Check out some similar questions!

Bonfire · Oct 15, 2007, 07:18 PM

My husband is an OB/GYN doc. With all the hub bub invloved withHealth Insurance and other things, he is looking to maybe get out of the medical field. What does a 54 year old doctor do for a job outside of the medical field?

J_9 · Oct 15, 2007, 07:21 PM

He could be an expert witness either for the plaintiff or defendant... He could be a consultant... the possibilities are endless.

shygrneyzs · Oct 15, 2007, 07:26 PM

He could be a professor at a med school, dean of a teaching clinic, he could be a consultant for a pharmaceutical company (my ENT specialist retired to do that and he does very well for himself), like J said - the possibilities are endless.

J_9 · Oct 15, 2007, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by shygrneyzs

He could be a professor at a med school, dean of a teaching clinic, he could be a consultant for a pharmaceutical company (my ENT specialist retired to do that and he does very well for himself), like J said - the possibilities are endless.

Although with teaching comes med-mal as most students will have to practice under his license. Not to say that you are not right Shy, but where I go to school, Nursing, when we go to clinicals our professors are liable for any mistakes we may make. So this may make a difference.

shygrneyzs · Oct 15, 2007, 07:30 PM

True, was thinking perhaps some of the mal practice headaches would be lessened. Perhaps not, attorneys go for the deepest pcokets no matter what.

J_9 · Oct 15, 2007, 07:34 PM

LOL, teaching can be just as much as a headache as practice itself, we just lost a great instructor because of it. But expert witnesses do not need a license, medical consultant, medical librarian (my uncle is one at Dartmouth).

Going into the legal field, as a medical researcher, etc are all good avenues to explore.

Wondergirl · Oct 15, 2007, 08:32 PM

If he has good customer service skills, he could work in a library (a medical library?? ). He might even want to pick up a certification in library science (LTA = Library Technical Assistant) at a community college. He could teach at any level, especially community college or college level - Anat&Physio etc. in a nursing or premed program or at a master's level in a public health program. He could slice meats and cheeses at a deli (is he a surgeon?) or work as a "personal banker" at a bank. He could be a Guardian ad Litem.

I would think the possibilities are endless. He just won't earn as much as he does as a doctor (but he won't need malpractice insurance... ).

Fr_Chuck · Oct 15, 2007, 08:44 PM

I have known a couple that went into insurance sales, one that went to be a gardener ( that is what they wanted to do) heck he can go to work as a police officer maybe. I guess part of the issue is that you want to keep the earning level at the same level

Bonfire · Oct 16, 2007, 10:49 AM

Thank you all for all your answers. This is my first question on this site and I am so pleased at how fast answers come. We are looking into most of the suggestions. We are looking for jobs that may utilize his education so he doesn't feel that is was "wasted", I spose. The income really isn't much of the issue considering how much it COSTS to be a doctor, especially an OB/GYN.
And by the way LOVED the "deli" response, that made us laugh so hard. Yep, he is a surgeon... that was funny. We are vegetarian though... so the deli is out.
Bonfire

shygrneyzs · Oct 16, 2007, 12:11 PM

Sometimes nursing schools and/or med schools look for qualified individuals to review curriculum. The college I graduated from used some medical consultants to especially review the study guides or write the study guides to the text books.

vingogly · Oct 30, 2007, 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by Bonfire

Thank you all for all your answers. This is my first question on this site and I am so pleased at how fast answers come. We are looking into most of the suggestions. We are looking for jobs that may utilize his education so he doesn't feel that is was "wasted", I spose.

I was a computer professional (MS in Computer Science) for 24 years before I burned out and decided to change careers. By the end of my career, I was doing mostly management level consulting on software processes and was doing quite well. I quit my job and obtained an MA in Clinical Psych and started a new career at a counseling agency. At the time, I assumed my software and management career was behind me - I was starting from scratch in something brand new.

Well, our Executive Director saw my computer experience, and was interested in the possibility of adding online services to our offerings. I did a feasibility study and she liked it. Now I'm Director of Online Services at my agency, working on developing online service delivery for our agency, and find that there *is* a way to combine my desire to do counseling work with my love of the high-tech world. I've also started up a private career coaching practice and am thinking of adding a consulting wing to the practice, helping small to mid-sized healthcare agencies find technical solutions to their needs.

So I'd suggest your husband try thinking outside the box - what else could he do with his skills? I believe most skills *are* transferable - and my own experience teaches me that there are ways of redefining oneself without having to lose the great things one has done in the past!

Vasily

OnYxHaWk · Jan 7, 2008, 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by Bonfire

My husband is an OB/GYN doc. With all the hub bub invloved withHealth Insurance and other things, he is looking to maybe get out of the medical field. What does a 54 year old doctor do for a job outside of the medical field?

Many good answers.

As an Ob-Gyn physician it would not be as easy to segway into teaching at a medical school or at a teaching hospital at this point in his career if he has not maintained a relationship with them to start with. Most clinical teaching (at a hospital) will still have the need for medical malpractice.

Teaching at a medical school would involve didactics. If he is comfortable with a particular area, he can pursue this. Otherwise, he can look into teaching 2nd year medical students the Ob-Gyn portion of their 'Introduction to Clinical Sciences' curriculum. That way he can work 'part-time' and still make use of his acquired skills without needed medical malpractice insurance and/or have to maintain a practice.

Research: He can participate in drug related or equipment related research for pharmaceutical companies or companies that make equipment for Obstertricians etc.

He can work as a medical review officer for insurance companies (his experience in the field would actually be a HUGE plus). This is one of those areas that can be 'shady', but he can be the ray of hope for many subscribers out there.

To work as an expert witness, he would need to either be well-published or well-known in the field to be approached as an expert witness. Or have an area of expertise for which he is known in your area. He could also get into witnessing by knowing someone who works as an expert witness currently and can introduce him to it. He would need to be 'renowned' because it would otherwise easy to undermine any testimony he gives. UNless his testimony I based on his years of practice. He would need to be selective with the cases he takes on at least initially.

Have a few other suggestions, but those are some general areas that can help generate ideas.

Hope this helps.

ACRMD · Jan 10, 2008, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by Bonfire

My husband is an OB/GYN doc. With all the hub bub invloved withHealth Insurance and other things, he is looking to maybe get out of the medical field. What does a 54 year old doctor do for a job outside of the medical field?

Has your husband considered working in the biotech or pharmaceutical industry, as a medical or scientific adviser or in clinical research? Industry usually finds it difficult to attract physicians, but if your husband is looking to leave the patient interface, this might be an option.