As all-consuming as residency training can be at times, fundamental decisions about where and how to practice after residency greatly influence a physician’s satisfaction with medicine as a career. A learning module for residents provides the keys to assess, decide and seamlessly transition to the right practice setting when training ends.
The choice of private practice or other workplace options should be guided foremost by a physician’s values and goals. The module makes it possible for residents to consider those critical factors in the context of a frank, well-informed discussion of the realities of medical practice in a variety of settings. It examines the pros, cons and trade-offs of all the main practice choices.
The module from the AMA takes a point-by-point approach to planning a satisfying and sustainable medical career. “Choosing the Practice That’s Right for You” is just one of the AMA GME Competency Education Program offerings, which include more than 50 courses that residents can access online through their residency program’s subscription, on their own schedules. The program also features six faculty development courses.
The AMA GME Competency Education Program delivers education to help institutions more easily meet Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education common program requirements. Modules offer content in five of the six topics—patient care, practice-based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, and system-based practice—within the core competency requirements. The sixth requirement, medical knowledge, is one that is typically addressed during clinical education.
Among the program’s experts are several who contributed to the AMA’s Health Systems Science textbook, which draws insights from faculty at medical schools and residencies that are part of the Association’s ChangeMedEd initiative.
Current program subscribers have access to award-winning online education designed for residents on the go. It’s easy to use and saves time with simple tracking and reporting tools for administrators. Learn more.
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Six key factors to understand
Once the module is completed, medical residents will be able to create a personal checklist to investigate, analyze and act on practice choices. They will learn to:
- Identify lifestyle and work-life balance factors to consider in evaluating the suitability of a practice.
- Examine the different practice options available after residency.
- Describe the business needs of a practice.
- Recognize whom to engage from other disciplines to make a practice successful.
- Discover the necessary steps and timeframe it takes to become “practice ready.”
- List the key components to look for in an employment contract.
The last item is such a critically important topic that the GME competency program has another module solely devoted to it, “Physician Employment Contracts.”
The “Choosing the Practice That’s Right for You” module also includes more than half a dozen additional resources.
Dive deeper:
- In the transition to practice, consider your own backyard
- Rule No. 1 for your first employment contract: Hire a lawyer
- In a first job, don’t sleep on licensure, privileges, credentials
- 3 tips to take the private physician practice route after residency
- What I wish I knew in residency about being an employed physician
Easy to track progress
Residency program directors have access to dashboards and reports that provide a view of progress at the program and institution levels. In addition, customizable reports make it easy to track learner performance and demonstrate compliance for accreditation.
The AMA GME Competency Education Program covers topics including well-being, quality improvement and patient safety, residents as teachers, navigating health systems, health equity, professionalism and faculty development. Schedule a meeting to discuss your organization’s needs.
