When I speak to young dentists, just heading out into the world in their dental journey, I always impress upon them one thing: You are more than just a dentist.
When I first got out into the world, I had an immediate sense I didn’t fit in. And I started to realise why. The medical world is filled with egos. We are conditioned to believe that the number of certificates that hang on the wall behind us, the number of letters we have after our name is what defines our success. But I’ve never really cared about that. I’ve always cared about connections. I’ve always cared about what I can do for others.
We are now seeing more and more clinicians building portfolio careers…but we’re also seeing more and more people doing this because they simply feel they can’t cope in the stressful world of medicine, whatever branch that may be. But instead of drawing people away from their clinical professions, or feeling like we can’t cope there ourselves unless we are living the life 24/7, perhaps we can approach this differently and create a better world for patients, colleagues and more importantly, ourselves…?
1. Overcoming the “Certificate Syndrome”
We’ve spent our lives focusing on a goal and it comes in cycles of learning, exams, success. We continue this from the age of around 4 right up to 23. So when we are thrust out into the world, that’s naturally, all we know. But what about application? Ingenuity? Bravery? What about saying “I don’t have a certificate, but that’s not what I need here, what I need is to be myself and apply my own unique approach to this.” The truth is, having a certificate might make you feel better, it might massage your ego a bit, but it doesn’t make you competent and it doesn’t make you successful. Only you can do that. With the actions that you take.
2. Rediscovering the Core Purpose: Serving Others
Clinicians sometimes lose sight of their fundamental role – to serve others. When you get that degree, everyone spends most of their time blowing smoke up your arse. And it isn’t good for you. We gain from this a warped sense of attainment based joy where we suddenly feel success simply comes from impressing others. And yet, think about what a good day at work really looks like – it isn’t usually having impressed a colleague, but more often from making a patient smile. The best days are the ones where happy tears appear from the people you connect with and serve.
And that was usually the initial inspiration to enter your profession – a desire to help and heal. It’s crucial to reconnect with this purpose and realise that the true value of your profession lies not in impressing colleagues but in making a meaningful difference in your patients’ lives.
3. Enriching Your Practice with Personal Experiences
Bringing your unique perspective and experiences into your practice can greatly enhance your connection with patients. A life rich in diverse interests and experiences outside of medicine can provide a more empathetic and holistic approach to patient care. This not only benefits the patients but also adds depth and satisfaction to your professional life.
Half of the advice and the knowledge that I have that benefits my patients, is nothing I gained from dental specific courses. It came from exploring the things I enjoyed, the challenges I faced. It came from a deep and meaningful desire to help solve those problems for those I saw on a day-to-day basis who had the same barriers.
All too often we feel that if we have interests outside of our own profession, that they should remain totally separate. But one of the joys in our careers is the incredible opportunity to connect with other human beings. What makes that easier is demonstrating you’re a human being and having interests and stories you can share with others.
The pressure to be a 24/7 professional is complete nonsense. The people who do their jobs best, who are really able to connect with their patients and build brilliant results for them, are the people who do not define themselves purely as a one-trick pony. Invest your time in seeing the world from different perspectives by engaging with people from outside the profession and in activities outside of your job!
5. Embracing Non-Conformance
The healthcare environment often fosters a culture of conformance, where interactions are predominantly clinical or competitive. Breaking this mold by connecting with patients and colleagues on a more human, authentic level can be incredibly rewarding. Creating a diverse network of healthcare professionals who value genuine connections over hierarchical or ego-driven interactions leads to a more supportive and collaborative community.
Never feel the need to work as others work if the method you have is creating the right results for you and your colleagues. Be brave, be authentic and acknowledge the benefits of all the values of the people in your team if they are allowed to behave in the same manner.
Drop your God complex.
Your career as a healthcare professional is undoubtedly a significant part of your life, but it shouldn’t be the entirety of it. The world is no longer accepting of the “I know what’s best for you model.” The job has changed. And in order to enjoy it, be enriched by it and still serve others in a way that leaves you smiling at the end of the day, you have to learn how to reconnect with yourself first. You have to learn how to be authentic and drop the mask. The truth is, we’re often so focused on “professionalism”, on impressing our colleagues, we forget who we are and why we are here.
So remember that. Remember yourself and stand up to those who accuse you of doing things the wrong way when you drop the professional mask and begin to connect with your patients as a person instead.