Nell Smircina, MBA, DAOM, LAc, Dipl. OM
I remember making the big decision to embark on a career in this medicine and being naive to what that would even mean. I often bring this up when I guest lecture at a school, but I’ve never met anyone who comes into this industry because it feels like a safe, structured, financial guarantee for a prosperous career. Everyone I’ve ever spoken to has an interesting story – some are generational; some mention this medicine healing a close relative; some were personally affected by treatment.
I was no exception to that: pre-med in undergrad, former athlete, young exposure to physical therapy and other rehab methods, chronic pain, and in search for not only pain relief, but also a next step for what my career would look like.
I flirted with surgery (the reason I was pre-med) and then, wanting more autonomy and flexibility within the ortho realm, got into physical therapy, only to be disappointed by narrow scope and patients who didn’t want to do exercises and were obsessed with modalities.
When I was introduced to acupuncture, it not only solved my chronic pain, but also provided an opportunity for a scope of practice which would allow me to discuss critical issues with patients that impact healing, such as sleep, stress, nutrition, and overall lifestyle.
Pattern diagnosis was what really got me, realizing how that could actually be the differentiator in healing. Someone with liver qi stagnation heals very differently from a surgery than someone with kidney deficiency.
I was hooked, but still had no idea what a career in acupuncture would look like. I was operating under the assumption (this was almost 15 years ago) that because I was entering into a master’s-level education in a health profession, it meant I’d come out of school with typical things other health professions have: 1) an alumni network, 2) job placement or job assistance, and 3) peer and mentorship support in an association.
I remember getting as involved as possible in school, working in the school clinic, and working for practitioners in the community – only to then realize, Wait, I’m going to have to be an entrepreneur? I’m not getting matched with a hospital job or group practice waiting for an acupuncturist to join the team for a six-figure salary?
Reality check: we’re choosing a career. It’s not just a practice, a healing profession, or a way to help people. There are way less-arduous, less-complicated, and less-expensive ways to help those in need. Our profession is primarily composed of extremely passionate and caring sole proprietors who operate small businesses (so yes, entrepreneurs).
I had a business coach once tell me, “You’re the CEO of your own career.” Well, that was a reality check. I had spent a good amount of time being preoccupied by areas of our industry that needed help and wanting to help fix them, but had often neglected to look more than a few years out for my own life and career.
In preparation for part 2 of this article, I recommend contemplating the following questions:
1. What’s your “why”? Why did you choose this medicine, at this time, and what impact are you looking to have? This can be written in the storytelling format we discussed in a previous article, or it can be a simple brainstorm.
2. What’s your brand? How would people describe you and your work? How do you want to be perceived and what do you want to be known for? What are you already known for? Get really honest here and own it. We as solo providers and health care professionals in general are so linked personally and professionally; it’s not enough to separate a personal and professional Facebook page anymore.
3. What’s your zone of genius? What brings you immense intrinsic value because when you’re doing it, you’re at your best? Something you seem to do flawlessly that others may admire? This can be as specific as you want it to be, and perhaps it’s treating, but maybe it isn’t. Maybe it’s teaching, or creating solutions for like minded businesses, or product development. Maybe it’s research. This is unique to you, and even if you’re on a similar career path with a peer, your answers to this could be drastically different.
Next time, we’ll review the five things people with long and successful careers do, and how that applies to our careers in this profession in a meaningful way.
