“This is the time, while you have some extra time, to take an active role in forming the foundation of your practice,” Dr. Bader of Deerfield Beach, Fla., said. “Set aside time every year to go over and make necessary changes to these manuals.”
Make decisions now that reflect long-term goals
When you start your practice, deciding on a location might seem like a secondary detail, but the fact of the matter is that location will ultimately play a large role in the future of your business and your life. Beverly Hills, Calif., plastic surgeon John Layke, DO, suggested “choosing where you would like to live, and then building a practice around that location. Being happy in the area you live will make a big difference,” he says. “No one will ultimately be happy making $1 million-plus per year if they are miserable living in the area. In the beginning, share office space with reputable people where you become ‘visible,’ then build the office of your dreams when you are ready.”
Summary
I was amazed at the number of responses that I received in response to this survey. It is my goal to help doctors mentor each other on these important issues so that we do not all have to recreate the wheel. Connect with me on LinkedIn if you want to participate in these surveys or if you want to see the results of them. I want to wish the residents who are graduating and going into their own practice the best of luck. My final advice is to reach out for help – it’s obvious that many people are willing to provide advice.
Dr. Baumann is a private practice dermatologist, researcher, author, and entrepreneur who practices in Miami. She founded the Cosmetic Dermatology Center at the University of Miami in 1997. Dr. Baumann wrote two textbooks: “Cosmetic Dermatology: Principles and Practice” (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2002), and “Cosmeceuticals and Cosmetic Ingredients,” (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2014), and a New York Times Best Sellers book for consumers, “The Skin Type Solution” (New York: Bantam Dell, 2006). Dr. Baumann has received funding for advisory boards and/or clinical research trials from Allergan, Evolus, Galderma, and Revance. She is the founder and CEO of Skin Type Solutions Franchise Systems. She is the author of the monthly “Cosmeceutical Critique” column in Dermatology News.