Freelance MD Authors On Twitter

These days, social (and professional) networks extend beyond a single web site.

Freelance MD's physician community has a home here on this site, but we've got our tentacles entwined around a number of other networs as well. There's a Freelance MD LinkedIn group, Facebook fan page (a group will be coming soon there as well), and of course a feed on Twitter.

In fact, we've aggregated all of the authors who have twitter feeds into a single stream that you can access to get all of the authors posts in a single feed.

Combined Author Feed: http://twitter.com/#!/list/FreelanceMD/freelance-md-authors

Print MD - Medical Marketing As A Side Business

Building a side business that utilizes your domain expertise and scales.

Print MD.net is a side business that I've built  to address a very specific need for medical spas and cosmetic practices: how to handle direct mail and marketing with professional design that doesn't break the bank.

Print MD.net is designed to do just that. It's a site where a plastic surgeon or cosmetic practice can get everything they need, from postcards, business cards, appointment cards and posters, all professionaly created and integrated into 'campaigns'.

View the current campaigns

The emphasis on a virtical niche that I have a lot of domain expertise in means that we can offer business cards, posters, referral and appointment cards that all match, ensure the highest quality design and printing, and give a price break. Nice.

Oh, and you can enter your own copy, address and even upload your logo to customize your marketing materials just the way you want. Click here for a demo.

The business end of this is a focus on using technology that scales. A cosmetic practice can now access custom design and professional copywriting for 20% of what it would cost them to produce it and they have the additional benefit of small, on-demand orders. So what if another clinic in another state has the same postcard...

This business model is possible because a typical design agency or print shop has to offer everything, has some hefty overhead costs and is constrained by geography, an online product isn't limited by those constraints. Better yet, there's no additional cost for additional sales.

Of course, developing this kind of side business does come with some risk. All of the effort and much of the cost is invested on the front end so if you build something that no one wants, you're SOL.

In this case, I've combined my own domain expertise in cosmetic medicine with my resources around design, copywriting, and marketing. Since I own a cosmetic medical community (Medical Spa MD), an advertising agency (Wild Blue) and some familiarity with markeing and sales, I'm pretty comfortable that this business will be part of a collective win.

With PrintMD.net, I've designed the operations so that I am able to direct the business without working 'in' the business. All of the fulfillment, customer service, payment transactions and the rest are completely outsourced and it won't matter if the business takes a while to begin to turn a profit.

Since I'll be learing just a much from what doesn't sell as what does, I'll be able to quickly itterate and change direction. If there's a new product that I think may do well, I'll have a platfrom that I can test it with and make a determination to keep, dump or modify it quickly. Since I've developed this business on the side, it's effect is cumulative and I have enough control that I can tweak it constantly.

Of course this isn't the first business that I've started and it certainly won't be the last. The cumulative effect is that I've developed a process that allows me to create value that doesn't require a constant exchange of time for money. Instead, I invest at the beginning. It's only by detemining how the market is reacting to our business that you can make informed decisions. When you start a business of any kind, you'll hear lots of praise about what a great idea it is. It's only when people part with cash for your product or services that you'll know you're on to something.

Businesses always come with costs, even if it's only opportunity cost. So, if you're going to fail, fail fast.

If you're a physician that's looking to build revenue and income from businesses, services and products outside of your clinical practice, we'll be here to help.

Getting Great Publishing Advice

As the Chief Editor of Books at Harvard Health Publications (the consumer health branch of Harvard Medical School), I am constantly seeking out great publishing advice. 

Daily I am talking to literary agents, editors, publicists and authors.  And, while the publishing industry changes almost as fast as my conversations with these folks occur, the good news is that despite the many changes, there are lots of fantastic opportunities for doctors who like to write.

In this blog, I'll share many publishing tips--some new and some tried and true. I'll answer your questions (if I can!) and help guide you with your publishing endeavors.  I will also invite some guest bloggers who are physician authors to share their stories.  Finally, I invite you to share yours. 

The physician-author community is one that I'm proud to support and to be a part of. Helping patients to heal can be done in many ways and writing/publishing is an important part of medicine. 

If you'd like to see more about my work in both publishing and healing, check out my website at www.JulieSilverMD.com.  I'm looking forward to hearing from you, so tell me about what you are doing!

The Anatomy & Physiology Of Bioentrepreneurship

Free education resources for physician bioentrepreneurs.

Measuring competencies of professionals , particularly doctors, has undergone significant change in the last few years. For example, The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education has formulated competency based education guidelines for graduate medical education that includes the three elements of structure (anatomy), process (physiology) and outcomes. Residency training programs and their directors are now being held accountable for measuring competencies of trainees and graduates in the areas of 1) medical knowledge, 2) patient care, 3) practice based learning and improvement, 4) systems-based practice, 5) professionalism, and 6) interpersonal and communications skills.

Suppose we were to apply a similar thinking to how we train bioentrepreneurs? In an article we published in 2008 (JOURNAL OF COMMERCIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY. VOL 14. NO 1. 2–12 JANUARY 2008) my co-author Patrick Hurley and I reported an overview of bioentrepreneurship education programs in the US and proposed some core learning objectives for those completing bioentrepreneurship education programs. Not unlike the ACGME guidelines, we tried to identify learning objectives related to some general competencies, suggested ways to use increasingly more dependable methods of assessing graduate’s attainment of thesecompetencies throughout their program, and recommended we begin to use outcome data to facilitate continuous improvement of programs.

Furthermore, we proposed core learning objectives that would drive curriculum development and standardization. Since bioentrepreneurship requires an extensive repertoire of knowledge, skills and attitudes, we proposed that bioentrepreneurs should demonstrate a defined set of abilities in the areas of legal environment, marketing, finance, leadership and organizational behavior, clinical trials design and implementation, communication skills, new product development and management, international business and entrepreneurship, regulatory affairs and quality systems, strategic planning and business development, manufacturing , emotional and social intelligence skills, and professionalism and ethics.

That’s a lot to learn. Like medicine, it take a lifetime of continuous learning and practice, and you never get it completely right. However, as your attending used to tell you, by building on solid fundamentals and continuing to add to your experience and knowledge base, you should improve as long as you learn from your mistakes.

So where do you get this information without paying through the nose (remember, I’m an ENT doc)?
For some free resources to get you on your way, I’d suggest:

1. The Society of Physician Entrepreneurs Resource page
2. Bioentrepreneurship ezine
3. Biotechnology education resources
4. Multiple newsletters, blogs and information sites at the Biotechnology Industry Organizaton and the Medical Devices Manufacturers Association and the Advanced Medical Technology Association.
5. The FDA website

If you are serious about getting more bioentrepreneurship education, make a new year’s resolution to access these FREE sites on a regular basis. It will help you understanding the anatomy and physiology of bioentrepreneurship and equip you with the education you’ll need to start seeing businesses in the clinic. Now, outcomes are different story altogether.

Life Science Entrepreneurship: It's Not Just About The Patents

Life science entrepreneurship and commercialization is about much more than creating and exploiting the elements of intellectual property- patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets.

There are several additional ways to work with industry and other partners in biomedicine. While licensing and spin outs seem to grab most of the headlines and get most of the attention from technology transfer and licensing managers and the investment community, biomedical entrepreneurs, whether they are academics or community-bsed, consult with industry, participate in research and development collaborations, design and contribute to clinical trials, and engage in knowledge transfer or knowledge exchange programs with industry.

Knowledge exchange programs create a platform where academics and industry scientists can work with each other. The three pillars of knowledge exchange are dissemination (pushing out information from the research base), research use (identifying a clinical problem, market need, or supplement a technological capability in the company) and knowledge brokering.

For example, at Kings College London, graduate life science students can elect to spend time with local bioscience companies, including such companies as Glaxo Smith Kline, Astrazeneca, and others, under the supervision of a company research and development expert and a faculty mentor. In addition, Kings faculty can spend a sabbatical working on a targeted problem in industry, while their counterpart in industry spends time at the the College.

Knowledge exchange programs, particularly for those with an academic basic or clinical research background, are a great way to build your networks , experience and knowledge base. To that end, the Society of Physician Entrepreneurs is organizing several bioentrepreneurship fellowships for those who want a better understanding of how devices and drugs are developed and get to market. This six month experience, sponsored by drug and device companies , will last for six months and costs will be shared by the company and the fellow. They are designed to provide the fellow with a wide breadth of experience in product design and management, regulatory affairs, sales and marketing, finance and all the other elements that result in biomedical innovation.

Innovation erupts when disciplines intermix. Knowledge transfer programs, whether internal or external, are a useful way for people to get a different view and get their creative juices flowing.

Smart Ways to Use LinkedIn

One of the first key points of advice I have for physicians interested in non-clinical career expansion is get on LinkedIn.

Why?  Well, for one, it is a major player in the world of networking 2.0.  It has taken the place of the rolodex and become the place to present your professional presence online.  For physicians that have not begun networking, it is a great way to start expanding your circle of contacts from outside of your direct friends and colleagues, to those who are “friends of friends”, 2^nd degree connections, and professionals interested in the same things you are.

For docs that are considering expanding into industry, I recently read that more than 60% of Fortune 100 companies use LinkedIn to save time and recruit/hire best candidates.  This means that recruiters from these organizations – some of the largest and most recognized in the world – are on LinkedIn every day to find and vet job candidates.  Hence another reason why you should be on it, and making the most of it.

Here are some ways to make your LinkedIn account work for you:

1. Make sure that you have a comprehensive, detailed profile set up.  This is the first place people will look to get a sense of who you are.  You want it to be a solid overview of your professional direction, your accomplishments, and a snapshot view of what you “bring to the table”.  Make sure it includes a picture – professional picture only, so that viewers can get a visual of you.  And skip the personal details on your profile – there is no need to include your birthday, your home address, or your personal interests.  This isn’t Facebook!  Your professional  email and (optionally) your work phone number will suffice.  Make sure to check the box that you are open to career opportunities if that’s what you want to reflect.  And make sure you use keywords in your profile set up, so if someone (a recruiter perhaps) is searching for a “CMO”, you will show up in search results. 
   
   
2. Make your profile (or most of it) public so that people who are not within the LinkedIn network can still view it without having to set up an account (although I don’t know why they wouldn’t!).
   
   
3. Join Discussion Groups in your areas of interest.  Do a search under “groups” for keywords that you’re particularly passionate/knowledgeable about.  For example, if you search for “Healthcare IT” over 5,000 groups are listed!  Be particular, and sign up to join the ones you think would be best (i.e., have a large network, are reputable).  Joining a number of groups will keep you actively engaged with a strong network of people with similar interests, and it will also drive traffic to your profile.  
   
   
4. Participate!  Once you’ve signed up for groups, go on them regularly to either post questions / discussion points, or to participate in dialogues going on over particular topics.  You’ll be amazed at what you can learn from other like-minded professionals.  You can also quickly build a reputation as a subject matter expert in your area of interest.  The key to success?  Contribute thoughtfully and intelligently – your answers become your online professional personae, and you don’t want to come across negatively.  If you post questions, make sure they are of a relevant, interesting topic that you think might be of use to the others in the group.  And if people answer, make sure to thank them.
   
   
5. Don’t try to “sell”.  Add value instead.  One of the things I’ve seen be the kiss of death for peoples’ LinkedIn reputation is the “over-selling” of their products or services to their LinkedIn contacts or within their Discussion Groups.  The purpose of these forums is to network, and if networking is truly about building relationships and looking for strategic alliances, then the better approach is to simply add value.  You won’t need to puff up yourself or your products/services if you simply provide something – be it an opinion, a resource – that gives back to the people in your network.  If they find it useful they will come to you, usually by checking out your profile and seeing who you are and what you do. That is why having a “meaty” profile matters.
   
   
6. Make connections.  Your network is a good reflection of your professional reach.  If you only show 5-10 connections, people don’t know what to think … that you’re a late adopter?  That you’re a technophobe?  That you don’t have any friends or colleagues?  At least 30-60 connections gives a much better impression for people viewing your profile, so the effort it takes to connect with others is worth it.
   
   
7. Protect your network.  My rule of thumb is to connect with people that are either 1)  people I’ve worked directly with and are my “trusted colleagues” that I can vouch for, 2) people that I’ve met through networking events, conferences, etc., who I know fairly well, 3)  people that are work “acquaintances”, but who I am confident will be value-added members of my network, 4) people that are connections of my trusted colleagues, who basically have credibility by affiliation, or 5) people that are members of my trusted LinkedIn groups, based on the same reason as #4.  There are people who will connect with anyone and everyone simply to build their network and rack up numbers.  I am not that way.  Since I view my LinkedIn network as a trusted source of friends, colleagues and professional contacts – as well as a group that overall reflects upon my professional presence online – I make sure that I choose my connections wisely.

For a great series of articles on how to make LinkedIn work for you, see here:  http://linkedintelligence.com/smart-ways-to-use-linkedin/. 

And for those of you that are really new to LinkedIn (the majority of physicians that I talk to!), here is a real “how-to” for getting started :  http://www.dummies.com/how-to/internet/Blogging-Social-Networking/LinkedIn.html

 See you on LinkedIn!

Physician Burnout & The Vanishing Oath

I just finished watching The Vanishing Oath by Ryan Flesher, MD, an Emergency Physician who explores physician burnout in this documentary film.

The Vanishing Oath is one of those films that every physician should see.  My wife and I watched it together tonight and found ourselves nodding in agreement during many segments.  On more than one occasion my wife turned to me and said, "that sounds just like you!"

I'd like to discuss the issue of physician burnout in more depth in later posts-- and I have already posted a few articles on this subject-- but suffice it to say that I believe physician burnout is a huge issue in the US and will only grow larger in the coming years.  

Ryan's film struck a nerve with me, and policy makers should take heed to the story contained in this presentation.  You can read more about Ryan's work on his website, CrashCartProductions.com , or look for his future posts here on FreelanceMD.  Ryan has agreed to join our authors and we're excited to have him on board.