handbook.
Submit a guest post and be heard.
Freelance MD is an active community of physicians that gives them more freedom and control of their medical practice, income, and lifestyle. Freelance MD provides physicians with cutting edge information on everything they need to broaden their careers and make their lives more manageable.