Clinical Expertise

“I want to be a great clinician.”

KEY TRAITS

EARLY CAREER
MILESTONES

Commitment to self-directed learning
Participation in clinical CME skills courses
Mentorship of early-career hospitalists

JOB REQUIREMENTS
& LIFESTYLE

Shift work
Most natural pathway
Higher clinical effort
Schedule can be predictable and flexible
Clinical days may be less predictable, but days
off are likely to be true days off allowing for job flexibility

WELLNESSES,
PLUSSES, &
PITFALLS

+ Sense of independence, autonomy, clinical mastery
+ Clearer distinction between time on/off

– Risk of burnout
– Need to seek protected time for fulfilling projects

LONG-TERM
CAREER GROWTH 
& OPPORTUNITIES

Opportunity to gain proficiency in a sub-specialization
area (e.g., proceduralists, intensivist hospitalists,
nocturnists, addiction medicine)
Lifestyle specialty (e.g., Locums)
Engage in or lead quality improvement and patient
safety projects
- Partnering with administration leadership,
  researchers, academic hospitalists
- Identifying need, creating the clinical and
  business case
- Research, publishing
- Pathway to leadership

INTERESTED IN THE OTHER PATHWAYS?

EDUCATION LEADERSHIP

CLINICAL LEADERSHIP

RESEARCH

FROM PHENOTYPES 
TO REAL LIFE

Hospital medicine is a dynamic specialty where career pathways can look different based on the institution and practice setting. We asked members to weigh in on the phenotype(s) that best aligned with their experience and reflect on important milestones that shaped their career along the way.

“I want to be a great clinician.”

KEY TRAITS

EARLY CAREER MILESTONES

JOB REQUIREMENTS & LIFESTYLE

WELLNESSES, PLUSSES, & PITFALLS

LONG-TERM CAREER GROWTH & OPPORTUNITIES