Evolving in Healthcare

Plenty of capable people learn to lead by copying whoever's already in charge. It works for a while, right up until it leaves you running on someone else's fuel and still not quite yourself.Ruth Andermatt is a Canadian self-leadership coach who has spent more than two decades working with executives and emerging leaders, most of them introverts. She was often the only woman in the room, and she has thought hard about what it costs to keep conforming to a style that was never going to fit.If you're in a non-titled role wishing you had more influence, or eyeing a step into management because it looks like the only way to have impact, this conversation is for you. Ruth draws a clean line between managing people and leading them, and she begins where most leadership advice skips ahead: how you lead yourself. Expect plenty on holding your ground without conforming, guiding the people above you, and what to do when the version of success you've been chasing quietly stops fitting.We ExploreWhy conforming to get into leadership tends to run out of roadThe difference between managing people and actually leading themLeading the people above you, not only the ones who report to youWhat self-leadership asks of you long before any title arrivesThe cost of staying in survival mode and calling it dedicationTimestamps01:15 Being the only woman in the room and the pull to conform 05:45 Masculine and feminine leadership, and why most workplaces pick one 08:48 The exhaustion of dancing to someone else's tune just to get hired 13:40 Why a title doesn't make you a leader, and what self-leadership actually means 16:44 Hitting a plateau and shifting your perspective instead of walking away 29:05 The blind spot that holds capable people back, women especially 33:08 Leading the people above you, not just the ones who report to you 41:25 Survival worn as a badge of honour, and the price every choice carries 45:09 Untangling your identity from how you got here and redefining success 55:48 Outgrowing your manager and repositioning without burning the bridgeAbout Ruth AndermattRuth Andermatt is a self-leadership coach and consultant and the founder of Andermatt Consulting Experience (A.C.E. Inc) in Canada. A former national-level paddler and UBC graduate, she has coached executives, business owners and emerging leaders for more than twenty years, with a particular focus on women and introverts who lead quietly but effectively. Her view, useful for anyone in a hierarchical field like healthcare, is that leading yourself is the foundation everything else is built on, title or no title.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachruth/Website: https://andermattconsulting.comCareer Cliniq ResourcesIf this conversation has you wondering where your influence and interests actually sit, the StreamAhead Assessment maps your experience across the full spectrum of healthcare work, not just the path you trained for: https://careercliniq.com/streamaheadConnect with Ruth on LinkedIn or Instagram

Bree Murray has never seen a patient. She'll still put "dietitian" on every form she fills in.She's spent 15 years in professional associations, food industry, health profession regulation, and a job-shared CEO role and has never once questioned whether that makes her a real dietitian. This conversation is for anyone who has.We ExploreBuilding a dietitian career entirely outside clinical practiceWhat personal life seasons reveal about what you actually valueHow a project officer becomes a job-sharing CEO The real cost of a portfolio career when you've come from a for-purpose backgroundThe difference between a career compass and a career planAbout Bree MurrayBree Murray is an Australian dietitian with over 15 years of experience spanning professional association work, food industry consulting, health profession regulation, and executive leadership. She currently serves as executive officer for a Council of Deans of Nutrition and Dietetics, supports governance work with self-regulating health professions, and sits on the National Alliance of Self-Regulating Health Professions board. Her career has been built through relationships, referrals, and a consistent willingness to move into unfamiliar territory when the fit is right.Connect with Bree Murrayhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/bree-murray-44193528/Career Cliniq ResourcesIf this conversation got you thinking about what's actually guiding your career decisions, the StreamAhead Assessment maps your interests and experience across the full spectrum of healthcare work - not just the path you trained for. 👉 Take the StreamAhead AssessmentJoin the ConversationWhat's the moment you realised the shape of your days didn't match what you actually cared about? I'd love to hear it. LinkedIn | Instagram

You're halfway through a degree or deep into a career you're not sure you'll stay in and the loudest fear isn't about what's next. It's that everything you've already invested might be wasted. Keagen Hadley finished an entire OT doctorate he wasn't sure he'd use and it was the very thing that gave him room to build a completely different career.Keagen Hadley is a regulatory medical writer for a large biotech company. He holds a doctorate in occupational therapy and has spent over a decade in the biotech and pharmaceutical space.We ExploreHow geographic limitation can become a catalyst for unconventional experienceWhy the financial variable in career decisions deserves more honesty in the helping professionsHow your cognitive wiring reveals itself early and what to do when it doesn't match the clinical pathWhy "regulatory medical writer" misrepresents the actual work of the roleHow credibility gets built in an industry where your healthcare credential doesn't automatically countChapters00:00 Meet Keagen Hadley - regulatory medical writer and OT03:22 How a small-town CRO in North Dakota opened the door to biotech08:50 $96K in student loans and the decision to finish anyway14:14 The lecture that reframed scale and patient impact19:25 Remote work, flexibility, and family life in biotech24:48 Starting before you feel ready and selling yourself as a novice35:56 Why recruiters matter more than applications in this field45:10 Wrangling physicians who disagree47:28 AI and regulatory writing57:25 Why clinicians won't say the money part out loudConnect with KeagenLinkedIn: Keagen HadleyNewsletter:  https://cliniciansguide.substack.com/What Regulatory Writers Actually Make - https://thecliniciansguide.myflodesk.com/uegisjcpq96-Month Roadmap to Becoming a Regulatory Medical Writer - https://thecliniciansguide.myflodesk.com/nx48w16db8Career Cliniq ResourcesIf you're trying to get clearer on what actually drives your next step, the StreamAhead Assessment will map your interests within healthcare.👉 Take the StreamAhead AssessmentConnect with Ruth on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Most health professionals spend years building toward a role they're told is the destination. What happens when you get there and realise you're still evolving?Kristen Hicks-Roof is a registered dietitian and PhD researcher who built a full academic career - tenure, grants, research agendas, and chose to leave it to lead human nutrition at the US National Pork Board, a role that didn't exist before she took it.This conversation gets into what it's like to be a high performer navigating competitive dynamics, the identity reckoning that happens when your career and your motherhood collide on the same timeline, and what it actually looks like to take clinical skills into an industry most dietitians are taught to distrust. If you've ever felt like you outgrew a role you genuinely valued, or wondered whether the skills you built in practice could belong somewhere completely different, this one will sit with you.We ExploreThe fight to prove nutrition's value and why it follows you no matter what setting you're inWhat happens when your drive and the culture around you aren't well matchedThe identity shift from "mother scholar" to something with no established nameHow a 2am LinkedIn scroll during maternity leave became a career turning pointWhat dietitians and clinicians misunderstand about working in the food industryChapters00:00 Unexpected Career Paths06:31 The Role of Nutrition Professionals17:08 Academia and Career Transition28:26 The Decision to Leave Academia34:01 Navigating Tension in Academia42:46 The Impact of Motherhood on Career49:29 Role in Nutrition Research59:12 Building Connections and Following PassionsAbout Kristen Hicks-RoofKristen Hicks-Roof PhD, RD is the Director of Human Nutrition at the US National Pork Board, where she oversees research investment and science communication across stakeholder groups from farmers to federal policymakers. A former associate professor with promotion and tenure, her academic research focused on integrating nutrition across healthcare teams and the lived experience of mother scholars in academia. She also hosts the Nutrition Connection podcast.LinkedIn: Kristen Hicks-RoofPodcast: Nutrition ConnectionCareer Cliniq ResourcesWondering where your clinical skills could actually take you? The StreamAhead Assessment helps you map what you've built and where it could go next. 👉 Take the StreamAhead AssessmentJoin the ConversationHave you ever been in a role where your drive worked against you? Tell us about it. Find us on LinkedIn and Instagram.

Emily Kelly chose physical therapy because a torn ACL at 14 showed her what one-on-one care could do. She found her dream clinic, treated patients for an hour each, and loved the work. Then a new grad started questioning what she believed about pain, and the clinical identity she had spent years building started to come apart.Emily is now a product manager at Prompt, a health tech company building software for rehabilitation providers in the US.This conversation covers what it actually took to get from one to the other. A pay structure that punished the qualification it demanded. The emotional cost of being the clinician who takes everything home. A healthcare innovation conference that lit something up. And a series of deliberate, unglamorous decisions that most career transition stories skip over entirely. If you are a health professional who knows something needs to shift but cannot see the steps from where you are, this episode lays them out honestly.We explore:What pain science does to a clinician's sense of who they are in the roomThe emotional cost of clinical empathy that no one talks about at universityA pay structure that punishes the qualification it demandsWhat hiring managers actually notice when a clinician interviews for a non-clinical roleThe unglamorous middle of moving from physical therapy to health tech product managementAbout Emily KellyEmily Kelly is a physical therapist and product manager at Prompt, a health tech company building practice management software for rehabilitation providers. Based in Denver, Colorado, she spent eight years in outpatient physical therapy before moving through customer success and leadership into product.LinkedIn: Emily KellyMentioned: Meredith Caston / The Non-Clinical PT, Lorimer Moseley (pain science researcher), Peter O'Sullivan, Adriaan LouwCareer Cliniq ResourcesIf this episode has you wondering where else your clinical expertise could take you, the StreamAhead Assessment maps your interests across eight healthcare work streams and shows you options you might not have considered yet.Take StreamAhead HERE!Connect with RuthLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drruthvo/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drruthvo/

The boxes we're handed in healthcare are well-meaning. Your title, your scope, your place in the hierarchy - they exist for good reasons. But they can also become the edges of what you think is possible.Melissa Gunstone is a Canadian Registered Kinesiologist who graduated, hit the wall most new grads hit, and built her way out of it - not by leaving healthcare, but by refusing to stay inside the box it handed her. What followed is a ground-level account of private practice niching, a team to lead, and a product invented because it didn't exist.If you're a health professional navigating the gap between your training and what's actually possible - this conversation covers territory your degree never did.We ExploreThe gap between your credential and what the world does with itWhy your professional title can work against youWhat more schooling won't give youOperating on the periphery of the healthcare systemFinding your real market by listening, not assumingThe cost of building a team when you're the only one who cares as much as you doWhether your business success can open doors for others in your professionHow entrepreneurship can arrive before you're ready for the wordAbout Melissa GunstoneMelissa Gunstone is a registered kinesiologist based in Ontario, Canada. She is the founder of Home Stretch (in-home kinesiology for seniors) and creator of Sturdey Fall Prevention Tools. She also employs and mentors kinesiologists through her business - making career development as much a part of her mission as client care.Connect with MelissaHome Stretch - In-Home Kinesiology for Seniors: https://www.homestretch4seniors.caSturdey Fall Prevention Tools: https://sturdey.com/collections/tools-to-stay-sturdy YouTube - The Fall Prevention Coach: https://youtube.com/@melissathefallpreventioncoach Melissa's marketing guy, Miles at Wondering Concierge: https://wonderingconcierge.com/Career Cliniq ResourcesWondering which direction your healthcare career could take? The StreamAhead Assessment helps you identify which work streams align with your strengths right now.👉 https://careercliniq.com/streamahead

When someone says "you need to network," what's your gut reaction? If it's dread mixed with a side of ick, Kaylee Johnson gets it. She's an occupational therapist who's worked across clinical care, health tech, and leadership roles in the US, and we sat down to unpack what networking actually looks like when you're an introvert who'd rather do anything else. We also had some fun comparing Australian and US takes on networking.This conversation cuts through the schmoozing stereotype to explore networking as something more human: leading with curiosity, asking questions because you genuinely want to know, and figuring out how you can help someone solve a problem. Kaylee shares how she flopped hard in early attempts but eventually landed roles through authentic connections and why LinkedIn doesn't have to feel like performing.If you've been avoiding networking because it feels transactional, or you're job hunting but worried about word getting back to your current workplace, this episode offers practical reframes and the courage you'll need to step outside your healthcare bubble.We ExploreWhy networking conversations feel transactional and how to reframe themThe courage required to network outside your professional comfort zoneCultural differences in networking expectations between Australia and the USStrategic use of LinkedIn without the performance anxietyHow to de-risk job search networking when you're worried about your current employer finding outHow networking plays a role in preventing career and performance stagnationAbout Kaylee JohnsonKaylee Johnson is an Occupational Therapist with 15 years of experience across clinical practice, health tech, and leadership roles in the northeast United States. As a self-described introvert, Kaylee has navigated multiple career transitions and now brings insights about authentic networking, cross-functional collaboration, and career evolution for healthcare professionals who want to explore beyond traditional clinical pathways.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaylee-m-johnson/Career Cliniq ResourcesIf this conversation has you thinking about what else might be possible in your healthcare career, the StreamAhead Assessment can help you identify which work streams align with your current interests and strengths. Sometimes clarity starts with simply knowing what's out there.Access the StreamAhead Assessment: https://careercliniq.com/streamaheadWhat's your biggest networking challenge right now? Drop me a message and let me know.Connect with me:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drruthvo/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drruthvo/

What becomes possible when you stop waiting to feel ready enough?Dr Anum Ali's undergraduate transcript didn't predict where she'd land. After six years as a crisis counsellor, she doubted graduate schools would take a chance on her, until a mentor told her that her GPA didn't tell her whole story. An adult ADHD diagnosis during her master's reframed years of academic struggle as a brain that works differently, and she built a career that uses how she thinks rather than fighting it: VP of Clinical at a health tech startup, university professor, clinical supervisor, private practice therapist, and founder of a youth mental health non-profit. Her PhD research on South Asian parents and digital wellness grew out of her own childhood experience of online bullying.We ExploreNavigating healthcare as an immigrant and first-generation studentWhat happens when a mentor sees beyond your transcriptGetting an adult ADHD diagnosis and rebuilding your career narrativeSaying yes and walking into rooms where you're not sure you belongTurning painful experiences into meaningful researchProtecting your compassion when burnout threatens to erode itAbout Dr Anum AliDr Anum Ali is a licensed professional counsellor and clinical mental health researcher working across several healthcare sectors at once: VP of Clinical at a digital wellness startup building AI-powered parental guidance tools, a master's-level counselling educator and clinical supervisor, and a private practitioner specialising in culturally responsive therapy for South Asian communities. She founded DigiWell Foundation, a Texas non-profit focused on youth mental health and digital wellbeing, and her PhD examined how South Asian parents navigate adolescent social media use and mental health stigma. She's the first woman from her village in Pakistan to earn a PhD.Connect with Dr Anum AliLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alianumtx/DigiWell Foundation: https://www.digiwellfoundation.org/TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfsNvFt--iICareer Cliniq ResourcesReady to explore what else might be possible? The StreamAhead Assessment helps you see which work streams align with how you actually work best.Join the ConversationWhat room are you not walking into because you're waiting to feel like you belong there?Find me on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Dr Kat Sylvester has built her whole career on a refusal: she won't accept that nothing more can be done.A physical therapist working across neurological rehabilitation and women's health, Kat founded Operation Mist, a maternal health monitoring program that puts data directly in women's hands, and a mentorship program that has supported over 170 PT students.This is for any health professional who can see what their patients need but keeps hitting what the system allows. Kat is open about how she changed hospital neuro care simply by asking for what patients needed, how scar massage opened the door to postpartum recovery, and why she walked away from a job she loved to build something that fit both her clinical values and her life as a mum. This isn't a work-life balance story. It's about building a career around the change you want to see, even when no one else is doing it yet.We ExploreAsking for what doesn't exist yet in your workplaceSpotting the gap between what the system allows and what patients needTesting whether your idea has legs before you leave job securityThe moment loving your role isn't enough to keep you thereBuilding a practice that puts knowledge in clients' hands instead of keeping them dependentAboutDr. Katherine Sylvester is a physical therapist specialising in neurological rehabilitation and women's health. She founded Operation Mist, a maternal health monitoring program that uses wearable technology to catch postpartum complications before they become life-threatening. Kat also created a minority mentorship program that has supported over 170 physical therapy students through graduation, and teaches scar physiology and women's health to PT students and professionals across the United States. She maintains a private practice in Macon, Georgia, where she treats patients with neurological injuries and supports women through pregnancy and postpartum recovery.Connect with Dr. KatWebsite - Operation M.I.S.T - Mommy MonitorYouTube Video - How Mommy Monitor WorksLinkedInInstagramCareer Cliniq ResourcesReady to explore what's possible beyond your current clinical role? The StreamAhead Assessment helps health professionals identify which career pathways align with their interests and expertise right now. Sometimes the first step toward change is simply understanding what options exist.Take the StreamAhead Assessment: https://careercliniq.com/streamaheadConnect with Ruth:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drruthvo/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drruthvo/

A physical therapist now shapes Medicare policy for one of the biggest healthcare companies in America. Dana Strauss will be the first to tell you she didn't plan it.Dana started in acute care physiotherapy and now leads value-based care and Medicare policy strategy at a Fortune 6 company, a role usually filled by lawyers and public policy experts.This is for any health professional who can't stop noticing the things that don't make sense. Dana built a whole career out of that instinct, teaching herself what she needed, pitching ideas to leadership, and following each problem to the next. She's honest about the parts that don't make the highlight reel too, the LinkedIn messages that scared her, the mentors who took a chance, the startup that nearly broke her, and the moment she realised policy work was what she'd been doing on the side of her desk for years. If you've ever sensed there's more you could do without a prescriptive plan or the usual credentials, this one is for you.We ExploreLetting what doesn't make sense become your career compassPitching yourself into a role that doesn't exist yetHow cross-functional committees put you in front of people who'll vouch for youSending the message that scares youWorking with a brain that needs constant intellectual stimulationAbout Dana StraussDana Strauss is a senior policy expert at a Fortune 6 company, leading value-based care and Medicare policy strategy for its healthcare delivery division. She started as an acute care physical therapist and built her career by solving problems others accepted as unchangeable. Her work spans alternative payment models, skilled nursing facility management, and population health, bringing a clinician's perspective to the policy that shapes how care is delivered across America.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danastraussdpt/Newsletter: https://www.timelessautonomy.com/subscribePodcast: https://www.youtube.com/@FutureProofPTCareer Cliniq ResourcesWondering how your clinical expertise could translate into a different role? The StreamAhead Assessment helps you identify your value and see what might make sense for your next move.Join the ConversationWhat's something in your workplace that just doesn't make sense to you?Find me on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Colleen Sloan finished her nutrition degree pumping breast milk in campus bathrooms. That refusal to wait for a convenient moment runs through everything she's built since.A registered dietitian(RD) and physician assistant(PA) in paediatric practice, Colleen hosts the Exam Room Nutrition Podcast and trains clinicians in obesity medicine.This is for any health professional who keeps noticing a problem they can't ignore. Colleen has a pattern of spotting things that harm patients without anyone meaning to, like the shame planted in a seven-year-old during a routine appointment, then building the skills to do something about it. She talks about retraining as a single mum, finding mentors who accelerate rather than just advise, staying authentic instead of fitting the professional mould, and testing a business while keeping her clinical work. If you're weighing more training, or a move from employee to entrepreneur, this gives you a way to make those calls strategically rather than reactively.We ExploreHow a major curveball can sharpen your professional directionWhat's wrong with how healthcare talks to kids about their bodiesFinding mentors who accelerate your growth, not just advise itWhy authenticity beats fitting a professional stereotypeBuilding and testing an expertise business while practising full-timeAbout Colleen SloanColleen Sloan is a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) and certified physician assistant (PA-C) specialising in general outpatient paediatrics. With nearly nine years in clinical practice, she works right at the intersection of nutrition and primary care. She hosts the Exam Room Nutrition Podcast and recently launched an obesity medicine course for clinicians that pairs clinical knowledge with compassionate communication.Connect with Colleen SloanLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/examroomnutrition/Exam Room Nutrition Podcast: https://www.examroomnutritionpodcast.com/Obesity Medicine Nutrition Course: https://www.examroomnutrition.com/courseCareer Cliniq ResourcesWondering what else might be possible in your healthcare career? The StreamAhead Assessment helps you see which work streams align with your interests and values right now.Join the ConversationColleen builds the skill to fix the problems she can't ignore. What problem in your work won't leave you alone?Find me on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Katie Blackburn loved clinical work. She also kept thinking there had to be a better way, and that thought wouldn't leave her alone.A physical therapist specialising in spinal cord injury rehabilitation, Katie moved into quality management, a step she'd once sworn she'd never take.This is for any health professional who senses there's more they could be doing but isn't sure it's allowed. Katie is candid about feeling stuck with a four-patient caseload when she wanted broader impact, preparing for a new role while working full-time and parenting, and the real grief of letting go of her clinical identity. She shares how she found mentors outside the formal structures, translated her clinical experience into the language of management, and learned to sit with not knowing exactly where she was headed. If you've ever wondered whether there's more for you beyond your current role, this gives you both permission to look and practical steps to take.We ExploreLoving what you're leaving and still needing changeThe strengths and traps of a Type A personality in transitionFinding mentors outside the formal structuresMourning a clinical identity and the imposter syndrome that followsSitting with uncertainty as part of growthTimestamps01:50 Why she never imagined leaving clinical practice03:13 The frustration of impacting four patients at a time06:17 The relentless pace and emotional toll of clinical work09:51 How extra projects revealed a pull toward systemic change16:49 Finding mentors outside formal structures25:39 The courage to cold-email a mentor28:11 Why the clinical playbook runs out early43:29 Practical steps from clinical practice to quality management50:56 Juggling preparation with a full clinical load56:18 Mourning a clinical identity and ongoing imposter syndromeAbout Katie BlackburnKatie Blackburn is a quality manager and physical therapist with expertise in spinal cord injury rehabilitation in inpatient settings. Her move from full-time clinical practice into healthcare quality management gives her a clear view of systemic change inside healthcare facilities. Her background includes residency training and mentoring programmes, with insight into both structured and informal professional development.Connect with Katie BlackburnLinkedIn Katie BlackburnCareer Cliniq ResourcesWondering what else might be possible in your healthcare career? The StreamAhead Assessment helps you see which work streams align with your interests and values right now.Join the ConversationWhat's holding you back from exploring what's possible beyond your current clinical role?Find me on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Tesiah Coleman went into nursing to change a system. The system spent years trying to change her instead.A Women's Health Nurse Practitioner turned founder, she's now CEO of Togather, her health justice platform.This is for any health professional whose work has cost more than the noble version admits. Tesiah is honest about racism in training, impossible caseloads, and the choice between calling and family when her son was diagnosed with cancer, and why your why holds steady when the how changes.We ExploreThe gap between nursing's radical roots and how it's actually taughtFacing racism during clinical training while holding onto your goalsThe impossible maths of community health, too many patients and too little timeMaking career-altering decisions when your child is seriously illFinding a setting where being a fixer is an asset, not a liabilityTimestamps03:33 Creating Togather: Building a Community for Health Justice06:39 Navigating the Challenges of Healthcare Leadership09:04 The Impact of Systemic Issues on Healthcare Providers10:54 The Importance of Collaborative Care Models13:00 Consulting in Health Tech: Bridging Gaps in Care16:09 The Path to Nursing: A Personal Journey18:58 Experiences in Nursing School: Challenges and Triumphs21:51 The Reality of Community Health Work25:03 The Intersection of Personal and Professional Life27:46 Finding Community in Adversity30:56 The Transition to Health Tech: A New Perspective33:55 Building Togather: The Vision for a Health Justice Community36:44 Navigating the Uncertainties of Entrepreneurship39:34 Lessons Learned: Wisdom for Healthcare ProfessionalsAbout Tesiah ColemanTesiah is a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner and the founder and CEO of Togather, a community platform for health justice advocates. She came into healthcare as a patient during an unexpected pregnancy, then trained and worked in under-resourced community health before moving into health tech after her son's cancer diagnosis reshaped what she needed from work. She now builds the kind of support and community she went looking for throughout her own career.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tesiahcoleman/Togather Platform: https://www.togathernow.com/Kyndred: https://www.withkyndred.com/Career Cliniq ResourcesWhen the how of your work has to change, the why can stay the same. The StreamAhead Assessment helps you see which work streams fit who you are now.Connect Find me on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Ever felt torn between staying loyal to communities that desperately need you and taking opportunities that serve your own growth? Venus Kalami, a board-certified paediatric dietitian, knows this struggle intimately.Venus shares her journey from community clinic work to academic medical centres, wrestling with the guilt of leaving under-resourced patients behind. She reveals what cultural humility actually looks like in practice - challenging the "Mediterranean diet is best" narrative and preserving patients' food cultures rather than forcing them into nutrition boxes.Through honest reflection on the barriers limiting diversity in dietetics and the village of mentors who made her advanced education possible, Venus demonstrates how healthcare careers evolve through unexpected turns and the courage to ask for support.We ExploreCultural humility and the myth of one right way to eatThe guilt of leaving under-resourced communities for better-supported rolesThe systemic barriers to diversity in dieteticsWhy asking for help and finding mentors is its own skillRethinking your professional identity when an industry role comes callingTimestamps00:00 Unexpected career turns that shaped Venus's path04:07 Finding paediatric nutrition as the right fit06:49 Cultural humility and the myth of one right way to eat12:22 Barriers to diversity in dietetics19:47 Winning scholarships to fund advanced study25:00 The village of mentors behind her growth38:48 How investing in education pays off beyond money41:42 Language as a tool for professional growth48:53 Navigating a shift in professional identity53:00 Redefining success beyond traditional metricsAbout Venus KalamiVenus Kalami is a board-certified USA paediatric dietitian with expertise in digestive health, cultural humility, and nutrition communications. As a first-generation immigrant, she brings a unique perspective to healthcare that challenges traditional approaches and advocates for cultural inclusivity in nutrition care. Venus has experience in academic medical centres, community clinics, and nutrition consulting, with a master's degree in Nutrition Science and Policy from Tufts University.Connect with Venus KalamiLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/venuskalami/Website: https://www.venuskalamird.com/Resources Mentioned: Diversify Dietetics organisationCareer Cliniq ResourcesReady to work out what's next? The StreamAhead Assessment helps you see whether your next move is to optimise, adapt, or reinvent your healthcare career.Connect with Ruth on LinkedIn | Instagram @drruthvo

How do you know when it's time to make a career move in healthcare? Olumide Ajulo has navigated this question multiple times. A qualified psychotherapist and clinical psychology master's graduate, Olumide transitioned from finance management to become a team manager in university counselling services. His story demonstrates how to thoughtfully evaluate career decisions while building skills that create new opportunities.Questions We ExploreHow do you tell the difference between being frustrated with your role and being ready to leave?What are you running towards, not just what you're running from?What does the full spectrum of healthcare career decisions look like beyond stay or go?How do non-negotiables reduce career decision fatigue?When patients aren't responding to treatment, is it really their fault?Chapters04:04 From finance management to therapeutic practice06:31 Why acute mental health work appeals despite the challenges09:02 Relational therapy and building real therapeutic connection11:31 Career pathways and specialisation decisions in psychology13:58 Working through client disengagement16:20 Self-reflection as the engine of career growth18:48 How emotional intelligence drives professional success21:11 Rethinking responsibility for treatment outcomes25:53 Moving from clinical practice into team leadership27:39 Building effective multidisciplinary teams29:58 Balancing clinical work with people management33:35 Working out what actually energises you39:57 A framework for career decisions using non-negotiablesAbout Olumide AjuloOlumide Ajulo is a counselling psychologist and team manager at a UK university counselling service. After over a decade in finance management, he made the strategic transition to psychology, bringing valuable systems thinking and people management skills to therapeutic practice. He now combines direct client work with team leadership, supervision, and service development in a multidisciplinary mental health setting.Resources mentioned:"The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog" by Dr. Bruce PerrySurvivors West YorkshireConnect with Olumide AjuloLinkedIn HERECareer Cliniq ResourcesFeeling that pull to explore what else might be possible? The StreamAhead Assessment helps you discover which work streams align with your interests right now. Sometimes clarity starts with simply knowing what's out there.Connect: LinkedIn @Dr Ruth Vo, PhD | Instagram @drruthvo | careerecliniq.com

Nikki Campbell's CV doesn't go in a straight line, and that's the point. She moved from ICU nursing to palliative care to endometriosis coordination by following what mattered to her rather than the ladder she was handed.An Australian endometriosis nurse coordinator now training as a nurse practitioner, Nikki has built care models from scratch across three very different areas of nursing.This is for any health professional who suspects their interests are pulling them somewhere their specialty wasn't supposed to go. Nikki is open about following her own health experience into a new field, proving transferable skills when her CV didn't fit the template, and building something while she was still in the middle of delivering it. If you've wondered whether it's safe to ask better questions and follow where they lead, this conversation gives you a real example of someone who did.We ExploreExcelling at work that no longer fits your valuesWhy transferable skills can matter more than years in one specialtyWhat it costs to ask "why do we do it this way" as a juniorLetting personal health experience inform professional decisionsBuilding a new model of care while you're still delivering itTimestamps00:41 From ICU nursing to palliative care10:55 The pressure of the linear career pathway16:30 How transferable skills enabled big specialty changes23:37 Building new care processes while still delivering care29:14 Asking "why does it have to be like this"34:38 Being told "you're not allowed to have an opinion"39:34 Moving states and changing specialties41:33 How motherhood shifted her view of work45:26 A nurse practitioner vision for endometriosis care49:33 Reaching patients through telehealthAbout Nikki CampbellNikki Campbell is an Australian endometriosis nurse coordinator who moved from ICU nursing to palliative care to women's health. She is currently training as a nurse practitioner while working in telehealth, and specialises in helping endometriosis patients find their way through the healthcare system. Her work includes building new care models, quality improvement, and advocating for neurodivergent-friendly practice.Connect with Nikki CampbellLinkedIn: Connect with Nikki on LinkedInInstagram: Connect with Nikki on InstagramJulia Argyrou Endometriosis CentreCareer Cliniq ResourcesWondering which work streams fit where your interests are now, and which transferable skills to invest in next? The StreamAhead Assessment helps you see both.Find me on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Lina Briek kept getting passed over for the promotions she wanted. The thing holding her back inside the system turned out to be the same thing that built her a business outside it.A dietitian and PhD researcher, Lina founded Tube Dietitian, a Melbourne business supporting adults living with feeding tubes at home, after fourteen years across rural and metropolitan hospitals.This one is for any health professional who has been told to slow down, dim their enthusiasm, or wait their turn. Lina is candid about how a secondment outside her specialty reshaped how she saw her work, why rural roles taught her more than the prestige posts, and what it took to put a price on her worth after years of being valued by pay scales and awards. If you've ever sensed that the system rewards staying small, there's a lot here worth sitting with.We ExploreWhat happens when your natural energy gets read as something to manageWhy rural and grade-one roles can build confidence faster than prestige postsHow a secondment outside your specialty can change the way you think about your workThe point where job security starts working against youPricing your worth after years of being valued by pay scales and awardsTimestamps01:40 Becoming a dietitian and an early bet on nutrition04:03 What families in intensive care really care about06:29 Why rural grade-one roles build confidence fast12:17 "Your confidence is very American" and healthcare hierarchy20:20 The COVID shift that pushed nutrition aside25:19 Pricing your worth after public hospital pay scales28:31 The $5,500 legal lesson that protected the business30:25 The secondment that changed how she saw her work34:34 When "coaching" really meant suppress your energy41:28 Why she wouldn't take the straight-line career pathAbout Lina BriekLina Briek is a dietitian, PhD researcher, and founder of Tube Dietitian, a Melbourne-based business providing specialised nutrition support for adults living with feeding tubes at home. With fourteen years of hospital experience spanning rural general practice to metropolitan ICU, she bridges the gap between hospital discharge and long-term home care. Her research looks at the state of home tube feeding in Australia, with a particular focus on real food approaches.LinkedIn: Lina Briek's ProfileBusiness Website: Tube DietitianCareer Cliniq ResourcesInspired but unsure about your own next steps? The StreamAhead Assessment helps you see which healthcare work streams align with your interests and life right now, including the ones you might not have considered.Follow the show and find me on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Most practitioners get warned early that certain clients, or certain populations, will be the hard ones. Chris Bradshaw built his career finding close to the opposite.A psychotherapist with a PhD in clinical psychology, Chris set out to become a civil rights lawyer before his path turned sharply toward therapy.This conversation is for any health professional who has felt the pressure to always have the right answer, wondered whether "difficult" is a fair label for a client, or questioned how to keep doing meaningful work without it costing them everything. Chris is honest about what gets in our way as helpers, what genuine presence asks of us, and what it takes to build a practice that holds up over time. And if you've been weighing how much of your future should stay client-facing, there's a lot here worth sitting with before you decide.We ExploreThe pressure to have the right answer for every clientWhy being truly present feels so uncomfortable for helpersSitting with not knowing while still being usefulThe line between being supportive and being challengingWhat sustainable practice asks of you before burnout forces the questionTimestamps01:06 Unexpected Pathway into Counselling03:10 Finding Meaning in Counselling08:22 Challenging Assumptions in Therapy14:41 The Journey to Certification19:57 Research and Therapeutic Presence24:56 Navigating Therapeutic Presence27:19 The Role of Presence in Healthcare29:12 Balancing Client Needs and Professional Expertise32:04 Burnout in Healthcare Professionals35:39 Strategies for Preventing Burnout40:23 Setting Goals and Managing Time48:19 Future Directions in Therapy PracticeAbout Chris BradshawChris Bradshaw is a psychotherapist with a PhD in clinical psychology who specialises in depth-oriented therapy and somatic approaches. His research focuses on therapeutic presence and the client experience of attunement. Chris has worked across diverse settings from addiction treatment to private practice, consistently discovering that the populations others label as "difficult" are often the most ready for meaningful change.Connect with Chris:LinkedIn Profile - HEREChris' Podcasts - HERECareer Cliniq ResourcesWorking out whether your long-term goals should keep you in client-facing work? The StreamAhead Assessment helps you see which work streams actually align with your interests right now.Follow this podcast, LinkedIn or Instagram

What You'll Learn From This EpisodeProfessional Identity & Purpose"Am I still a PT if I'm not practicing clinically?" - How Raji separates credentials from identityRedefining what impact looks like beyond direct patient careWhy your clinical background is actually your competitive advantage in health techThe Real Work of Career TransitionWhy your clinical resume won't work for non-clinical roles (and what to do instead)The exact LinkedIn strategies that opened doors for RajiHow to handle rejection, pay cuts, and the humbling reality of starting overThe networking approach that gets results without seeming desperateTurning Challenges Into FuelHow Raji transformed workplace discrimination into career clarityManaging visa restrictions while building a new professional pathWhy COVID-19 became the catalyst she needed to make her moveChapters00:43 Raji Introduction01:34 Starting out & Transitioning into Product Management03:09 Journey from Clinical to Non-Clinical Roles05:49 Navigating Challenges in Healthcare08:43 The Impact of COVID-19 on Healthcare11:14 Building Leadership Skills in Outpatient Care14:11 Work-Life Balance and Career Growth16:34 The Importance of Networking and Mentorship19:10 Overcoming Rejection and Learning from Mistakes21:46 Defining Success Beyond Clinical Roles24:33 The Role of Curiosity in Professional Growth27:16 Finding Belonging in a New Professional Identity29:43 Embracing Change and New Opportunities32:14 The Future of Healthcare and Product ManagementFind Raji on LinkedIn:Ready to Navigate Your Own Career Evolution?If this conversation sparked something for you, you're not alone. Many healthcare professionals feel stuck or wonder what else might be possible beyond their current role. Get started with the StreamAhead Assessment here.Connect with Ruth on LinkedIn or Instagram

Feeling stuck in clinical practice but not sure if academia is for you? Think you missed your chance because you didn't do honours? Caroline Mills shows why your clinical frustrations might actually be pointing you toward your next career evolution.Dr Caroline Mills is a senior lecturer in occupational therapy at Western Sydney University, Australia whose research is dedicated to improving the lives of autistic people and those who support them. After 11 years as an OT - including time as a school-based therapist working with autistic children across Australia, the UK, and China - burning questions about sensory interventions led her back to university for a PhD in this often controversial research area.Now, 20 years into her health career, current research spans supporting sensory processing in autistic children, aging autistic adults, technology applications for people with disabilities, and dementia interventions, always with a focus on applied research that makes real-world difference.In this episode, Caroline answers:What does a typical academic week actually look like?What's the best and hardest thing about being in academia right now?How do you handle constant rejection and failure in research?How do you measure the real impact of your work when metrics don't tell the story?When do you say yes vs no to opportunities (and why you need a mission)?How do you find your identity when transitioning from clinician to academic?Should you go straight from graduation to academia or get practice experience first?What external constraints impact career development in research?How do you balance academic demands with having young children?Caroline's honest insights cover:Why clinical experience was essential before her research careerThe toxic work culture in academia and how to navigate itFinding your research "people" across different departmentsManaging the slow pace of researchBuilding resilience for the rejection-heavy academic worldPerfect for: Clinicians considering research, health professionals curious about academia, or anyone wondering about the reality behind university life.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Academia and Current Role09:04 Challenges and Rewards in Academia15:52 The Journey into Research and PhD20:35 Research Focus and Controversies27:46 Navigating Opportunities and Saying No36:19 The Slow Pace of Research41:26 Career Path and Identity in Academia47:32 External Influences and Support SystemsShow Links:The ConversationConnect with Caroline Mills on LinkedIn HEREReady to explore if research or education could be your next evolution? Take the StreamAhead Assessment to discover which career pathway truly aligns with your strengths and interests. Learn more HERE.

Content note: This episode includes brief discussion of childhood trauma in a therapeutic context. You can listen from time 13:45 to avoid this part.Episode SummaryWhat happens when a social work student breaks all the rules and trusts her instincts with a traumatised four-year-old? Dr Sophie Archibald's career-defining moment came not from textbooks, but from an imaginary crown and the courage to lean into the unknown.From getting rejected from grad school (twice) to juggling motherhood with a PhD, Sophie's journey from clinical social worker to mind-body medicine researcher challenges everything we're taught about professional boundaries. Her story reveals how our most authentic moments as practitioners often happen when we stop following protocols and start trusting what emerges naturally.This conversation is raw, real, and refreshingly honest about the messy realities of career evolution in healthcare - including why compartmentalisation is a myth and mac and cheese dinners are perfectly acceptable fuel for ambitious dreams.What we explore:The pivotal early childhood classroom moment that changed everythingWhy being rejected from grad school was actually a giftNavigating motherhood while pursuing advanced degrees (spoiler: mac and cheese is perfectly fine)The myth of compartmentalisation in healthcare and why we need to let ourselves be "moved and changed" by our patientsFinding the thread that connects all your work, regardless of role changesTaking responsibility for what you want instead of just reacting to external pressuresAbout Dr Sophie ArchibaldDr Sophie Archibald is a licensed clinical social worker, mind-body medicine researcher, and academic who specialises in therapeutic relationships and clinical intuition. With a PhD in Mind-Body Medicine, she challenges traditional paradigms around professional boundaries and explores how healthcare providers can authentically integrate their humanity into practice.Guest Links:Connect with Sophie on LinkedIn ⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠Listen to Sophie's podcast 'Fully Human Psychology' ⁠⁠HERE⁠Career Cliniq ResourcesStreamAhead Assessment - Discover which healthcare workstreams align with your evolving interests. Perfect for social workers, mental health professionals, and clinicians exploring pathways to grow their career with or beyond practice.

What happens when a physical therapist tells their spouse, "I just have this itch—I need to share what I know with somebody else"? For Cody Thompson, that dining table moment sparked a 15-year journey from home health practice to remote PhD faculty.Cody's evolution challenges every assumption about linear healthcare careers. From driving two hours each way to teach as a lab assistant, to strategically leveraging market needs for program director roles, his story reveals how curiosity and opportunity can reshape your entire trajectory. This conversation explores practical realities of transitioning into healthcare education, financial calculations most clinicians get wrong, and why we're missing countless career branches by staying in our comfortable scope of practice lanes.We ExploreHow do you recognise when professional restlessness points toward something new?What does it mean to trade unmotivated patients for hungry students?When is uncertainty worth sacrificing familiar comfort?How can you leverage organisational needs with existing skills?What financial calculations do healthcare professionals get wrong about education roles?How do you maintain professional identity while expanding into unexpected territories?About Cody ThompsonCody Thompson is a physical therapist and Associate Professor with over 20 years of experience who transitioned into healthcare education. He currently runs a health science PhD program at a university in Alabama and helps healthcare professionals navigate career transitions into academic roles. Cody is also a father of five and advocates for building career flexibility that aligns with personal values and life circumstances.Guest LinksConnect with Cody on LinkedInNon-Clinical Gig Job Board (US-based)Career Cliniq ResourcesInspired by Cody's journey? The ⁠StreamAhead Assessment⁠ helps health professionals discover which of eight healthcare workstreams align with your current interests and life circumstances.  Find out more ⁠HERE.Join the ConversationLinkedIn: @DrRuthVo @CareerCliniq | Instagram: @drruthvo