Career Decision-Making

In medical education, Match Day and graduation are more than milestones—they often signal the beginning of a cross-country journey, both literal and figurative, as students and early-career physicians advance to the next phase of training. Along the way, they encounter new environments, new responsibilities, and often, a growing awareness of the weight they now carry. These moments can feel exhilarating, disorienting, or even lonely. But they are also longstanding, somewhat predictable guideposts in a physician’s path.

What’s less predictable today is the landscape they now enter. The environment has shifted.

Graduates are stepping into roles amid transformative changes in healthcare—from the ways we fund medical education and research, to shifting policies in health and human services, including diversity, equity, and inclusion. As these changes unfold, many are coming to a sobering realization: last year’s GPS no longer offers reliable navigation.

Career transitions create ripples. Figuratively, they displace the water in the hiring pond, sending out waves that prompt reflection, recalibration, and redirection.

Today’s transitions are inspiring a reexamination of goals—personal and professional. New jobs bring new expectations, sometimes requiring the refinement of skills or a complete rethinking of strategy. Old roadmaps may no longer apply. In their place: moments of uncertainty, opportunity, and deep introspection.

Even in more stable times, these questions surface:

• Is this still working?

• Is this what I want?

• How did I get here—and where do I go next?

Success is never guaranteed. Sometimes we thrive; sometimes we stumble. Either way, charting a path forward deserves space for honest reflection, a supportive listener, and occasionally, a professional who can guide and inspire.

There is no panacea. And yes, that’s ironic coming from someone who works in medicine.

I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished and what I’ve built. Creating LAS has taken stamina, curiosity, perseverance, and flexibility. But as the professional and educational climates continue to evolve, particularly as funding models change and institutional support shifts, I recognize the need for more; a call for people who can pivot.

Education remains one of the slowest sectors to change in society—yet paradoxically, it’s also one of the fastest-growing industries in the U.S. I launched LAS because I saw a persistent and critical gap in both medical and general education. A need for more differentiated instruction, integrative academic support, and diversity and equity in access to learning resources.

Too often, medical students and residents with learning disabilities—diagnosed or sub-clinical—are under-supported. So too are first-generation students, early-career physicians, and those from historically excluded racial and ethnic groups. I certainly wasn’t the first to recognize this, but I’m disheartened that I won’t be the last.

LAS exists because the path forward requires more than grit or quiet contemplation—it requires guidance, access, and support, and regardless of the political climate, will continue providing those resources while pivoting to ensure it can do so for many years to come  If you’re navigating your next transition, we’re here to help you do it with clarity and confidence. Click here to contact LAS.