Editor’s Note: This account includes many pearls which are important to successful career building. They merit contemplation.
I am a unicorn in orthopaedic surgery; this means as a woman, as a kid who grew up on a farm, as a former oncology nurse clinician-educator who learned the value of caring for the entire patient, as a person who is willing to step out of the hierarchical line to accomplish an important task, as someone who has studied and published on a topic previously overlooked in orthopaedics, and as someone who has dared to use marketing and social media to control her own message.
As a faculty member at a major university, I not only honed my craft as a subspecialty surgeon, I also researched a non-surgical yet very important aspect of orthopedics and musculoskeletal health. Despite this, I found it very difficult to get my work published in mainstream orthopaedic academic journals. One paper did make it into print in a prestigious subspecialty journal but none of my subsequent articles were accepted. My papers described concepts and not surgical techniques. As is often the case for women in orthopedics, I had not networked with the reviewers. I did not promote the importance of my work over a beer or at social gatherings.
Understanding that my work had significant merit and clinical value, I published it in other types of journals. Each time an article was published, I issued a press release. This was unheard of in the orthopaedic universe. I call it “staying ahead of the crest of the wave.” In addition, I set up my own web site, used social media to reach patients directly and published patient-focused books incorporating my research findings. One of the illustrations from a published paper was viewed 500,000 times online and has been reprinted for public display in certain settings.
Two of my department colleagues got on board and also created personal websites. In the aftermath of these actions, I was called to meet with a tribunal of lawyers. They told me “We own your brain. You must cease and desist your independent non-university sponsored activities involving the media.” Interestingly, my two male colleagues did not receive such warnings.
Sadly, this placed fear in my heart. I was a single parent with a child to support. My chairman tried to protect me but was unable to do so effectively within the university power structure.
I decided that I had done too much work to be ignored. I have tremendous capacity and realized in order to be promoted, I needed to leave my enviable academic position for a new professional challenge.
I accepted a new position where I was charged with building an orthopaedic department in a hospital system in another part of the country. It challenged me to be visionary and innovative. I started first by listening. During the process, I realized that my ego torments me when I am wrong. I now understand that I am not always correct in my assumptions but have grown comfortable with this notion. I know that I can think my way out of any problem.
I have learned to hire staff, both professional and support, with values aligned with the department. Along with this, I have accepted that I will likely have them on board for only 3-5 years. Because of their talents, they will want/need to move up in their careers as I did. This beats just hiring “warm bodies”. Helping to promote the careers of others is very gratifying. While doing this, I also strive to promote diversity. This, as I learned from a valued mentor, is not based on skin color but about providing opportunities.
We must all draw upon our talents and deliver the musculoskeletal care we believe in and can be proud of. Be bold, innovative and unapologetic.