Career and Life Planning Guidebook for Medical Residents

for your success network within each learning cycle phase as indicated in the diagram on the following page. It also suggests that your success network and your support needs will evolve over time based on where you are in that learning cycle and your specific career goals. For example, during the Exploration Phase as a newly-minted practicing physician, you will need to find and choose a job opportunity, ideally one consistent with your strengths, sense of self, medical specialty interests and your career and life goals. Key support during this stage typically involves enhancing your awareness of different opportunities and sponsorship from higher-ups for the chosen role. In the Trial Phase (which typically lasts several weeks or months after starting the new role), you will likely benefit from counseling, friendship, and emotional support to assist you in handling the excitement, anxiety, and stress that comes fromuncertainty – even in highly-anticipated new roles. Such advisory support will also helpyou dealwith any surprises or unforeseen challenges and barriers emanating from the new role. You are also likely to experience heightened developmental needs during this time period that will cause you to want to get more out of your existing advisory relationships in addition to seeking out others to help you through this phase successfully. Next, in the Establishment Phase of the learning cycle, mastering day-to-day tasks, developing the requisite knowledge, skills and abilities, and having a positive impact over time are the key activities that will likely dominate your immediate career needs. This phase typically lasts for at least a year and can last up to several years as you grow within this new role and optimize your own contributions to building your reputation and legacy. During this phase, it is often a good idea to seek out advisors both inside and outside of work who can provide youwith critical information about the organization’s culture and political climate. These individuals will help you gain access to informal networks, act as role models, or serve as sources of additional friendship, counseling, and coaching on how to perform at a high level. Finally, during the Mastery Stage , you will typically have several needs that will demand your attention, including sustained high levels of performance, deep contemplation of your own unique strengths and challenges as you consider future roles, or changes to your practice, adding and strengthening high quality, collaborative and trusting relationships, and continued honing of your skills and knowledge. (it is often said of skills, either you’re building skills or losing them but never standing still). Because of the excellence required to achieve more and more challenging career goals within a role, it is critical for you to receive timelycoaching andhonest feedback from advisors on not just your task performance but where to go next. SECTION III: T MINUS ONE YEAR CAREER AND LIFE PLANNING GUIDEBOOK FOR MEDICAL RESIDENTS 406