Sierra Nevada – 2023

Nevada

Crafting a Meaningful Legacy

Embarking on the journey of transition from your career as a plastic surgeon, is akin to sculpting a masterpiece. It requires pre-visualization, meticulous planning and effective execution. As plastic surgeons, our careers are marked by precision and transformation, and it's only fitting that we approach the transition from our professional lives with the same level of care and attention to detail.

The Surgeon's Blueprint for Transition

Your path to career transition is a significant life milestone, demanding thoughtful preparation well in advance. The complexity of this endeavor is not to be underestimated, and it calls for a dedicated, methodical approach. You may find yourself pondering:

• When do I initiate this process?
• Which steps are critical to my transition?
• In what sequence should these steps be undertaken?

From my own experience, I can assure you that the most remarkable achievements are born from thorough s...

Evergreens Amidst Renewal - 2010

Sierra Nevada, NV

 Embracing Change: A Personal and Professional Renewal

As a seasoned physician, the prospect of transitioning away from a life's work can be a complex and multifaceted journey. It requires a meticulous blend of personal readiness, professional realignment, and practice preparation. In this article, we delve into the nuances of preparing for this significant life event, ensuring that you, as a an accomplished member of the medical profession, are equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary for a smooth and rewarding transition.

The transition from a thriving career to the next chapter of your life is not merely a change; it is a metamorphosis that requires introspection and strategic planning. The initial phase of this journey is deeply personal. It is the bedrock upon which you will design your framework as it relates to you professionally and your practice.

This transformative process is a testament to your life's work and an...

Epic – 2022

Virginia Range, NV

How My Life Changed and I Succeeded

I was 59 years old and thought I had many more years of Plastic Surgery practice ahead of me. I purchased the standalone office building of my dreams and undertook a major renovation, including a surgical facility. 

I knew I needed to plan for my succession soon, including recruiting. This was the plan, although my own end of career seemed distant…or so I thought.

I resolved to do so soon, but never got the chance. Some months after the grand opening of my office and I was settled in, I was diagnosed with colon cancer. It was a big surprise as I had been diligent about physical exams, screenings and my health in general. That and other medical problems ended my plastic surgery career.

I am well, thankful and happy that for a number of years I have been cured of colon cancer. My days of practicing medicine are over, but I dedicated my life to making sure that physicians, who spend their lives taking care of others,...

Snow-clad Chokecherry – 2013

Grand Teton National Park, WY

Opportunities for Optimization 

The preparation of your practice for a sale, whether by succession or to a private equity firm, involves a variety of major items to think about. In the early stages of considering such a move, your degree of readiness may vary. Besides the desirability of having your practice functioning optimally in the present, it’s also necessary to prepare it for a buyer.

How to Prepare and in What Order

Generally, there are three major preparations needed to make your practice ready to offer it for succession or a sale:

• Optimize its performance. 
• Maximize profitability and thereby its value.
• Prepare it to introduce a new physician.

Your attention to these goals is a sensible, sequential and practical approach that will improve the present condition and profitability of your practice. By doing so, you’ll increase the probability of achieving your goals.

Generally, it’s critical to consider not ...

The Teton Range – 2013

Grand Teton National Park, WY

 How to Make Solid Progress on Your Path

Your career transition is one of the most significant events of your lifetime that marks the beginning of the next phase of your life.

It’s common to experience joy of anticipation, some apprehension and frequently, a blend of both. Whether you are looking forward to it or not, the creation and execution of plans is essential to your success. Regardless of your outlook, the  reality is that the planning and execution of those plans is time consuming and challenging for you and your staff. Here is an orderly approach to manage it successfully.

An early, critical decision on you part, is to commit to and lead your staff through the process. Become aware and manage challenges effectively through proactive, timely planning. This goes a long way to banish the stress of the unknown and help make the process a much more positive experience.

What are these challenges and related questions?

What...

Evanescence – 2018

Nevada

On Taming Time

To contemplate the passage of time and how you perceive it, is a subject of wonder since the beginning of time.

Early humans pondered the coming and going of the sun and moon while keeping warm by a campfire near their cave. In the twenty-first century, we ponder and wonder about the same rhythms of life as we mark time on a digital clock.

The rotation of the earth on its axis that creates day and night is the same now as it was in antiquity

The rotational march of the earth around the sun that creates the seasons and marks the years, is the same now as it was then.

So it is, that the objective march of time, was and is the same for all of us. 

But there are three things that differentiates you and I as individuals:

• How we choose to use the precious time of our lives.
• How those choices reflect how we value our time…and our desired lifestyle.
• How we perceive the speed at which time passes. 

These three factors are very much relate...

Waves of Snow – 2010

Bridger – Teton National Forest, WY 

The Influence of Language on Your Perspective

The end of your career is one of the most significant events of your life. It’s a time when you may feel joy, pride, excitement, grief, regret, uncertainty, and other feelings that are unique to you.

You may be looking forward to this new phase of your life with stressful uncertainty or joyful  anticipation…or perhaps both.  For many, it’s also a time when you may experience a sense of loss of what you are leaving behind. 

An optimistic view is that this is a moment that presents you with the opportunity for ongoing personal evolution manifested as renewal and fulfillment.

Life Lessons

I have experienced some of those feelings and more, including these lessons and observations:

• One, is my own end of career transition. It was difficult and painful. But it provided me the challenge to evolve and succeed again on my terms, in the service of others.
• The source of my second les
...

The Teton Range – 2010

Grand Teton National Park, WY

The Next Step

The transition from your career is a process, not an event. It is lengthy and affects you personally and professionally. For that reason, it takes time to prepare and adjust to the experience. This becomes increasingly clear as you progress from the conceptual to the practical application of your plans.

Previous articles have provided you with a blueprint that describes a logical and actionable planning sequence. These plans address your personal needs and desires as you aspire to the next great phase of your life. The topics discussed are largely applicable to the personal and professional challenges that are common to physicians in various practice settings. 

Considerations and Conclusions

Upon completion of your lifestyle and post career financial plans, you will have reached certain conclusions and made some major decisions. Among them are:

• A description of your desired lifestyle plan
• The estimated cost of
...

 Emerald Bay, Fannette Island – 2010

Lake Tahoe, CA

 An Approach for Evaluating Your Readiness

At some point in time, you’ll begin to consider a transition from your career. The first step is often to review your retirement plan and consult with your financial advisor.  

Next, you and perhaps your spouse will schedule a meeting with your advisor. Your goal is to assess your financial readiness for the transition.

Questions and Reflection

During the meeting, your advisor will ask how you visualize your future lifestyle. You discuss your preliminary ideas, and he suggests that you take some time to develop a more detailed plan. Together, you’ll map out how you envision your ideal lifestyle post-career, including a projection of associated costs. 

The meeting concludes with a commitment to refining your ideas.

A Deeper Dive into Planning

Now, the real work begins. You each set aside quiet time for reflection and planning. Afterward, you compare your notes and combine your ideas. ...

Impending Sunrise – 2022

Virginia Range, NV

 Navigating the Road to Preparedness

The transition from your career is one of those major life events for which it is critical to prepare well in advance. 

As you consider this, it will become evident that the magnitude and scope of the challenge is significant. You will realize that to achieve a successful transition you will need to devote focused effort over a significant period  of time. These inevitable, initial questions will arise: 

• How do I begin? 
• What should I do? 
• In what order should I do it?

I am confident that you have learned long ago, as I have, that great achievements require great preparation.

The First Step of the Path 

To begin, there are three major concerns for which preparation is essential.

The first of these is to prepare yourself, personally, to enter the next great phase of your life. As you do so, it is important to keep in mind that your spouse, family and staff, are also going through their transi...