Evolving in Healthcare

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 end up. After six years as a crisis counsellor, she wasn't sure graduate schools would take a chance on her. Then a mentor said five words that changed everything: "Your GPA doesn't tell your whole story."An adult ADHD diagnosis during her master's in clinical mental health counselling reframed years of academic struggle—not as failure, but as her brain working differently. Today, she's built a career that actually leverages how she thinks: VP of Clinical at a health tech startup, university professor, clinical supervisor, private practice therapist, and founder of DigiWell Foundation focused on youth mental health and digital wellness.Her PhD research on South Asian parents and digital wellness? It grew directly from her childhood experiences with online bullying. The painful parts of her story became the foundation for work that protects the next generation.Anum's advice: "I think it started out with me saying yes to opportunities and going into the rooms where I wasn't sure if I even belonged."This conversation is about building careers that work with you instead of against you, reaching out before imposter syndrome says you're qualified, and discovering that your different path might be exactly what positions you to make real impact. We explore:Navigating healthcare as an immigrant and first-generation studentConfronting mental health stigma in South Asian communities and becoming a voice for changeWhat happens when a mentor sees beyond your transcriptThe isolation of feeling different—culturally, academically, and professionallyGetting an adult ADHD diagnosis and rebuilding your career narrativeLeaving secure crisis centre work to explore what else is possibleSaying yes to opportunities and walking into rooms where you're not sure you belongTurning painful experiences of bullying and cultural disconnection into meaningful researchWhy empathy is a skill you build over time, not just a personality traitProtecting compassion when burnout threatens to erode itAbout Dr. Anum Ali, PhDDr. Anum Ali is a licensed professional counsellor and clinical mental health researcher working across multiple healthcare sectors. As VP of Clinical at a digital wellness startup, she builds AI-powered parental guidance tools. She teaches master's-level counselling students, provides clinical supervision at a non-profit, maintains a private practice specialising in culturally responsive therapy for South Asian communities, and founded DigiWell Foundation—a Texas non-profit focused on youth mental health and digital wellbeing. Her PhD research 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.LinkedIn: 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 healthcare professionals discover which work streams align with how you actually work best.👉 Take the StreamAhead AssessmentWhat room are you not walking into because you're waiting to feel like you belong there?Connect with Ruth on LinkedIn or Instagram to continue the conversation.

What does it take to look at a broken system and decide you're going to fix it—one patient, one program, one bold ask at a time?Dr. Katherine Sylvester is a physical therapist whose career has been shaped by a single question: what if we refused to accept that nothing more can be done? From watching her grandmother receive inadequate stroke care as a child, to building a minority mentorship program that's supported over 170 PT students, to founding Operation Mist—a maternal health monitoring program that puts data directly in women's hands—Kat's journey is about challenging the defaults that healthcare hands us.In this conversation, we explore how she transformed hospital neuro care by simply asking for what patients needed, how scar massage became a gateway to postpartum recovery, and why she walked away from a job she loved to build something that aligned with both her clinical values and her life as a mum. This isn't a story about work-life balance. It's about building a career that serves the change you want to see, even when that means doing things no one else is doing yet.If you've ever wondered what it looks like to turn professional frustration into meaningful change, this one's for you.We ExploreThe courage to ask for what doesn't exist yet in your workplace—and why that single act can reshape your entire career trajectoryWhere do the resources and support for your next career move really come from?When you notice the gap between what the system allows and what patients actually need—and what that tension means for your career pathTesting whether your idea has legs before you leave the security of your jobThe moment when loving your role isn't enough to keep you there anymoreHow one competition and $15,000 became permission to leapBuilding a practice that puts your knowledge in clients' hands instead of keeping them dependent on youThe fear that thinking bigger means losing control of your lifeWhen you realise you're no longer building a job—you're building a movementAbout Dr. 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 Monitor YouTube Video - How Mommy Monitor WorksLinkedIn InstagramCareer 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/

How does a physical therapist end up shaping Medicare policy for a Fortune 6 company?Dana Strauss will tell you—it wasn't planned. She stumbled into it by following what made sense and solving problems that frustrated her.Today, Dana works in a role typically reserved for lawyers and public policy experts, influencing value-based care and Medicare strategy for one of the largest healthcare organizations in America. But her journey there was anything but linear.Starting in acute care physiotherapy, Dana quickly realised she had a pattern: she'd get bored once she mastered something, and she couldn't ignore things that didn't make sense. Total joint patients in expensive acute rehab when they could go home. Discharge processes serving the system instead of patients.Instead of accepting it, she started solving it—teaching herself what she needed to know, pitching ideas to leadership, and connecting with people who could help. Each conversation and each problem solved opened unexpected doors.In this episode, Dana shares her story with remarkable honesty. The serendipitous LinkedIn messages. The mentors who took a chance on her. The startup that nearly broke her. The moment she realised policy work was what she'd been doing on the side of her desk for years.Dana's journey reveals what becomes possible when you trust yourself enough to follow what genuinely engages you, even without traditional credentials or a prescriptive plan.We ExploreHow noticing what doesn't make sense became Dana's career compassWhy she pitched herself into roles that didn't exist—and how she made the business caseThe power of cross-functional committees for meeting people who might vouch for youLinkedIn messages that felt scary but changed everythingWorking with the reality that you get bored easily and need intellectual stimulationWhat it's actually like to land in policy work without traditional qualificationsAbout Dana StraussDana is a senior policy expert at a Fortune 6 company, leading value-based care and Medicare policy strategy for their healthcare delivery division. Starting as an acute care physical therapist, she built her career by solving problems others accepted as unchangeable. Dana specialises in alternative payment models, skilled nursing facility management, and population health—bringing a clinician's perspective to the policy work that shapes how healthcare 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 different roles? The StreamAhead Assessment helps health professionals identify their unique value and explore what might make sense for their next move.Take the StreamAhead AssessmentWhat's something in your workplace that just doesn't make sense to you?Join the ConversationShare your thoughts with Ruth on LinkedIn or Instagram

Picture this: you're 20, in your junior year studying nutrition, and life throws you a massive curveball. Most people might put their career dreams on hold.Not today's guest.She finished her degree while pumping breast milk in campus chemistry bathrooms, became a successful dietitian, then watched medical colleagues unknowingly plant seeds of shame in seven-year-olds during routine appointments.It's an honour to welcome Colleen Sloan to Evolving in Healthcare.Colleen is both a registered dietitian and physician assistant who's spent a decade in paediatric practice. From single motherhood through PA school to building a podcast that's changing how clinicians talk about nutrition, she's never taken the conventional path.What I find most compelling about Colleen is how she consistently identifies problems that harm patients, then builds the skills to address them. Sometimes the most important career moves come disguised as problems you simply can't ignore.If you're a healthcare professional feeling stuck in roles that no longer fit, considering additional training, or wondering how to transition from employee to entrepreneur while maintaining clinical practice, this conversation offers a framework for making strategic rather than reactive career decisions.We Explore:How life's biggest curveballs can actually clarify your professional directionWhy the strategic decision to retrain as a single mum paid off in unexpected waysWhat's fundamentally wrong with how we talk to kids about their bodies in healthcare settingsHow to find mentors who accelerate rather than just advise your career developmentWhy authenticity matters more than fitting professional stereotypesHow to build and test expertise-based businesses while maintaining full-time clinical practiceAbout Colleen SloanColleen Sloan is both a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) and certified physician assistant (PA-C) specialising in general outpatient paediatrics. With nearly nine years in clinical practice, she's uniquely positioned to understand the intersection of nutrition and primary care. Colleen hosts the Exam Room Nutrition Podcast and has recently launched a comprehensive obesity medicine course for healthcare professionals, focusing on both clinical knowledge and compassionate communication strategies.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 ResourcesReady to explore what else might be possible in your healthcare career? The StreamAhead Assessment helps you discover which work streams align with your interests and values right now. Sometimes clarity starts with understanding what's actually out there.Take the StreamAhead AssessmentConnect with Ruth:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drruthvo/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drruthvo/

What happens when you love your clinical work but find yourself constantly thinking "there has to be a better way"? Katie Blackburn, a physical therapist specialising in spinal cord injury rehabilitation, never imagined she'd step away from direct patient care. Yet that's exactly what she did when she transitioned to quality management—a career evolution she once swore she'd never make.Katie's story reveals the practical realities of healthcare career transition within complex medical systems. She talks candidly about feeling stuck with a caseload of just four patients when she yearned for broader impact, and the relentless pace that left little time for basic human needs. More importantly, she shares how she prepared for a completely different role whilst managing full-time clinical demands and motherhood—including the emotional work of mourning the loss of her clinical identity.This conversation offers concrete strategies for health professionals considering similar transitions: how to find mentors outside formal structures, translate clinical experience into management language, and navigate the discomfort of not knowing exactly where your career is headed. If you've ever wondered whether there's more you could be doing beyond your current clinical role, Katie's journey provides both permission to explore and practical steps to take along the way.We ExploreHow you can love what you're leaving and still need changeType A personality challenges and strengths in healthcare career transitionsThe crucial role of supportive managers and mentors in realising possibilityPractical strategies for preparing for opportunitiesMourning professional identity shifts and navigating imposter syndromeLearning to embrace uncertainty as a pathway to career growthTimestamps01:50 Why Katie never imagined leaving clinical practice03:13 The frustration of impacting only four patients at a time06:17 The relentless pace of clinical practice and emotional toll09:51 How extra projects revealed a passion for systemic change13:00 The importance of supportive managers in career evolution16:49 Finding mentors outside formal structures21:51 Moving beyond structured clinical mentorship models25:39 The courage to ask for guidance and cold-email mentors28:11 Why the clinical "playbook" ends early in our careers31:49 Redefining career goals as exploration rather than promotion39:01 The Master Adaptive Learner framework and curiosity as a skill43:29 Practical steps to transition from clinical practice to quality management50:56 The harsh reality of juggling preparation with clinical demands56:18 Mourning the loss of clinical identity and ongoing imposter syndromeAbout Katie BlackburnKatie Blackburn is a quality manager and physical therapist with specialised expertise in spinal cord injury rehabilitation within inpatient settings. Her transition from full-time clinical practice to healthcare quality management provides a unique perspective on systemic change within healthcare facilities. Katie's background includes residency training and experience in mentoring programmes, giving her particular insight into structured and informal approaches to professional development for health professionals.Connect with Katie Blackburn on LinkedInCareer Cliniq ResourcesReady to explore what else might be possible in your healthcare career? The StreamAhead Assessment helps you discover which work streams align with your interests and values right now. Sometimes clarity starts with simply knowing what's out there.Take the StreamAhead AssessmentJoin the ConversationWhat's holding you back from exploring career possibilities beyond your current clinical role? Share your thoughts and connect with fellow health professionals navigating similar journeys.Connect with Ruth:LinkedIn: Dr Ruth VoInstagram: @drruthvo

How do you keep fighting for health justice when the system keeps breaking you down? Tesiah Coleman's journey from "psychologist version of Oprah" dreams to Women's Health Nurse Practitioner reveals the harsh realities behind healthcare's noble calling.An unexpected pregnancy during undergrad thrust Tesiah into the healthcare world as a patient, sparking her nursing path. But the radical, change-making vision she'd been drawn to clashed dramatically with reality - from racist comments during clinical rotations to managing 25 triple-booked patients in under-resourced community health. When her young son was diagnosed with cancer, impossible choices between career calling and family needs led her from community health into health tech, where her problem-solving nature was finally welcomed.Now as CEO and founder of Togather, she's building the community platform for health justice advocates that she desperately needed throughout her journey. Listen as Tesiah shares how finding community became her survival strategy and why the "why" behind your work can remain constant even when the "how" transforms completely.We ExploreThe jarring disconnect between nursing's radical roots and traditional education approachesNavigating racist treatment during clinical training while maintaining professional goalsThe impossible mathematics of community healthcare: too many patients, too little timeMaking career-altering decisions when your child faces a life-threatening diagnosisFinding environments where being a "fixer" becomes an asset rather than a liabilityBuilding businesses while travelling the world during your child's recoveryThe sustained doubt and uncertainty that comes with entrepreneurship in healthcareTimestamps03:33 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 Coleman is a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner and founder of Togather – a community platform for healthcare professionals working toward health equity. At Kyndred, she serves as Co-Founder and Chief Clinical Officer, where she apply the Togather ALI™ framework to design race-concordant, digital-first care built for Black women, by Black women. For this work, Tesiah was named a 2025 Ebony Changemaker in The Power of She issue. Her career spans community healthcare, health tech leadership, and maternal health advocacy.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tesiahcoleman/Togather Platform: https://www.togathernow.com/Kyndred: https://www.withkyndred.com/Career Cliniq ResourcesReady to explore what else might be possible in your healthcare career? The StreamAhead Assessment can help you discover which career paths align with your interests right now.Take the StreamAhead AssessmentJoin the ConversationWhat resonated most with you about Tesiah's journey from community health burnout to health tech leadership?Connect with Dr Ruth Vo:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drruthvo/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drruthvo/

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 in healthcare practice and challenging the "one right way" nutrition narrativeThe guilt of leaving under-resourced communities for better-supported career opportunitiesSystemic barriers to diversity in the dietetics profession and healthcareThe role of mentors and advocates in career evolution and the challenge of asking for helpHow advanced study provides language for feelings and opens access to new professional networksQuestioning professional identity when considering industry roles after being "anti-industry"Timestamps00:00 - Unexpected career turns and pivotal moments that shaped Venus's journey04:07 - Finding paediatric nutrition as the perfect career fit06:49 - Cultural humility in practice: challenging the "one right way" nutrition narrative12:22 - Barriers to diversity in dietetics and systemic profession challenges19:47 - Strategic scholarship applications for advanced education funding25:00 - The village of mentors who made career growth possible38:48 - How education investment pays off beyond financial returns41:42 - Language as a tool for professional growth and network access48:53 - Navigating professional identity shifts and career evolution53:00 - Redefining success beyond traditional healthcare 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 organisation Career Cliniq ResourcesReady to explore what's next? Take the StreamAhead Assessment to discover whether you need to Optimise, Adapt, or Reinvent your healthcare career. Venus's story shows how career evolution requires both courage and clarity—get yours HERE Venus describes her career as dominoes falling into place. What unexpected turn opened doors you never imagined?Connect with Ruth on LinkedIn | Instagram @drruthvoEvolving in Healthcare is your space for honest conversations about the messy, beautiful reality of healthcare careers. Because your career should evolve with your life, not hold you back from it.

Episode SummaryHow 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.In our conversation, Olumide shares his approach to career transitions, why he believes healthcare needs more self-aware professionals, and the therapeutic concept that's transformed how he approaches both client relationships and management decisions. Whether you're considering a move from clinical practice to management, exploring combined roles, or wondering how to leverage skills from other sectors, this episode offers practical insights from someone who's successfully navigated career evolution in healthcare.Questions We ExploreHow do you know when you're frustrated with your healthcare role versus ready to leave?What am I running towards in my healthcare career, not just what am I running from?Healthcare career decisions aren't just stay or go - what's the full spectrum?What are non-negotiables and how do they reduce career decision fatigue?When patients aren't responding to treatment, is it really their fault?How do you manage healthcare teams when staff want to leave anyway?How do you transfer skills between sectors like finance and healthcare?When facing career rejection, where should healthcare professionals focus energy?Chapters04:04 The strategic transition from finance sector to therapeutic practice06:31 Why working with acute mental health appeals despite the challenges09:02 Relational therapy approaches that build meaningful therapeutic connections11:31 Navigating career pathways in psychology, therapy, and specialisation decisions13:58 Overcoming client disengagement with specific therapeutic strategies16:20 Professional self-reflection as essential for healthcare career growth18:48 Why emotional intelligence and self-awareness drive professional success21:11 Reframing therapeutic responsibility and client engagement in treatment outcomes23:40 Addressing therapeutic relationship breakdowns with practical tools25:53 Olumide's transition from clinical practice to healthcare team leadership27:39 Building effective multidisciplinary healthcare teams for better patient outcomes29:58 Balancing clinical work with people management responsibilities33:35 Identifying what energises you for sustainable healthcare career development39:57 A practical framework for career decisions using non-negotiables and strategic planningAbout 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.Join the ConversationReflection: What recurring patterns in your current role might be pointing toward your next professional chapter?Connect: LinkedIn @Dr Ruth Vo, PhD | Instagram @drruthvo | careerecliniq.com

Episode SummaryWhat happens when you follow evolving interests rather than the expected career ladder? Nikki Campbell's journey from ICU nursing to palliative care to endometriosis coordination challenges everything we think about "proper" career progression.Starting in ICU with traditional trajectory plans, Nikki questioned pediatric treatment-at-all-costs approaches, leading her to palliative care. Her own endometriosis experience sparked another pivot - moving states to become an endometriosis nurse coordinator, now pursuing nurse practitioner studies.Her story reveals how transferable skills matter more than linear progression. Building new models from scratch - "building the plane while flying it" - offers insights for professionals wondering if it's safe to follow evolving interests. Discover why asking better questions matters more than knowing answers, how personal experiences can guide career decisions, and why the "right" path might not exist yet.Questions We ExploreWhen Healthcare Values and Practice CollideWhat do you do when you excel at something that no longer aligns with your values?How do you navigate the guilt of leaving a "good" healthcare career for something uncertain?Can personal health experiences legitimately guide professional decisions?Breaking Healthcare's Linear Career MythWhy do we assume nursing specialties can't translate across completely different areas?What happens when your CV doesn't fit the expected healthcare career template?How do you prove transferable skills matter more than specialty experience?Speaking Truth to Healthcare HierarchyWhat's the cost of asking "why do we do it this way?" as a junior health professional?How do you challenge unsafe practices without being labelled a troublemaker?Why does healthcare resist change even when everyone knows it's needed?Timestamps00:41 The unexpected turn from ICU to palliative care06:06 Why Nikki left school at 16 and returned to nursing later10:55 Recognising the pressure of linear career pathways16:30 How transferable skills enabled specialty changes23:37 Building new processes while delivering care29:14 Challenging workplace practices: "Why does it have to be like that?"34:38 Being told "you're not allowed to have an opinion"39:34 The personal factors behind moving states and changing specialties41:33 How motherhood changed her perspective on work45:26 The vision for nurse practitioner practice in endometriosis care49:33 Reaching patients through innovative telehealth delivery57:20 Rapid fire questions and career insightsAbout Nikki CampbellNikki Campbell is an Australian endometriosis nurse coordinator who navigated from ICU nursing to palliative care to women's health. Currently pursuing nurse practitioner studies while working in telehealth delivery, she specialises in supporting endometriosis patients navigate healthcare systems. Her experience includes building new care models, quality improvement initiatives, and advocating for neurodivergent-friendly practices.Connect with Nikki CampbellLinkedIn: Connect with Nikki on LinkedInInstagram: Connect with Nikki on InstagramJulia Argyrou Endometriosis CentreCareer Cliniq ResourcesDiscover which healthcare work streams align with your current interests - and what transferable skills you want to invest in developing to grow your career with the StreamAhead Assessment.Join the ConversationWhat's one question you wish you'd asked earlier in your healthcare career?Share on LinkedIn @DrRuthVo or Instagram @drruthvo.Workstreams: Practice, Research, Quality and Safety

Episode SummaryHow do you know when it's time to leave a career you've invested years building? In this episode, dietitian and entrepreneur Lina Briek shares her unexpected journey from missing out on multiple hospital promotions to building a thriving home tube feeding business during COVID. Lina reveals why her "American confidence" in Australian healthcare settings became her superpower, how a random intensive care project opened doors she never knew existed, and what it really takes to transition from employee security to entrepreneurial freedom. This conversation unpacks the hidden costs of staying comfortable, the surprising advantages of rural healthcare positions, and why sometimes the system's limitations become your biggest opportunity for impact.Questions We ExploreAre you dimming your natural enthusiasm because others tell you to "slow down"?How do you channel high energy in environments that reward conformity?Why are rural healthcare positions actually the golden tickets for career development?How do secondments outside your specialty become the foundation for entrepreneurial thinking?When does "job security" actually become a trap that prevents growth?How do you price your worth when you've only been assigned value by awards and pay scales?Why does personal branding matters if you ever want to do something other than see patients on a ward and advance your career?Timestamps01:40 - From Dentist's Daughter to Dietitian: The Unexpected Career Origin Story02:06 - Dad's Prediction: Why Nutrition Would Be "The Way of the Future"04:03 - The ICU Reality Check: When Families Care Most About Nutrition05:08 - New Graduate Struggle: Six Months Without a Job06:29 - Rural Hospital Goldmine: Why Grade One Positions Build Confidence Fast08:25 - Teaching People How to Treat You: The Parenteral Nutrition Team Strategy12:17 - "Your Confidence is Very American": Cultural Differences in Healthcare Hierarchy16:38 - The Business Learning Curve: From Squarespace to Systems20:20 - COVID Catalyst: When Healthcare Priorities Shifted Away from Nutrition22:55 - Never Saw Herself as a Business Owner: The Identity Shift25:19 - Money Mindset Struggles: Pricing Your Worth After Public Hospital Work28:31 - Legal Wake-Up Call: The $5,500 Investment That Protected Everything30:25 - The Secondment That Changed Everything: Mapping Patient Journeys34:34 - Career Obstacles: When "Coaching" Means "Suppress Your Energy"37:26 - Three Pieces of Wisdom: Structure, Personal Branding, and Boundaries41:28 - Why She Wouldn't Take the Straight Line Path44:27 - Success Redefined: Being Yourself at WorkAbout 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 14 years of hospital experience ranging from rural general practice to metropolitan ICU work, Lina bridges the critical gap between hospital discharge and long-term home care. Her research focuses on the state of home tube feeding in Australia, with particular emphasis on real food approaches. Lina's journey from missing hospital promotions to building a national telehealth service demonstrates how healthcare professionals can create meaningful impact outside traditional employment structures.LinkedIn: Lina Briek's ProfileBusiness Website: Tube DietitianCareer Cliniq ResourcesInspired by Lina's entrepreneurial journey but unsure about your own next steps? The StreamAhead Assessment helps health professionals discover which of eight healthcare workstreams align with your current interests and life circumstances. Whether you're considering a side business, career pivot, or exploring options, this personalised assessment provides clarity on possibilities you might not have considered. Ready to take action? Find out more HERE.Visit Career Cliniq for more career evolution insights.

Episode SummaryWhat if the clients everyone warns you about turn out to be the most transformative? In this episode, psychotherapist Chris Bradshaw with a PhD in Clinical Psychology shares his unexpected journey from aspiring civil rights attorney to discovering profound truths about helping people. Chris reveals why "difficult" populations aren't actually difficult, how we as practitioners often get in our own way, and what it really takes to create sustainable practice without burning out.Questions We ExploreWhen the pressure to have answers gets in the wayAre you so focused on having the right solution that you're missing what's actually happening with your client?How do you sit with not knowing while still being helpful?What happens when you and your client disagree about what the real problem is?The myth of "difficult" peopleWhat if the clients everyone warns you about aren't actually the problem?Are we making excuses for why certain populations are "hard to work with" instead of examining our own approach?How do clients actually help us become better practitioners?What presence actually looks like (and why we avoid it)Why does being truly present feel so uncomfortable for helpers?How do you balance being supportive with being challenging?What's the difference between being present to your own agenda versus being present to your client's experience?Building sustainable practice without burning outHow do qualifications open doors to different parts of the system - but also trap you in others?When does saying yes to growth opportunities actually harm your practice?How do you translate big professional goals into daily schedule reality?Timestamps01:06 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 ResourcesStruggling to work out your long term goals and whether they should involve continuing with client facing work or not? Check out the Your Next Step Mini-Course which walks you through my 5-Step Aligning Purpose framework or explore getting some 1:1 support and get clear now with The Clarity Compass. Visit Career Cliniq for more tools and insights on navigating your health career evolution.Join the ConversationWhat resonated most with you from Chris's journey? Share your thoughts and tag us - I'd love to hear how these insights apply to your own healthcare career. 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 ManagementKeywordsProduct management, healthcare career transition, digital health, clinical leadership, strategic networking, health tech, work-life balance, professional growth, career evolution, physical therapyFind 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 Career Cliniq:Visit Career CliniqConnect with Ruth on LinkedIn or InstagramFound value in this episode? The best way to support the show is to share it with a colleague who might need to hear Raji's story. Thank you for listening to Evolving in Healthcare.

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 research Building 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.Explore more of what Career Cliniq has to offer to support you in navigating your career in healthcare HERE.Keywordsacademia, occupational therapy, research, teaching, career development, challenges, impact, community, mentorship, health sciences, healthcare

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 Pyschology' ⁠⁠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.Visit: www.careercliniq.comCareer Workstreams: Practice, Education, Research

Episode SummaryWhat 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