After producing episodes 209 and 210 of the Podiatry Legends Podcast, I thought it necessary to share my biggest takeaways from the five short interviews and other conversations I had with podiatrists who did not want to go on record.
I openly admit I had my own opinions on why podiatrists were leaving the profession, and some of my suspicions were confirmed; however, others were not.
My Takeaways
Podiatry was their first choice: For all my guests, podiatry was their first career choice. I did not expect this answer because many of my guests on the podcast have mentioned that podiatry was not their first choice; however, they learnt to love it.
Money: Not one of my guests said they left the profession because of money. Yes, some are making more than they did as podiatrists, but this is not what they left.
Mentoring: Four out of Five had good mentoring and liked their employer. I assumed there was going to be a lack of mentoring.
Appointment Times: 20-Minute appointments and 20 patients per day are mentally draining for a new graduate; they need to ease into this new working environment.
Talking with patients: Patients unloading their baggage can become mentally draining. We need to prepare new graduates for these conversations.
Travelling and No Overtime: Not being paid overtime or for travelling long distances between clinics seemed unfair, especially when they have friends in other professions who did get paid. Is there any wonder why they start looking elsewhere?
A lot to take in: New graduates have to learn a lot in their first year that we often forget about (Item and fee codes, how to work with different government departments, etc.)
KPIs: I think there was a massive breakdown in the application and understanding of how the business used KPIs. KPIs should be used to monitor progress and for training purposes, not punishment.
Not everyone is suited to private practice: Some of my guests mentioned how happy they were when the care of the patient was far more important than the profits of the business. I understand this thinking and agree that patient care is of the utmost importance; however, as a business owner, if there are no profits, what's the point.
Corporate-owned podiatry businesses are responsible to shareholders, so if you're a caring podiatrist, you may be better suited to working with a small, family-owned or non-profit organisation.
Patient notes: Employers questioning treatment selection seemed to be a concern; however, I would do the same if I felt I would have treated the patient differently. THEREFORE, if a patient tells you they cannot afford the treatment you have offered, you need to write this information in your notes as proof the conversation took place; otherwise, your employer may think you did not know what to do.
Why did you choose podiatry? I think this is a question every employer needs to ask their new employee, and then they need to listen to their response. I also believe the employee must ask the employer the same question.
What parts of podiatry do you enjoy most? If your employee says they prefer biomechanics and sports patients, and you have them cutting toenails all day, doing home visits and visiting nursing homes, is it any wonder they are bored and want to leave?
Lost Skills: If younger podiatrists do not use all the skills they learned at university, their confidence will decrease, and so will their love for the profession.
Popularity Contest: I thought this was an intelligent observation that podiatry had become a popularity contest. The podiatrist that markets themselves the best and is most known in the community wins; however, in the end, it must still be backed up by quality care.
Rewarding Work: This was a familiar feeling I picked up from my guests; they wanted to feel like they were making a difference and doing rewarding work. As an employer, we need to understand this.
Most people get into healthcare to help people, so if you want to keep them in your business, they've got to feel like they're contributing. It's not just about making money; employers have got to find out what spins their wheels and floats their boat.
Repetition and Boredom: If you're forcing your employees to do the same thing day in, day out, it will get boring for them, and they will leave.
In the end, I think employees need to find an employer that shares similar values to themselves and vice versa for employers, and the earlier you do this in your career, the better it will be for you. As I mentioned, if you're a CARING PODIATRIST, you've got to align with a podiatry business that fits your values.
How to Attract & Retain Podiatry Talent
I will be running a 4-Week group coaching program on how to not only attract podiatrists but also how to keep them and make them want to stay with your business.
There will be limited numbers for this group coaching program, so if you're interested, please send me an email to go on the waiting list.
Podiatry Advising & Mentoring
Have you decided to grow your podiatry business in 2022? If you have, let's talk. You can email me at ; otherwise, look at my Mentoring page or alternatively, you can schedule a 30-minute appointment directly into my calendar by following this link - https://calendly.com/tysonfranklin/podmeeting30
Youtube
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If you want to connect with like-minded, positive podiatrists, consider joining the Podiatry Business Owners Club on Facebook.
