Building Great Careers: Designing the Career You Actually Want with Pamela Mudd

Building Great Careers: Designing the Career You Actually Want with Pamela Mudd

What does it take to build an academic career that is both successful and sustainable? In this episode, Dr. Stacey Ishman sits down with pediatric otolaryngologist Dr. Pamela Mudd to discuss how finding your niche, leading with intention, and learning to say no can transform your career trajectory. Their conversation offers practical lessons for early-career faculty who want to build careers they are proud of—not careers they simply inherit.   No need to take notes—visit the blog for a full summary of key insights.  If you're interested in working with Academic Medicine Strategy Group, visit www.amedsg.com [http://www.amedsg.com] to learn more about our programs designed to help you build a clear, strategic path to promotion, research, and career advancement. KEY POINTS 00:01:00 | FINDING YOUR THROUGH LINE Dr. Mudd shares how following her clinical interests evolved into a focused academic niche built around solving meaningful problems rather than simply pursuing opportunities. 00:04:00 | WHY YOUR NICHE MATTERS EARLY  Learn why developing expertise in a specific area helps establish your academic identity, creates opportunities for collaboration, and reduces burnout as your career grows. 00:08:00 | STOP FIXING PEOPLE. START IMPROVING SYSTEMS.  Leadership begins with understanding the systems around you. Dr. Mudd explains how shifting from micromanaging people to improving processes changed both her leadership style and her team's effectiveness. 00:13:00 | THE POWER OF INTENTIONAL CAREER DESIGN  After a major life transition, Dr. Mudd realized she had inherited a career built from years of saying yes. Coaching helped her step back, redefine her priorities, and intentionally redesign her professional life. 00:19:00 | LETTING GO CREATES SPACE FOR GROWTH  Your calendar should evolve as your career evolves. Learn how eliminating responsibilities that no longer fit can create opportunities for greater impact, renewed energy, and leadership development for others. 00:22:00 | FROM REACTIVE WORK TO STRATEGIC WORK  Discover practical strategies for protecting time for deep work, making more intentional decisions, and using AI thoughtfully to reduce administrative burden and improve communication. 00:26:00 | COACHING, MENTORSHIP, AND BUILDING A CAREER YOU LOVE  Drs. Mudd and Ishman discuss the unique role of coaching, how it differs from mentorship and therapy, and why having an objective partner outside your institution can accelerate career growth and promotion. SUMMARY  Great academic careers rarely happen by accident. They are built through intentional decisions about where to invest your time, energy, and talents. Whether you're establishing your niche, preparing for promotion, or learning to lead, creating space to reflect and design your career will help you build a professional life that is both meaningful and sustainable.   Please RATE, REVIEW, and FOLLOW the Academic Medicine Strategy Group Podcast on your favorite platform.  If you are interested in getting in touch with us or providing topic suggestions, please: * DM me on Instagram at @sishmancoach * Email me at stacey@amedsg.com * Contact me at www.amedsg.com [http://www.amedsg.com]

What Great Deans Know: Why Faculty Stay and Succeed with Joe Kerschner

In this episode, Dr. Stacey Ishman sits down with physician-scientist, former dean, and national academic medicine leader Joe Kerschner to discuss mentorship, faculty development, retention, burnout, and the future of academic medicine. Their conversation offers practical insights for early-career physicians seeking to build meaningful careers while avoiding common pitfalls that derail promotion and professional fulfillment. No need to take notes—visit the blog for a full summary of key insights. If you’re interested in working with Academic Medicine Strategy Group, visit www.amedsg.com [http://www.amedsg.com] to learn more about our programs designed to help you build a clear, strategic path to promotion, research, and career advancement. Key Points: 1. GREAT MENTORSHIP REQUIRES MORE THAN AVAILABILITY (00:04:00) Effective mentors don't simply say yes to everyone. They protect their time, invest real thought into mentoring relationships, and create meaningful opportunities for mentees to grow. 2. BUILD SYSTEMS, NOT JUST INDIVIDUAL MENTORS (00:06:00) Organizations improve retention when they invest in faculty development infrastructure, executive coaching, and training leaders to become skilled mentors themselves. 3. ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL FACULTY DEVELOPMENT DOESN'T WORK (00:08:30) Faculty arrive with different backgrounds, goals, and challenges. Successful development programs recognize these differences and provide individualized support. 4. FACULTY DEVELOPMENT IS A RETENTION STRATEGY (00:12:00) Investing in faculty growth is not a luxury—it's a business imperative. Strong development programs improve retention, leadership readiness, and long-term institutional success. 5. KNOW YOUR INTRINSIC MOTIVATORS (00:18:00) Academic medicine offers multiple pathways for fulfillment through patient care, teaching, research, and community engagement. Understanding what drives you is critical for career satisfaction. 6. BURNOUT HAPPENS WHEN "ONE MORE THING" NEVER ENDS (00:24:00) The culture of medicine often rewards taking on more responsibilities, but cumulative demands eventually lead to burnout. Leaders must recognize limits and reduce unnecessary burdens. 7. FOCUS BEATS BOX-CHECKING (00:32:00) Career advancement comes from prioritizing a small number of meaningful goals rather than trying to do everything. Excellence requires intentional focus and mentorship-guided direction. Summary: Academic medicine remains an extraordinary career path, but success requires more than hard work alone. Mentorship, strategic focus, individualized development, and alignment with your core motivations are what separate thriving faculty from those who become overwhelmed or leave academia altogether. Early-career physicians who invest in these foundations can build sustainable careers with greater impact and fulfillment.   Please RATE, REVIEW, and FOLLOW the Academic Medicine Strategy Group Podcast on your favorite platform. If you are interested in getting in touch with us or providing topic suggestions, please: ● DM me on Instagram at @sishmancoach ● Email me at stacey@amedsg.com [stacey@amedsg.com] ● Contact me at the website at www.amedsg.com [http://www.amedsg.com]

What Faculty Who Advance in Four Years Do Differently

Why do some faculty reach associate professor in four years while others take seven? In this episode, Dr. Stacey Ishman explores the strategic decisions that consistently separate those who advance more quickly. If you're in your first decade of academic medicine, this conversation will help you focus your limited time on the work that truly moves your career forward. No need to take notes—visit the blog for a full summary of key insights. If you're interested in working with Academic Medicine Strategy Group, visit www.amedsg.com [http://www.amedsg.com] to learn more about our programs designed to help you build a clear, strategic path to promotion, research, and career advancement. KEY POINTS 00:00 – Promotion Is About Strategy, Not More Hours Faculty who advance more quickly aren't necessarily working harder. They're making more intentional decisions about where they invest their time. 02:00 – Not All Work Contributes Equally to Promotion Learn how to distinguish between activities that build your promotion case and those that simply fill your schedule. 03:00 – Protect Your Time for Work That Compounds Successful faculty deliberately prioritize scholarship and decline commitments that don't support their long-term academic goals. 04:00 – Build a Clear Academic Niche Promotion committees recognize faculty with a consistent area of expertise. A focused professional identity strengthens your reputation and career trajectory. 05:00 – Audit Your Career Strategy Dr. Ishman shares practical exercises to evaluate your current commitments, identify your niche, and begin saying no strategically. 07:00 – Align Today's Decisions with Tomorrow's CV Every "yes" shapes your future promotion packet. Learn how to ensure your current work reflects the career you want to build. SUMMARY Advancing more quickly in academic medicine isn't about squeezing more work into your week. It's about consistently investing your time in opportunities that reinforce your academic identity, strengthen your scholarship, and support your promotion goals. Small strategic decisions, repeated over time, create meaningful career acceleration.   Please RATE, REVIEW, and FOLLOW the Academic Medicine Strategy Group Podcast on your favorite podcast platform. If you're interested in getting in touch or have suggestions for future episodes: * DM: @sishmancoach on Instagram * Email: stacey@amedsg.com * Website: www.amedsg.com [http://www.amedsg.com]

The $500k Question: Why FERI Pays for Itself (And then Some)

Faculty turnover is one of the most expensive and preventable challenges facing academic medicine today. In this episode, Dr. Stacey Ishman explores the true cost of losing faculty, why traditional retention efforts often fall short, and how intentional career development can dramatically improve retention, engagement, and productivity. No need to take notes—visit the blog for a full summary of key insights. If you’re interested in working with Academic Medicine Strategy Group, visit www.amedsg.com [http://www.amedsg.com/] to learn more about our programs designed to help you build a clear, strategic path to promotion, research, and career advancement. Key Points [00:00] The Real Cost of Faculty Turnover Losing a faculty member costs far more than salary replacement. Recruiting, onboarding, lost productivity, and cultural disruption can easily total $500,000 or more per departure. [01:00] Why Faculty Actually Leave Most faculty do not leave because they dislike medicine. They leave because they feel overwhelmed, unsupported, and stuck in reactive career decision-making. [02:30] Breaking Down the Financial Impact Turnover costs include recruiting expenses, onboarding time, loss of institutional knowledge, and increased workload on remaining faculty members. [04:00] A Personal Story of Career Misalignment Dr. Ishman shares her own experience of professional success that lacked intentional direction—and how that ultimately led her to leave a faculty position. [05:20] The Power of Intentional Career Design When faculty develop a clear vision for their careers, satisfaction improves, burnout decreases, and retention becomes far more likely. [05:45] How the Faculty Excellence and Retention Initiative (FERI) Works FERI combines executive coaching, faculty development, promotion planning, and individualized career strategy to help faculty build careers they want to stay in. [07:15] Why FERI Delivers a Strong Return on Investment The cost of supporting faculty through intentional development is only a fraction of the cost of turnover, while also improving productivity, engagement, promotion success, and departmental culture. Summary The most effective retention strategy is not simply offering more opportunities or incentives—it is helping faculty build intentional, fulfilling careers. When physicians gain clarity about their goals and align their work with their values, they are more engaged, more productive, and far more likely to stay. Investing in faculty development isn't just good for faculty; it's one of the smartest financial decisions an institution can make.   Please RATE, REVIEW, and FOLLOW the Academic Medicine Strategy Group Podcast on your favorite platform. If you are interested in getting in touch with us or providing topic suggestions, please: ● DM me on Instagram at @sishmancoach ● Email me at stacey@amedsg.com [stacey@amedsg.com] ● Contact me at the website at www.amedsg.com [http://www.amedsg.com/]

What Promotion Committees Actually Evaluate: The Faculty Misalignment Problem

Many early-career faculty assume promotion committees evaluate activity, productivity, and accomplishments at face value. In this episode, Dr. Stacey Ishman explains why promotion decisions are often based on something far more important: whether your work tells a coherent story that demonstrates academic impact, visibility, and growing reputation. No need to take notes—visit the blog for a full summary of key insights. If you're interested in working with Academic Medicine Strategy Group, visit www.amedsg.com [http://www.amedsg.com/] to learn more about our programs designed to help you build a clear, strategic path to promotion, research, and career advancement. Key Points [00:00] Promotion Committees Evaluate More Than Your CV Promotion committees are not simply counting publications, committees, or teaching evaluations. They are assessing whether your work demonstrates readiness for advancement and contributes to the institution's reputation. [00:01] Why Promotion Criteria Leave Room for Interpretation Many promotion policies include terms like "regional reputation," "national reputation," or "sustained impact," but these concepts are often interpreted differently across institutions and committees. [00:02] Coherence Matters More Than Volume A focused body of work in a well-defined niche is often more compelling than a larger number of disconnected projects, publications, or activities. [00:03] What Research Shows About Successful Promotion Factors associated with promotion include identifying a career mentor, dedicating meaningful effort to scholarship, and having regular conversations with leaders about promotion goals. [00:04] The Narrative Problem in Academic Promotion Faculty often assume their accomplishments will speak for themselves. In reality, committees are looking for a clear academic identity and a convincing story about your contributions and impact. [00:05] Building a Reputation Through Intentional Choices Committee service, presentations, publications, and professional involvement should reinforce your area of expertise and strengthen your visibility within a specific domain. [00:06] Why Institutional Guidance Matters Promotion success depends heavily on understanding how your local promotion committee interprets criteria. Informal expectations often matter as much as written policies. [00:07] Three Actions to Take This Week Talk with recently promoted faculty, review your institution's promotion criteria, and evaluate your CV as a narrative rather than a list of accomplishments. Summary Promotion committees are not evaluating how busy you are—they are evaluating whether your work demonstrates a coherent academic identity and a trajectory of growing impact. Early-career physicians who intentionally align their scholarship, service, leadership activities, and professional visibility around a clear niche are more likely to build the reputation and narrative that promotion committees recognize and reward.   Please RATE, REVIEW, and FOLLOW the Academic Medicine Strategy Group Podcast on your favorite platform. If you are interested in getting in touch with us or providing topic suggestions, please: ● DM me on Instagram at @sishmancoach ● Email me at stacey@amedsg.com [stacey@amedsg.com] ● Contact me at the website at www.amedsg.com [http://www.amedsg.com/]