A Wild Proposal

Repurposed Person/Doctor for Sale

What’s next for me? You decide.

After a lifetime of investment in self and others — four years as an undergrad, four years of med school, three years of residency training and 30 years of clinical practice and academic activity — I left my job as an emergency physician, 6/29/20.

I also parted from my experience with 100,000+ patients, and countless doctors-in-training, medical students, fellow academics, collaborators, co-workers and other colleagues. Additionally, experience as a: medical writer and researcher, mentor, teacher, administrator, guide, confidant, medical editor, originator (details upon request) and more, much more, went by the wayside.

I “retired,” but I’m not ready to retire, and never will be.

I’m ready for re-purposing.

On my own, I’m now engaged in writing, posting most of my stories on Medium.com, and expert witness consulting — satisfying stuff but not enough. I’ve got lots of boyish energy and enthusiasm in me.

So, here’s the deal — tell me what I want to do when I grow up, and, if I do it, you’ll win a prize. I don’t know what that prize will be but we can work that out between us. It’ll be a good one, I promise.

Oh and there’s just one rule — I don’t want to work as an “ER Doc.” Been there, done that, got the tee-shirt and wore it proudly, ready for the next (ad)venture.

In case you’re having trouble figuring out what an ER Doc can do, see below. I’m not a “one-trick pony.” These are activities I’ve either done already and/or would do again. Just to spark your imagination.

Medical Technical Consultant

Back in the day, while living and working in LA, I had the opportunity to participate in film and TV projects as a Medical Technical Consultant. Essentially the doctor who helps writers, directors, actors and others enhance the authenticity of their work’s medical content.

I’ll only drop one name from those days, but it’s a good one.

I sat in on writer’s meetings helping with content, went to sets and advised actors and directors, and provided role modeling about how doctors would act and what they would do in certain circumstances. i.e. “Hey doc, what would lead up to this guy having a seizure, and what would that look like?”

It was the time of my creative life. I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Have passport and car, will travel.

Oh, the name? See if you can guess.

One of the shows I worked on — “High Incident.” * A cop show with tons of medical content because one of the writers had just worked on “E. R.”

Labor

Through www.workaway.info I’ve done two labor-in-exchange-for-room-and-board stints, one in Tuscany, on a rural property owned by two retired Dutch judges, the other on a “farmlet” in Kerikeri, New Zealand in the far north of the North Island. Both were intensely satisfying for me and for my hosts. As above, I’d repeat the workaway experience or similar, in a heartbeat. Bear in mind that “labor” can be broadly interpreted to include many activities beyond physical labor. Check out the website. I’ll probably do more workaways but I’m open to other arrangements.

Teacher

At various times in my life I’ve taught: ballet, writing, chemistry, and medicine at the bedside and in the classroom. No surprise — would teach again in a heartbeat. My most recent formal teaching experience occurred at a Caribbean med school. I’d like to think my brain is still supple enough for a new teaching challenge.

There’s more, but I’ve provided enough examples.

If the thought has not crossed your mind already, this essay on new ventures in a suddenly-changed world might be about all of us.

We’re too full of life to quit, but our circumstances have changed, or perhaps we are just desirous of change. Either way, what’s next?

My email is on my profile. Let’s talk.

• Steven Spielberg created “High Incident,” one of his earliest television ventures.

If you enjoyed this, chapter one of my career adventure journey, please keep reading. Here are links to chapters 2 and 3.

Thank you!