Alternate Career Paths
For those who have decided to not continue with residency, there are paths forward.
Finding roads forward after leaving residency
We've organized this page into sections to help you find what you're looking for:
Deciding to leave
If you are reading this, you are likely finding yourself at a crossroads in your life and career. You may be realising that a career as a practicing physician no longer aligns with your goals and values, or you may have struggled in residency training.
You are not alone. A recent survey of UK medical students1 revealed that nearly 3% of graduates intended to leave the profession without pursuing postgraduate medical education. The study found that many were interested in fields such as consulting, technology, financial services, and law. Key reasons for this shift included dissatisfaction with physician working conditions, pay, work-life balance, limited career flexibility, and burnout.
Reference
- Ferreira, T., Collins, A. M., Feng, O., Samworth, R. J., Horvath, R., & AIMS Collaborative (2023). Career intentions of medical students in the UK: a national, cross-sectional study (AIMS study). BMJ open, 13(9), e075598. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-075598
Pause and breathe
If you find yourself in this situation, it is important to take the time to carefully consider your next steps. If necessary, you can consider a leave of absence to allow time to give this decision the attention it deserves, and to ensure that any underlying medical issues are addressed. If there are underlying health issues that are presenting a barrier, ensure you have explored the PGME accommodations process to optimise your support and chances of success.
Remember, you are not alone—many doctors question their career paths but feel hesitant to speak out due to the stigma surrounding a change in direction. Please consider reaching out to family, mentors, or career counselors for support and guidance as you navigate this decision.
- Get support from counselors
- Learn about the Accommodation process
- Connect with Peer Support
- Connect with PFSP (Physician and Family Support)
Consider and reflect
It is important to reflect on whether your doubts are about the practice of medicine itself or just your specialty. Our personal and professional identities evolve over time, and as our lives change, so do our priorities. If you can see yourself fulfilled and successful in an alternative specialty then it may be worth exploring this through the PGME transfer process.
Consult the Resident Transfer Process for the steps required when requesting a transfer to another training program.
Finally, there will be financial implications to consider. If you leave residency then you will lose your life and disability benefits provided through the Professional Association of Resident Physicians of Alberta (PARA). You should consult a financial advisor to understand your financial priorities.
Alternative Career Possibilities
If after careful consideration you decide you are ready to step away from practicing as a physician, it is important to know that even without completing residency, your MD degree opens a wide variety of career options beyond traditional clinical practice. This is even more important to bear in mind if you are taking this route through health concerns or academic difficulty, and the choice is not truly voluntary. In this situation it can be easy to feel there is nothing ahead, which is not the case. The skills and knowledge you've gained in medicine are incredibly valuable and can be applied to many other fields in ways you might not have yet explored. While these alternative paths may not require the completion of residency, some could involve additional training or certification.
So, what career options are available to you if you're looking to move beyond clinical medicine? Below is a list of popular career transitions for MDs to consider. You can choose to step away from direct patient care entirely or consider retraining as one of many other valuable healthcare professionals. You will find many of the resources come out of the UK and the USA, but are included to provide information and ideas.
It can feel overwhelming to even consider doing something else, so again, consider discussion with a counsellor or coach.
Doctor to Medico-Legal Career
Medical-legal consultants provide advice to lawyers or insurance companies on medical cases. This involves reviewing medical records, providing opinions on the standard of care, and advising on the strength of medical evidence in cases of litigation.
If you are interested in medicolegal work, your training can assist in legal cases where medical knowledge is needed. There are several paths to enter this field, and it may require additional training or certifications depending on the specific role.
Institutions may offer a certificate in health law, for example:
- Dalhousie University's Healthcare Law Certificate
- York University's Osgoode PD Certificate in Health Law
Doctor to Healthcare Technology and Informatics
With healthcare becoming more reliant on technology, there are numerous opportunities in roles like health IT, medical informatics, telemedicine, and virtual reality. MDs can help develop and manage electronic health records (EHR) systems, healthcare software, and contribute to telehealth solutions that improve access to care. Many doctors have joined or even started medical technology companies, bringing medical expertise to the development of innovative healthcare solutions or virtual reality simulation technology to medical education. If you have skills in data science, becoming a healthcare data analyst involves coding and analysing data to derive insights, improve patient outcomes, and inform decision-making for clinicians. There are many resources available for training, including the Canadian Institute for Health Information and Coursera.
The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) offers education courses on our current databases, methodologies, reports and many other topics in an online format, as well as instructor-led web conferences and in-person workshops.
Coursera offers multiple courses on Healthcare Data Analytics which can be taken online and at your own pace.
You can also find more information on the Medtech Industry through:
- The Canadian Medtech Industry website
- The Canada Health Infoway website offers information and opportunities related to health IT and digital health innovation
- Medic Footprints: The fundamentals for a Career in Health Tech for Doctors
Doctor to Leader/Health Services Manager
Your training so far has provided you with an understanding of healthcare processes and patient care. Physician leaders are essential in every sector of the healthcare field. As a physician leader, you would oversee the cost, delivery, and quality of healthcare services, working with both clinical and non-clinical staff. It might also involve strategy and policy development.
You will require a master’s in business administration (MBA) to develop business and management skills to use alongside your medical knowledge in leadership roles. In addition, resources like CHLNet provide leadership training and networking opportunities in healthcare management. If you are passionate about leadership and improving the efficiency of healthcare systems, this could be a rewarding path.
The article Why Doctors Need An MBA speaks with doctors who went on to complete an MBA, and its potential rewards.
Learn more through leadership organizations in healthcare:
Doctor to Medical Consultant
Physician consultants use their expertise to provide specialist advice to organisations such as healthcare organisations, insurance companies, medical device manufacturers, and pharmaceutical industries. Consulting roles often involve advising on healthcare policies, strategic planning, organisational design, or product development.
The Canadian Association of Management Consultants offers a Management Consultant Certification
Doctor to Medical Teacher
MDs without residency training can still teach medical students or other healthcare professionals. They may take on roles in medical schools, teaching hospitals, or institutions offering healthcare training. Opportunities may include clinical skills teaching, and teaching content for various healthcare professions such as Physician Assistant, EMT, and nursing staff.
There is a Canadian Association for Medical Education for those involved in medical education.
Doctor to Medical Research Scientist
Medical research offers exciting and challenging professional opportunities for doctors who want to contribute to medical science. You would work in multidisciplinary research teams conducting clinical trials and participating in the development of new medications and treatments, allowing you to continue to contribute to patient care.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Handbook has an overview of Medical Scientists including general qualifications, work environment, and median wage.
Doctor to Public Health Worker
Although residency is preferred, physicians without residency can pursue a career in public health, working in areas like research, policy development, health education, and the implementation of public health programs. Although completion of residency is not always necessary, a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) is often required.
The Government of Canada has a page dedicated to Educational Programs in Public Health.
The Canadian Public Health Association also has an overview of public health training funding and training opportunities in the USA.
Doctor to Medical Translator
If you are bilingual (or greater), a career in scientific or medical translation could be a great way to combine your medical expertise with language skills. Interpreting complexity and nuance is only possible if you are both a medical and a language expert.
While certification isn’t always required, getting certified by organizations like the Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council (CTTIC) can improve your credibility. You can also look into taking Medical Translation courses or consider a Master’s degree in Translation. Some familiarity with translation software (like SDL Trados) can also be helpful. Employment options include healthcare organizations, research companies, or even as a freelancer translating medical documents, patient records, and so on.
The Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council (CTTIC) maintains and promotes professional standards in translation, interpretation and terminology to ensure a high quality of communication across linguistic and cultural communities in Canada through national standardized examinations.
Outside of Canada, the International Medical Interpreters Association (IMIA) is a US-based international organization who represent professional medical interpreters. They maintain and promote best practices around language access to health care, and have publications, networking events, and training opportunities for maintaining standards in medical interpreting and language access.
Some institutions offer translation courses, such as the following:
- McGill University's School of Continuing Studies offers a Graduate Diploma in Legal Translation
- University of Toronto's School of Continuing Studies offers multiple translation courses
Doctor to Health Journalist or Medical Writer
If you have strong writing skills, and a flair for the arts, you could consider health journalism and medical writing as an alternate career pathway. You could create content for medical journals, health websites, educational materials, and pharmaceutical companies. Your communication skills training will help you translate complex medical concepts into clear, accessible language for a wide variety of platforms. You could also explore roles as a medical editor, where you refine scientific content to ensure accuracy and clarity. Stepping away from factual medical content, physicians have even made the step to successful novelist.
The American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) has an overview of the skills needed to become a medical writer, as well as opportunities around training, employment, and certification. It also has a Canada chapter.
The University of Toronto's School of Continuing Studies' offers a course on Medical & Public Health Writing as well.
Doctor to Coach
Often, the best person to really understand the well-being needs, work-life challenges and career options of a doctor is another doctor. Physician coaches can focus on improving workplace communication, prevent burnout, improve time management, assist in career transitions, and more.
The communication skills you have already developed in your training can directly translate to the skills needed for impactful coaching. In addition, you will have a deep understanding of medical culture, including its unwritten rules and politics.
While there is no legally required training to become a coach in Canada, obtaining a recognized certification will increase your credibility. The International Coach Federation (ICF) is the leading global organization for coaching accreditation, and completing an ICF-accredited coaching program can help you gain certification and become more effective as a coach.
Doctor to Medical Sales Representative
A medical sales representative acts as a link between medical and pharmaceutical companies and healthcare professionals. They sell pharmaceutical products and medical equipment to a variety of customers, including General Practitioner, hospital doctors, pharmacists and nurses. As well as increasing the awareness and use of a company's products, you may also make presentations, organise group events for healthcare professionals and work with contacts on a one-to-one basis
Doctor to Medical Science Liaison
Physicians can also work in the pharmaceutical industry in scientific roles and can play a key role in translating scientific advancements into clinical practice. Job titles can vary depending on the company, such as medical science liaison, medical affairs, medical scientific adviser, medical manager or regional scientific manager.
Unlike a sales representative, a medical science liaison worker focuses on education rather than sales, such as educating clinicians about specific drugs or medical devices, and providing feedback to colleagues in commercial functions, such as marketing and sales, to inform their strategies.
The Canada Drug Agency (CDA-AMC) is a not-for-profit organization that provides independent evidence and advice to health care decision-makers so that they can make informed decisions around how to optimally use new drugs, technologies, or medical innovations.
One example of a medical science liaison organisation is Innovative Medicines Canada, which represents over 47 primarily pharmaceutical companies that look to invest in medical research and development in Canada.
Clinical Career Paths
However, you may decide you want to have direct clinical patient contact. There are many other healthcare professional careers that would allow you to continue providing direct patient care with some additional training. These include roles such as ultrasonography, massage therapy, EMT, physician assistant, and anesthesia assistant, to name just a few. Below are examples of the physician and anesthetist assistant roles as potential career transitions:
Physician Assistant
Physician assistants work alongside physicians to help with everyday responsibilities. Under the direct supervision of a physician, physician assistants conduct physicals, take patient histories, order and interpret tests, assist in the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses, counsel patients on preventive health care, and may even assist in minor surgeries.
Within Alberta, Physician Assistants are fully-regulated health professionals who must be registered with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA) and have a valid practice permit.
The Canadian Association of Physician Assistants (CAPA) goes into detail on the profession and lists the Canadian Education Programs available to become a PA.
Anaesthesiology Assistant
Anesthesiologist assistants are supervised by anesthesiologists, and work in hospitals, clinics, and outpatient care centers to provide anesthesia care. They can assist with preoperative assessment, intubation, and postoperative recovery. Their role in healthcare is important as it ensures safe and effective anesthesia management before, during, and after surgical procedures. The requirements for taking over this role include a Master’s degree from an accredited program and certification.
The Canadian Anesthesiologists' Association has a list of Canadian accredited programs to become an Anesthesiology Assistants.
General Resources
An internet search will yield many resources, which can be overwhelming if you're not sure where to begin. To help you get started, a selection of key resources are highlighted below:
SEAK
SEAK stands for the Skills, Education, Abilities and Knowledge required to succeed in non-clinical careers. Although USA-centric, it provides an online series of resources on subjects such as medical consultancy, medical writing and entrepreneurship. They also run an annual Non-Clinical Careers Conference, and links to non-clinical career job postings.
AAMC
Developed by the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) in collaboration with medical schools, the site contains valuable resources to help medical students make informed career decisions. There is a series on alternative career paths.
Medic Footprints
Medic Footprints is a UK-based website aims to promote diverse and alternative careers for doctors. You can sign up for a newsletter focusing on doctors wanting to change careers. They have almost 100 webinars covering various career options as well as practical strategies such as how to optimise your CV, LinkedIn, and tips on non-clinical interview questions.
50 Nonclinical Careers for Physicians
50 Nonclinical Careers for Physicians: Fulfilling, Meaningful, and Lucrative Alternatives to Direct Patient Care is a book written by a physician which identifies numerous non-clinical career options and includes advice on job applications and interviews.
Which non-clinical job is right for you?
An online quiz designed for physicians who are interested in pursuing a job outside of direct patient care. It consists of 50 questions about your references, career goals and other factors that influence whether a job is fulfilling. Although no replacement for coaching, it might be interesting to explore if you are curious.