When it comes to success that’s both professional and personal in nature, perhaps the most crucial factor is strong social abilities. Colleagues, patients, and the entire medical community alike will all be able to greatly benefit from the ability of a physician to both communicate and network with a great deal of confidence. Furthermore, being able to master these types of skills can also enhance relationships, which can then lead to an increased amount of career satisfaction, as well as job security.
Unfortunately, socializing is something that doesn’t happen naturally with everyone. Even the most highly skilled doctor can experience great amounts of discomfort on a daily basis in terms of networking situations.
Here are three of the most common social skills that you likely didn’t learn when attending medical school.
Small Talk
Perhaps one of the most common social skills that likely wasn’t learned in medical school is being able to easily converse at various types of networking events. In the event that you may feel nervous about approaching other individuals and starting conversations at these types of events, chances are you definitely aren’t alone. It’s important to remember, however, that the biggest key to confidence is preparation. Try to find out in advance about the overall purpose of the event, as well as who else may be in attendance. For instance, if there is a keynote speaker or a guest of honor, take some time to learn more information about them, as well as where they’re from and what it is that they specialize in.
Know when to say nothing
*Learning when the right time to bite your tongue is likely another skill that wasn’t taught in medical school as well. When it comes to speaking with a colleague, it can be easily to get involved in a bit of verbal one-upsmanship, and the field of healthcare is certainly notorious for being rather competitive instead of collaborative, especially when it comes to engaging in conversation. If you ever feel tempted to try to outdo someone when it comes to comparing stories, take a break from talking and instead focus more on listening to what others have to say. This will allow others to become more interested in you due to the fact that you are showing a sincere interest in what they have to say.
What to Show Off
One other common social skill that likely may not have been taught in medical school is the ability to create a top-notch cyber portfolio. Once a potential patient visits your website, that’s when they will begin to form an impression of both you and your practice. This is also the case when they visit your Facebook page or your Twitter feed. When you take the time to post a professional headshot or even a photograph of your practice’s reception area or the outside of the building itself, you will be working to take more control of your own professional image. Additionally, if you have a tagline or slogan for your practice, this is something that should also be used across any and all social media platforms that your practice may be present on.
Thank you for visiting the Quick Claimers Inc. blog, an El Paso medical billing company. If you want a better way to do billing and coding for your medical practice contact us today!