As a resident physician, are you thinking about where you want to build your future in medicine? Meet AMA member Juewon Khwarg, MD, a physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) physician and a featured voice in the AMA’s “Finding My Place in Medicine” series.
In this series, physicians reflect on what influenced their decisions when choosing where to work—and what they wish they had known earlier. Explore his journey to help guide your own path toward a fulfilling medical career.
If you are looking for your first physician job after residency, get your cheat sheet now from the AMA. In addition, the AMA Transitioning to Practice series has guidance and resources on deciding where to practice, negotiating an employment contract, managing work-life balance, and other essential tips about starting in practice—including in private practice.
Also, check out Dr. Khwarg’s profile in the AMA's “Shadow Me” Specialty Series, which offers advice directly from doctors about life in their specialties.
"Following” Dr. Juewon Khwarg
Specialty: Physical medicine and rehabilitation, also known as physiatry.
Practice setting: Group.
Employment type: Employed by a group practice within Medrina, in Los Angeles. Medrina is part of the AMA Health System Member Program, which provides enterprise solutions to equip leadership, physicians and care teams with resources to help drive the future of medicine.
Years in practice: Six.
Key factors that led to me choosing to work at Medrina Health: I was initially struck by Medrina’s mission of helping patients where they are. At that time, it was relatively uncommon for physiatrists to consult on patients in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), with PM&R more focused on postacute patients in the traditional inpatient rehab facility (IRF) setting. Medrina saw that there was a trend of increasingly complex patients being sent to SNFs instead of IRFs. Without access to PM&R, this meant fewer patients were getting specialized care to optimize their recovery. I was inspired by the need and the opportunity.
I was also drawn to the fact that Medrina is physiatrist-run, and it focuses on supporting its physicians rather than micromanaging them.
Next, Medrina was dedicated to collecting and analyzing data to prove the value of PM&R in the SNF environment. I knew I wanted to help demonstrate the value of specialty care in improving patients’ postacute and long-term outcomes, especially as I felt it was undervalued. This proved prescient given recent trends in U.S. healthcare toward value-based care.
Lastly, I was given a clear vision of the organization’s future plans and my role as its first hire in California, giving me an opportunity for career and personal growth.
What stood out to me during the interview and hiring process: I got a strong sense that the company invested in those who were willing to work hard and take initiative. Medrina wants to support their physicians’ goals, and it provides resources for those who want to be more involved in decision-making and leadership.
How feedback from peers and mentors influenced my evaluation process: Some useful advice included:
- “Invest in a company that will invest in you.”
- “Pursue a variety of experiences.”
- “Find a work situation where you can maintain autonomy.”
Medrina met all of those criteria, and it felt like a match from the beginning.
Why I chose to work in this practice setting: First and foremost, I wanted a setting that gave me autonomy and the ability to practice in a manner that matched my principles. This was essential to me, as I saw healthcare increasingly shifting more toward a top-down approach where physicians seem to be encouraged to be more of good soldiers than leaders.
I also wanted flexibility in my schedule, being able to determine how I spend my time and energy, rather than feeling like I was always being managed and “on the clock.”
Lastly, I wanted a practice environment that supported my career goals, rather than stifled them. I knew I was willing to put in the work if it meant better opportunity, and I wanted to work in a setting where this was valued.
The top three qualities for a great place to work for physicians: Autonomy, flexibility and shared values.
How my current practice supports physician well-being and work-life balance: Medrina provides flexibility and autonomy. Our physicians get to determine how much work they want to take on and when/how they want to do it. The focus is on supporting physicians to give the best care possible to their patients, not on micromanagement. This frees physicians to determine what they value and what goals they want to pursue, whether it’s growing within the company, pursuing diversification options, self-care or spending more time with their families.
Medrina also makes significant investments in technological innovations to reduce administrative burden and address evolving U.S. healthcare trends. They have recently been at the forefront of adopting AI technologies, which is significant given the recent push from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The workplace attributes that contribute most to my job satisfaction at Medrina Health: My job satisfaction comes mainly from the fact that, at its heart, Medrina is physician-run and focused on supporting its physicians. It approaches physicians not as employees to be managed, but rather as trained professionals who can and will do the right thing for their patients. This means allowing autonomy, while using data to ensure our physicians are providing appropriate care and value for patients.
Working with Medrina has given me the freedom to diversify and pursue many other professional opportunities, including becoming the chief medical officer for a solutions-based healthcare AI company, Curee.AI, as well as enrolling in the Future Leaders Program with the American Association of PM&R. Where other institutions may be more restrictive, Medrina has been supportive and encouraging. Ultimately, being in a workplace that backs my goals has been a true blessing, and I hope to continue with Medrina as my “home base” for many more years to come.
The biggest challenges I faced when transitioning from residency to practice: The biggest challenge has been dealing with all the nonmedical aspects of practice. This is the stuff they rarely teach us in medical training, such as billing, coding, making connections and partnerships, leading, managing a team, running a business and being constantly up to date not just on clinical evidence, but also government and payer policies that directly affect our ability to perform patient care.
What I wish I had known about evaluating a job offer before choosing my first position: I do wish I knew more about contracts and negotiations prior to choosing my first position. I think I was overall very fortunate finding my position with Medrina. However, I can also see how I could have gotten into a less optimal situation by signing without knowing what I was doing.
What I would have done differently when choosing my first job after residency: I believe medical training in its current form does not provide young physicians with enough resources to understand how to navigate the business aspect of healthcare or even make them sufficiently aware of how much it can impact their ability to practice medicine. I am grateful that I ended up with the career I have had so far, but I admit there was an element of serendipity and luck. I would encourage all residents to invest time in educating themselves on the healthcare system, its current trajectory and how they plan to navigate it.
I am also a strong advocate at Medrina for increased physician leadership. Did you know that currently only about 5% of U.S. hospital leadership positions are held by physicians? As a result, a lot of decisions are made without physician voices being represented at the table. Any training on leadership skills will be invaluable for physicians who want to make a bigger impact on healthcare and how we take care of our patients.
