Episode #187: Don’t Wait for Doors to Open, Get Scrappy in Your Career Quest

In today’s episode, we’ll explore how taking initiative and creating your own opportunities can transform your career. I’m thrilled to welcome our guest, Dr. Georgette Chekiri, a family medicine physician who has navigated a successful and unconventional career path. Dr. Chekiri’s journey is a testament to the importance of transferable skills and being proactive. From her early career aspirations to her diverse job experiences, including a stint at Disney World and working in a chicken processing plant, Dr. Chekiri has embraced every opportunity with determination and resilience. Now, she serves as a medical director in life insurance medicine, a role she discovered through her resourcefulness and willingness to explore non-traditional avenues.

In this episode we’re talking about:

Dr. Georgette Chekiri’s early career aspirations and her path to medical school.
The significance of “getting scrappy” and proactively seeking opportunities.
Diversifying skills and having side gigs for career security and fulfillment.
Pursuing unique job opportunities and not being deterred by rejection.
How you can find job satisfaction in unlikely places.
How Dr. Chekiri had to let go of worrying what others thought of her
The impact of networking and mentors in successful career transitions.

Links for this episode:

Episode #8: Life Insurance – a Hidden Gem of a Nonclinical Career

Episode #121: Love Your Job And Use Your Clinical Knowledge In Life Insurance Medicine

Chart Review: Chart review is a great way to use your medical knowledge, earn side income, and develop new skills. This guide includes more than 50 chart review companies and a sample email template for reaching out to recruiters.

Check out our Free Resources! Under the Freebie tab on our website, you can find free resource guides on a variety of topics including resumes, interviewing, LinkedIn, medical writing, pharma, chart review, time management, and telemedicine. There is also a starter kit to help you move forward when you’re feeling stuck at the crossroads. Please help yourself!

Thank you for listening!

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Colorectal Surgeon

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Emergency Medicine Physician

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Family Physician

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"Heather was my source of hope during a time when I felt stuck and confused. She gave me the permission and confidence to reach higher than I believed I could."

After graduating from residency and starting a family, I lost sight of why I became a physician. I struggled to convince myself to stay in a career that was clearly the wrong fit for me and my family. My anxiety about work was at an all-time high when I reached out to Heather. She provided something that my mentors, friends, and family could not – rather than just offering career advice, she changed the way I think about my life so that I could understand how my career would fit into it. I realized I wasn’t ready to give up on medicine and eventually found a job in academic medicine. I finally feel that excitement for medicine that I used to feel when I was in training. More importantly, I feel like I can be the role model to my young daughter who may one day also face similar challenges between career and family. Thank you, Heather, for all your kindness, support, and skillful coaching! The experience was life-changing!

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Internal Medicine Physician

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Family Medicine

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I had been a practicing Internist for 20 years when I reached a point when I needed to make a serious change in my career path. While I enjoyed seeing patients, I was not satisfied with my life-work balance. My job was taking me away from my family and left me little time and energy to do other things that are important and meaningful to me. I came across Dr. Fork's podcast; The Doctor's Crossing Carpe Diem Podcast, it is such an informative and enjoyable podcast for any physician who wants to do more with their career and life in general. Then I had the pleasure to get career coaching from Heather, it was truly an amazing experience. Heather has broad knowledge of all the different career paths that are available for physicians, she is so insightful and very easy to talk to. She helped me clarify my goals, examine my own mindset and definition of success. Together we developed a clear plan and actionable steps to reach these goals. I eventually made a career transition to a remote non-clinical position that allows me to do meaningful work which aligns with my personal and professional goals and priorities.

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Internal Medicine

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I sought Heather’s guidance after practicing outpatient internal medicine for many years, as it was getting difficult to balance my role as a clinician while meeting my needs and those of my family. After our first consultation, I felt like I was seen and heard for the first time in my career. Working with Heather helped me identify my strengths, weaknesses, fears, and goals, and ultimately guided me to a non-clinical role that better aligned with my needs and aspirations. I am deeply indebted to Heather for the impact she has had on my personal and professional development. She is one of the most influential people in my life and I continue to seek her guidance years after our initial encounter. She once said that “we are happiest and most successful when we are using our skills and abilities at their highest level.” Heather will help you discover your truth. Thank you for your incredible work and friendship!

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Internal Medicine