Tag careers

Stacking The Deck

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

“So…what do you DO?”

This question is incredibly annoying to me, and I cringe every time I hear it. I resent the fact that many people are so quick to assess someone on the basis of what they “do” for a living, as if there are no other dimensions which should be taken into account.

I completely resent the demand to pick one career that defines me. To add insult to injury, when people find out that I am a medical doctor, they struggle with the stereotype of what they expect doctors to be like, in other words, very conservative in dress and demeanor, and without any flavor or personality. Well, I’ve got news for you. I will NEVER be a typical doctor. And please don’t doubt my credentials or schooling. I am NOT a nurse (not that there is anything wrong with this highly respected profession). I am a fully licensed and board certified physician.

However, I do not consider myself to be ONLY one thing, “only” a physician. Yes, I am a board certified physician. But I am also a degreed (Bachelor’s) fitness professional, professional athlete (IFBB Pro), certified nutrition coach, writer, model, brand ambassador and contest prep coach. If that’s too much for one to process, too bad. Because I am ALL of those things, and then some. I am just as much about fitness, bodybuilding and wellness as I am about medicine, and I shouldn’t have to choose one over the others. I am damned proud of what I have accomplished in bodybuilding, especially because I was in my forties when I took things to the next level, not when I was a young whipper-snapper, and I was already established in my medical career. I will not apologize to people who are confused by the sampler plate philosophy by which I live and who don’t believe that it’s possible to be more than one thing. Truth is, I live as what Marci Alboher describes in her book One Person Multiple Careers as a Slash, and I am proud of it. I know it’s unusual, but why is that so hard for people to grasp? I mean, here I am, doing all that I do, switching gears constantly, and sending a message to the world that no one should have to be one-dimensional and boring.

I am honest. I have sass, and I speak my mind. I will NOT hide parts of myself which some overly judgmental people may have a problem with. I am NOT going to apologize for having a sense of humor, for using cuss words here and there (though I don’t use them while seeing patients). I am not going to paint a false picture of who I am. If you don’t like what I am doing, no worries. Move on.

Here’s a message to you if you find that you are someone who is compromising your own vision, dreams, or goals, because you perceive a need to choose one thing to define you. Perhaps you need to re-examine why you are allowing that to occur. If you subscribe to a no limits philosophy, then you would never even consider pulling the reins back. I will always encourage driven people to go for whatever they want, and if it doesn’t fit in with the conventions of one of their chosen careers or hobbies, even better. Break stereotypes and show people what you are made of! Don’t hide all the facets which make you who you are!

Conformity In The Medical World

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stethoscope-doctorBefore I dive into this topic, I want to make it very clear that I am proud and honored to be a physician. I endured four years of medical school and three years of residency training because I had a lifelong love of medicine and truly wanted to be a healer. That being said, I have never been nor will I ever be what is considered typical for a physician. Don’t expect me to talk about medical cases and read medical tomes when I am away from the office. Many of my colleagues are so unbalanced that they will eat, breathe and live medicine constantly, but that is not my style at all. Some of them are also social misfits and cannot talk about a non-medical topic without stumbling and bumbling. The social awkwardness of some physicians is so painful to witness that I find myself cringing and looking for a quick exit when social hour begins at a conference or medical dinner.

I keep my fitness background on low profile when in medical circles because I realize that some of my colleagues may regard what I do in the fitness world as highly irregular and downright scandalous. To be honest, I really don’t give a hoot what they think, but because I don’t enjoy being scrutinized by conservative types, I avoid discussing my fitness activities as much as possible when at medical events. I realize that aside from our medical backgrounds, my colleagues and I share almost NOTHING in common. What could I possibly say to a colleague who brings a stethoscope to a medical dinner (yes, I have seen colleagues do this!)? The lives of most docs are boring to an extreme and do not hold my interest. I am not saying that all doctors are like this, but I definitely keep my interaction those who act like medical snobs to a bare minimum. There are a few doctors who will make a point of pimping the other docs at a dinner table. Pimping refers to quizzing on medical topics and cases and is typically performed by a professor or proctor and directed at a student or resident during teaching forums or rotations. It is extremely tacky when a physician attempts to pimp his colleagues and is a clear sign of an inflated ego.
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I don’t mind standing out in the flock with plumage that is brighter. It honestly suits me. But it doesn’t mean I am less than the other doctors who are out there. I am licensed and board certified, a published medical researcher and see patients on a regular basis. Thank goodness I have a very full life, one that is so varied and exciting that I can easily escape the dry and often depressing climate of medicine and enjoy something that has twists and turns.