Blogging with The Doctor Job

Recently I received an email solicitation from a company that I know to be a successful, profitable organization. The email went on and on about why I should employ their services. It touted their past success rates, excellent promotions, etc. But I could only focus on one thing: The name of the company was misspelled in several places throughout the email. I couldn’t believe that an error this grievous had slipped through, but there it was. And because of it, I lost a lot of respect for this organization, despite all the impressive facts and figures they threw at me.

If the most intelligent, accomplished physician in the world can’t present a well-written CV and cover letter, none of the accolades will mean much to prospective employers. Remember that the employer reading the resume probably doesn’t know anything about this doctor except for what he/she sees on paper. Friends and colleagues might overlook a sloppy email because they know the physician is a brilliant surgeon or internist or nephrologist, but an employer will think only one thing: “This doctor doesn’t seem very intelligent.”

But what do writing skills have to do with medical skills, you ask yourself. I shouldn’t have to be a flawless writer because my strengths lie in other areas. This is true to an extent. But while a physician is not expected to deliver pages of glorious prose, he or she should be able to portray a coherent, intelligent manner. After all, a physician’s job includes a great deal of communication. Not only does a physician need to communicate effectively with patients and colleagues every day, but perhaps be required to communicate on a greater level; for example, at national meetings or group presentations. If this is an important part of the job a physician is applying for, it is essential that the doctor be capable of communicating clearly from the get go.

The main reason that employers get so irked by poorly written materials is that there’s no excuse for them. All you need to do is have one or two grammar-conscious friends or family members proofread your documents. This is probably the simplest thing you can do with regard to your job search, and it will have the greatest impact. It’s not enough to just use the spelling/grammar check on Microsoft Word. This feature might catch a misplaced comma or a misspelling, but it won’t be able to help you with a poorly constructed sentence, a repetitive phrase, or a misused word.

Foreign Medical Graduates: If English is not a doctor’s native language, it is even more essential to have the resume and cover letter and other materials reviewed by others before sending them out. Physician employers and physician recruiters will already be questioning the applicant’s English skills, just based on the fact that English is a second language. By having flawless grammar, spelling, and punctuation the foreign physician avoids giving the employer further ammunition to disqualify their credentials with poorly written materials.

Before you can impress anyone in the operating room or the clinic, you need to impress them on paper. Conveying your thoughts and showcasing your achievements clearly and concisely will go a long way toward helping you obtain the job of your dreams.