Ace Your New Attending Job

Your First Attending Job – Setting the Stage for a Career You Love Listen directly on Apple or Spotify In this episode of the Medical Mentor Coaching Podcast, Dr. Stacey Ishman welcomes new attending physicians with a practical and empowering guide to launching a fulfilling academic medical career. Drawing on two decades of mentoring and her own experience navigating academic medicine, she shares tangible strategies to help you create a career with intention—from crafting an ideal weekly schedule to choosing the right “yes” opportunities. 🎧 No need to take notes—get the Academic Launchpad Guide for New Attendings by emailing [email protected] or DMing @sishmancoach on Instagram. 🔑 Key Points & Timestamps: 1. Welcome Back & Episode Purpose (0:00 – 1:07) Acknowledge the podcast's return Purpose: Support for early-career attendings as they step into leadership and autonomy 2. The Power of Intentional Career Design (1:07 – 2:38) Your career doesn’t just happen—design it Ask yourself what your ideal Tuesday looks like Think about how clinical, teaching, and research time fit into your life 3. Academic Kickstarter Framework (2:38 – 3:59) Four key pillars: Envisioning your ideal life Setting up your practice Creating your research plan Building your promotion plan Coaching as a GPS: accelerates clarity and progress 4. Vision Post-it Exercise (3:59 – 5:10) Create a sticky note with your top 3 career goals Use it to guide decisions and set boundaries 5. Setting Up Your Clinical Practice (5:10 – 6:00) Clinic structure: slots, templates, breaks, smart scheduling Aligning your clinical load with your energy 6. Building a Research and Promotion Plan (6:00 – 7:00) Know your niche—focus creates visibility Promotion starts now—know your criteria early 7. Track Your Growth in Real-Time (7:00 – 7:53) Use a project sheet or enhanced CV Include outcomes: number of patients, growth in volume, productivity stats 8. Strategic Yes and Gracious No (7:53 – 9:56) Yes isn’t forever—be strategic Watch out for the “perpetual helper” trap Sample scripts for respectful no’s and sponsor-style referrals 9. Invest in Relationships (9:56 – 11:28) Build vertically (mentors, sponsors) and laterally (peers) Advice: “Work with people you like” Consider a personal board of advisors 10. Protect Space for Growth (11:28 – 13:03) Academic time is sacred—don’t trade it away Block time for strategic work weekly Creative work and personal interests matter too 11. Final Thoughts & Call to Action (13:03 – End) You get to lead your career—don’t outsource your path Download the Academic Launchpad Rate, review, and follow the podcast Connect: Instagram: @sishmancoach LinkedIn: Medical Mentor Coaching Website: www.medicalmentorcoaching.com/welcome Email: [email protected]