DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
Transition from Trainee to Faculty By Moises Gallegos, MD, MPH; Tiffany N. Mitchell, MD; Cortlyn Brown, MD; Arthur Pope, MD, PhD; Ashlea Winfield, MD, MSPH; and Alden Landry, MD, MPH, on behalf of the SAEM Academy for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Medicine
SAEM PULSE | MARCH-APRIL 2022
The SAEM Academy for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Medicine (ADIEM) recently sponsored a titled the “Transition from Trainee to Faculty.” Dr. Tiffany Mitchell welcomed Drs. Cortlyn Brown, Arthur Pope, and Ashlea Winfield in an insightful discussion of their experiences as junior faculty members. Highlights from the webinar are shared in this article. The full recording of the session may be found online.
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The first year after residency is characterized by a steep learning curve. New doctors learn how to practice as (and not under the supervision of) an attending. They discover how medicine is practiced in different health systems and continue to develop their personal and professional selves. In academic medicine, this transition also involves stepping into roles in administration, education, and scholarship. The demands of being both a clinician and a faculty member can be challenging to anticipate and navigate.
“What was the biggest thing that surprised you as an attending?” The first six months can be challenging.
If you are leaving the location of your residency, where you have spent some considerable time and formative years, the geographic move can be difficult. Additionally, whether you relocate or not, you will find yourself looking for a new community of people as your coresidents move and start their attendingships. Clinically, you must adjust to a new medical system and the way that your new health care system practices. You’re working through the self-questioning process to solidify your personal practice pattern. Add to these stressors the need to study for boards and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. “It was almost like being a first-year resident again….”— Dr. Pope
You’ll be busier than ever.
It’s common to walk away from the final shifts of residency looking forward to
all the free time that will come with an attending schedule— until you realize that your schedule is suddenly busier than it was before. While you may find yourself working fewer shifts, your excitement to start in a new role will result in you volunteering for things, showing up to extra meetings, and trying to get your foot in the door. This is important and will help you find your niche, but it can quickly overload your schedule. During your first year, try to advocate for yourself. Protect your time, advance your interests, and promote your career. “I’m busier now than I was as a chief resident.” — Dr. Winfield
What’s important to you might not be valued by the institution.
As you step into your new role as a faculty member, you’ll start to take on projects that seem important. While it seems harsh to say, projects that are important to you may not always contribute to your career advancement.
