TRANSITIONS IN PRACTICE
( continued from page 7 ) physicians re-entering practice after a time away .
As I got older , two things happened . First , I had a couple of episodes of light headedness ( later determined to be due to atrial fibrillation ) which caused me to decide to retire from surgery , and secondly , my age made it increasingly difficult to take night call and work the next day , which my partners in practice required . As a result , I made the decision to retire from practice .
One of the Medicaid managed care companies created a new position of Medical Director for Women ’ s Health with the challenge of improving outcomes of pregnancy by intensive case management and care coordination , a position I accepted when offered to me . This was an opportunity to do many of the same activities and support the same priorities I had done in Washington some 15 years before . Once again , new horizons opened to me , and the opportunity to actively contribute to a vastly underserved population of high-risk pregnant women in Kentucky provided excitement and professional satisfaction . After a takeover by a national for-profit company , I felt the not-for-profit and community philosophy of the company by which I was hired was deteriorating and decided to leave that position . I now have transitioned to the role of Chief Medical Officer in Kentucky and West Virginia for another company providing insurance under the Affordable Care Act in a not-for-profit organization with demonstrated community commitment .
In addition to these roles , I have had the opportunity to serve on the clinical faculty of a number of medical schools and the fulltime faculty of one . And to add one more wonderful experience , I was given the opportunity to serve as a medical officer with the US Navy Reserve for over 23 years , serving the vast majority of that time with Marine Corps units , in both peace time and combat as Battalion Surgeon .
So what does all this mean ? It means that opportunities for an exciting career in medicine are boundless , each with its own rewards and unique challenges . It is important , however , to understand that transitioning from one role to another should be because you are excited about the new role , not trying to get away from the old one . I am happy to say I never changed roles or jobs because I hated the one I had , but because the new one was so exciting a challenge and opportunity .
Be certain of your choice . Talk it over with your family because they have a huge stake in the decision , and never , ever forget that no matter your role , your primary obligation is to the patients you serve , no matter in what capacity . Dr . Griffin is the Chief Medical Officer for CareSource in Kentucky and West Virginia .
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8 LOUISVILLE MEDICINE