Friday, April 13, 2012

Perils of Partnership

Before I begin, is anyone else flashing back to Data from "The Goonies?" "Pinchers of Peril! I've been saved by my Pinchers of Peril!" Anyone? Just me? Ah, well.

So, hi! I guess working full time, having a 4 year old and an almost 8 (!) year old in multiple activities, actually having a bit of a social life from time to time, and experiencing a intense sense of perfectionism if I do have the chance to write = no blogging for me.

We've been keeping very busy in the practice, and I have been navigating the waters of working with a large group of physicians, who may or may not treat patients in the exact way that I would treat them. Sometimes, with the really complicated patients, it almost feels like a game of "hot potato," with each physician hoping that they are not the one left "holding the bag," so to speak. I've never experienced this to such a degree, and there is one culprit who rises to mind beyond the others. It really ruffles my feathers, because I was always trained to do the best thing for the patient at the time, even if it was inconvenient for you, as the physician. I don't know if this is something that comes with being older in practice, more burnt out, perhaps? Being one of the junior partners, I can't help but feel, at times, that I am expected to "prove myself" to the more senior physicians in the group, by working just a little harder, complaining a little less, and dealing with getting the less than desirable cases. Kind of like being a glorified resident in many respects, and, let me tell you, that is d*mn tough to swallow. I also feel like I have to fight to bring up to date practice standards into the group managed patients, in this, I am having some success. This makes me happy because I think it benefits all of our patients. I am really hoping to adjust the way that we see patients while on-call, and have been hashing out some ideas to discuss in some upcoming meetings. I am happy to say my schedule is always full, but this is also daunting, because sometimes it is over-full (am I forever doomed to struggle with scheduling issues??), and I have had patients tell me it is difficult to get an appointment with me. I suppose all of these issues are swirling around my brain because in a few short months I will have the opportunity to become a full partner in the business, and I don't know what I don't know.

I'm excited and nervous to make the next big step in my career. Any wise words from those who have gone before me? Any questions to ask? Things I need to know before signing the dotted line?