Deciding to change your career trajectory as a clinician is a big deal. And there are legitimate reasons for wanting to do so. You might be eager to try something new, or you might feel called to a different patient population. Maybe you’re seeking something new out of necessity — and that ups the ante even more.

Whatever the reason for change, it’s easy to feel anxious or inadequate as you transfer into a new clinical setting. Some elements of the job may be familiar while some may be foreign or forgotten over time. Long story short, you’re probably feeling in over your head.

While changing career paths might be nerve-wracking, it’s also exciting. And there are ways to make this lane shift less intimidating. You have inner resources to draw on, and you have information and people around you to fill in any knowledge gaps. While you’ll be out of your comfort zone for a while, it won’t be long before you are cruising right along in your new lane.

Own Your Clinical Expertise

Your first days on the job in a new clinical role may not be the smoothest. You might be overwhelmed by everything you don't know or can't remember. You may even feel like a fraud. Imposter Syndrome can settle in — as if you’re just waiting to be found out as incompetent. You may be asking yourself, “What am I doing here?”

The sooner you recognize these feelings of ineptitude are normal and untrue, the more quickly you’ll work through them. You do know what you're doing. You just might be a little rusty or in need of a refresher.

During your workday in a new role, take physical (not mental) notes on subjects you need to brush up on. When you get home, you can crack open old books and hop online. Slowly but surely, you’ll find things you learned will come back to you.

It may feel like a lot of “fake it ‘til you make it” when you switch your clinical capacity. And that’s ok. The learning (and re-learning) you do in a new role can feel very uncomfortable. It can take days, weeks, even months before you feel like the expert clinician you are.

Ask For a Mentor to Guide You

Some clinical settings have mentorship programs, and that’s a wonderful job perk. It’s a big plus to start a new role with a more experienced person to guide and encourage you. When the organization you are working with does not have a formal mentoring program though, it’s time to build an informal one.

Ideally, you can explore options for suitable mentors before you even accept a role. It's important to ask excellent questions during the interview, and one question should be about who might mentor you. Your eagerness to ask for support and guidance will show your hiring manager you are ready to learn. Good questions and a willingness to learn can make up for perceived resume gaps. Besides, you’re proving your commitment and professionalism before you even get hired!

Any clinical setting worth its salt will respond positively to your request for a mentor. After all, when you partner up with someone more practiced, you’ll be less likely to make (or repeat) mistakes. And it can be a pay-it-forward process — you can eventually serve as someone else’s mentor.

Build Rapport With Other Clinicians

You have a wealth of clinical information all around you through other clinicians. You just have to take initiative and ask for it. Rather than asking general questions, try making your questions to your new colleagues practice-specific:

How did you end up in this line of clinical work?
What do you like best about it?
What was most challenging to you when you started? And now?
Can I ask for your advice about ____________?
Would you be willing to help me ____________?

Show genuine interest in your fellow clinicians’ lives and work, and you’ll reap the rewards. They’ll feel much more inclined to go out of their way to help and support you. And in time, you’ll have developed a relationship that’s mutually beneficial. They’ll seek you out for your practice ideas, too.

Seek Out Opportunities for Education and Professional Development

Prepare for your change in a clinical setting by finding ways to further educate yourself on your new discipline. There are plenty of free and low-cost resources that will equip you with essential information and bolster your professional confidence.

Join a professional Facebook group. The Home Health SLP, OT, and PT Collaborative Group is a popular and valuable one for home health clinicians.
Subscribe to The SLP Collective. This site offers hundreds of online resources, webinars, and other tools to help you further your career.
Listen to relevant podcasts. Find one that supports your professional curiosity (like Swallow Your Pride for SLPs).
Earn applicable CEUs. Since clinicians are required to take continuing education credits, make them count. Choose credits that target your new work environment. MedBridge is a great place to earn CEUs, watch live and pre-recorded webinars, and take a variety of other courses.
Explore professional websites. ASHA, AOTA, and APTA are natural places to turn for more information. FOX Rehabilitation's blog is wide-ranging.

Create Relationships With Your Patients

Most clinicians find working directly with their patients the most satisfying part of their job. But there are always going to be trying moments, especially if you’re new to that patient group. You may be walking into a tense situation with patients and their families. Or a patient may be declining.

A great way to create good relationships with patients and their families (and diffuse tension) is to smile and be a calm presence. Make sure you understand your patient’s goals and motivations. No matter what your prior clinical setting was, you’ve had practice with the fundamentals of caregiving. Those are transferable skills.

And if you’ve done your best and the patient or a family member is still upset, remember this handy acronym: QTIP: Quit Taking It Personally.

When people need clinical help, they’re dealing with stress, discomfort, and even pain. It’s not your fault. And it’s not because you’re new.

Changing clinical career paths is brave. And while it might be overwhelming at times, it doesn't mean you've made a mistake. Be patient and proactive. But most of all, have faith in your own future as a clinician.