In this episode, host Dr. Aaron Fritts interviews Dr. Junjian Huang & Dr. Sean Maratto on navigating early-career changes. Both Dr. Huang and Dr. Maratto touch on a range of their early-career experiences and offer their advice, insights, and realizations.

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SHOW NOTES

The trio begin by discussing the responsibilities of stepping up as new attendings and dive into all that goes into maintaining and building new service-lines. Both Dr. Huang and Dr. Maratto underscore the importance of being as available as possible, taking every brick and mortar case with enthusiasm and drive, and truly getting to know your referring physicians. These actions go a long way in successfully establishing and expanding IR service-lines.

Dr. Huang and Dr. Maratto also speak on the nuances of cultural awareness and sensitivity, as every region, hospital, and/or practice does not operate in the same fashion. Both early-career physicians convey the gravity of quickly adapting to the cultural norms of a new workplace and becoming comfortable in new environments. Dr. Maratto adds how conflict resolution is a mainstay throughout all career stages and highlights leadership and clear communication as vital qualities.

We then hear about the ins-and-outs of early-career mentorship from both physicians. Dr. Huang states how some of the most pivotal mentors can be from different fields, to always search for mentors, and to even make mentors through industry. Dr. Maratto shares how it is important to have mentors for both professional and emotional support and to always pay it forward to the next-generation of physicians and trainees.

Dr. Fritts, Dr. Huang, and Dr. Maratto share a real-time mentorship moment and have a conversation on how becoming an attending can be accompanied by extremely important life milestones such as getting married, starting a family, buying a house, and more.

We conclude the episode by discussing some challenges new attendings can face, such as navigating the business-side of medicine and becoming confident in marketing, insurance, and billing. Both early-career physicians agree how these tasks should not be delegated, as they are very worth knowing. Dr. Juang and Dr. Maratto leave us with important parting advice on what they wish they were told when they finished training and became attending physicians.

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RESOURCES

Early Career Section (ECS) of SIR:
https://www.sirweb.org/member-central/volunteer/early-career-section2/