Testimonials

Overall, conference was very interesting, informative, and motivational.

Fantastic, rare opportunity. Professionally executed.

Jim, I wanted to thank you for your help in pointing me in the right direction. We had a zoom call in March after I had completed an online course. I had told you I was interested in “dipping my toes in” to non-clinical work. You very quickly told me I already was doing utilization review and that transition would easy, and that I would have a job before the end of summer. I wanted to let you know I have 2 contract positions. It is often good to hear the positive impact we have on people we have crossed paths with.

Excellent idea and opportunity

Being able to talk to mentors was outstanding, this conference is what I needed to move on to a non-clinical career.

Impressed with the very practical knowledge and techniques

Speakers addressed a wide variety of career options – everyone was generous with their time, all extremely helpful.

Very valuable information.

The conference was very informative and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting with you, other SEAK members and fellow attendees.

Well worth my time & money. A useful conference-glad I attended, good starting points. Eliminated areas that I had been considering while adding ones I never knew existed.

Thank you again for the outstanding SEAK 2007 course. The opportunity to meet so many other physicians who are either contemplating or have successfully managed a shift to a non-clinical career was tremendous. By articulating the emotional and practical obstacles to a career shift and offering practical advice as well as specific information on numerous non-clinical areas, the speakers provided a tremendous ‘kick-start’. Their availability for one-on-one discussion was a unique opportunity. An excellent course, well worth the time and money.

Valuable it taught me exactly what I wanted to learn.

I did enjoy the conference although I am not to the point of career transition at this time. I really enjoyed the one on one mentoring sessions and I am going to take advantage of the Physician Coach opportunities that it provided. Thank you for putting together such a complete conference and if I do decide to move out of clinical medicine, then I will definitely return to a future conference.

Thank you to the mentors for sharing their journeys.

Impressed about the accuracy and usefulness

Thank you for hosting and putting on a wonderful conference.

I had the pleasure of attending your SEAK conference at the end of September in Chicago this past year. It was a very helpful conference, I learned a lot and I was able to get offered a new job outside of clinical medicine; with a lot of help through your conference.

Best of its kind.

Thank you for running the conference. It was a new experience for me, and very energizing. I am excited about what the future holds.

An amazing conference, with an overwhelming amount of information.

Very helpful to hear what a typical workday is like, expected salary, pros/cons.

I am happy that I attended the conference. It was a great opportunity to learn and meet a lot of wonderful people.

Thank you. It was a tremendous experience. I tell folks back here that I went to Chicago half expecting to leave with a job offer, but got schooled (in a very positively way) on the fact that this really is a process, and as you put it, a journey.

Very informative, worth my time

You’re on the brink of something huge. The conference was very well organized and run.

Fantastic, lots of valuable info

Excellent lectures

Thank you for the opportunity to open my horizons at the SEAK conference and training in Chicago. Your experts with varying career paths were inspiring. There are many more opportunities than I knew.

Good, useful information where little is available.

These is something for everyone.

Just a note to let you know of my progress in the job transition. I attended SEAK last fall and immediately got to networking in my area. Last week I received an offer from [Major Pharma Company] to join their Physician Professional Development Program. Much thanks for helping me organize my thoughts and get a jump start in making the move to industry. I don’t think I would have realized the wealth of opportunities out there for physicians without attending SEAK. Thanks again!

Extremely well organized

Thank you for putting on an amazing series of talks. The mentor and recruiting stations were also awesome. I made contacts with many chart review companies and am following up with those this week. I will also be attending your IME conference in Naples this November and the expert witness seminar in clear water in February. It is very obvious how much of a chord you have struck with physicians and their unhappiness with how the system treats them. Thank you again and I look forward to seeing you in November and February.

Probably the best overall experience of any conference I have attended.

It was a great, empowering experience! Thanks!

Extremely worthwhile and unique.

I wanted to provide a follow-up about finding a nonclinical career at UM as a Medical Director after attending the 2023 SEAK conference! All the sessions, mentorship, and connections made were invaluable.

Condensed, useful information

Outstanding.

Very engaging, interesting and entertaining while being useful and valuable.

Very Impressive

Thank you very much! This was truly an enriching experience! I made some new friends too.

Thank you for coming in, sharing your stories, and giving hope.

Steve, Thank you! The Conference exceeded my expectations. It was useful to give me an overview of several career possibilities.

I am so glad I went to the conference and had the chance to meet so many great people. I am really excited about taking some steps toward meaningful non-clinical employment using my creative and writing skills.

The conference was helpful to me in the following ways:

I thoroughly enjoyed the SEAK conference this past weekend. I attended all four days. I left Chicago feeling empowered and just a little overwhelmed. Thank you for taking the time and care to put on a great conference.

Many more opportunities than I expected.

Phenomenally great idea.

This has given me hope that this transition is possible.

Thank you for throwing an excellent conference. I enjoyed hearing about multiple opportunities and meeting other physicians.

Thank you for hosting such an outstanding conference. It exceeded my expectations. I expected to meet physicians either burned out or forced out from clinical medicine. Instead, I met engaging, accomplished and smart speakers, who had successful clinical careers and chose to do something else. This conference relieved my sense of feeling trapped. I now realize there are countless non-clinical opportunities for physicians. And for this, I thank you.

Excellent information, inspiration, and networking.

Great information, resources, mentors.

I met other physicians with similar concerns regarding clinical medicine and left feeling less trapped in my current career.

This gave me the courage I needed and the tools to act.

I thought that the conference was inspiring and thought provoking. Thank you for providing this useful service. I will keep in touch about my journey.

Needed, useful, helpful, worthwhile

Excellent for networking, great meeting other attendees

It described specific non-clinical careers accessible to physicians and the steps needed to enter these fields.

I found the conference extremely useful! Lots of good information, encouragement, and also a sense of realistic expectations as I plan my future. I have recommended it to a colleague for next year. I may even attend it again myself. Thank you for providing this unique and high quality conference.

Thank you for your letter I work full time for a health tech start-up company. I’ve been promoted to a growth path where I’ll work with 20+ ACOs in 9 states starting next month. Getting this job was a direct result of what I learned while at SEAK in October 2017, and what I implemented immediately after leaving the conference. I first interviewed for this job early January 2018.

I felt the trainers did a great job in terms of Expressing enthusiasm and passion for what they did.

I attended SEAK over 10 years ago and tell as many docs as I can about this phenomenal weekend seminar in October.

This meeting was awesome and I plan to attend the meeting in February.

Thanks to mentors for their time and paying it forward.

Good starting point to make a change of career.

The mentors were very knowledgeable and helpful.

The conference was well run and informative.

I just verbally accepted an offer for a full-time remote position in utilization review (after making contact at the SEAK meeting actually).

Good, hard, useful information.

I had a great time and met a lot of great people. I look forward to coming back as a SEAK Alumnae to share my story!

Coming ‘cold’ into this venue, it was a very valuable first step, saving me lots of time and effort.

I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate the quality of the conference. I bought your book, ‘Non-clinical careers for physicians,’ a few months ago, and refer to it often in preparation for my interviews, but participating at the conference was a completely different experience. I hate to be dramatic, but it feels like it has changed my perspective on the world, and I am very excited. I scheduled 2 more interviews yesterday!!!

Thank you for allowing me to attend your conference. It was an eye-opening experience. The conference provided a lot of information that will help me grow. Please send my sincere thank you as well to your family and especially Jim.

Wow, what an event we shared last weekend at the Crowne Plaza! I hope this email finds you well and recovering as well as can be expected after 16 years of hosting the nonclinical careers conference.

Excellent. Eye opening to possibilities.

Good overview of career options, I came here feeling trapped in my clinical career & I left feeling optimistic about my options.

Thank you for having the SEAK Conference. I was taught that the only way I could be a real doctor was to be a clinician or do research. Your conference helped me learn how to approach another worthwhile job using my education. Also thank you for letting me feel like I am worthwhile and valued being an Internist.

I learned the value to the business world of skills I already have and how to market them.I would strongly recommend this conference.

Fabulous

The sincerity of [the faculty’s] engagement in the process really fostered a belief that one could do this. Even if just symbolically you felt they have your back!

Excellent investment of my time and money. It should be mandatory training for residents.

I very much appreciate this very well-organized conference, and obviously have a lot to unpack and go over in the next few days/weeks ahead. I found your Friday morning session quite insightful and challenging, and appreciate your time and energy; and it was great to meet you on Saturday.

Thank you so much for the wonderful opportunity to attend the conference. I truly had a wonderful time and enjoyed my conversations with various people I was able to meet. I enjoyed being able to “pay it forward” and I hope I was able to help someone this weekend in their journey for a new career.

I signed up for the Thursday pre-conference, and at the suggestion of my banker, went ahead and registered for the whole deal. I found this to be very beneficial and allowed me to fully utilize the mentors, in a more organized and informed manner. They are a HUGE resource, and very encouraging. Since the conference in September, I have interviewed for, and received one nice, non-clinical job offer, and currently in the early stages of another opportunity with a smaller firm that may offer significant opportunity for advancement. Dr. Kohn is an excellent resource and continues to supply encouragement and guidance. Entire course is money well spent-period. I never would have imagined the opportunities available and enjoyed the matter-off-fact presentations.

Excellent speakers

Great foundation for my next endeavor! I’m still going to involve a career coach, but needed these 4 days to help with branding, etc. So grateful.

Great experience especially for the networking. The one-on-one mentoring sessions were by far the best part for me but also some great talks!

Thanks to you I now have a job with [Company Name] (whom I met at one of your conferences). I am doing remote neuromonitoring ( I am a neurologist), and make enough money that I no longer need extra income. It is my ideal dream job and again I thank you.

Thank YOU. SEAK has evolved into a critical, essential lifeline to all of us. You’ve done more for medicine & health than many a pontificating hospital administrator. I gained a lot more than I gave, in the inspiring connections made & for ideas formed.

I want to thank you for your courses and contacts. I am now closing my practice of neurology and have been offered a wonderful non-clinical job with Surgical Monitoring Services, a neuromonitoring company I met at your non-clinical course. I dragged my husband Gary (an ER doc) to the course also, and he is starting next week with EHR, whom he met at your course. We are SOOO happy. Again, thank you. We are now able to have the mobility we have always wanted, while still doing medicine, without the hassles of clinical work.

Thank you Steve. I found it to be a truly helpful conference with great practical information to take the next steps in my career. I would highly recommend this conference to colleagues who are also considering a career change.

This is my first venture into this and I think this is a useful jumping off point.

Lots of support, lots of information, lots of motivation

Thank you! for your time, willingness, and for your expertise!

Very worthwhile.

Prior to the conference, I felt trapped in a maze with no exit. Your conference opened a world of opportunity, possibilities, and an exit. Now it is up to each attendee to empower him/herself to walk out into the light.

I would like to thank you for the excellent conference presented by SEAK in Chicago last month. I was able to attend all four sessions from Thursday through Sunday. It was, by far, one of the most well organized, informative conferences that I have ever attended. I am sure that the logistical requirements necessary to ensure a ‘smooth’ conference must be formidable.

Good variety of speakers, recruiters and mentors.

Excellent opportunity and very grateful for the organizers, mentors, and presenters.

Once again, my compliments on the consistent level of excellence in the programs offered by SEAK, including the seminars I attended from Oct 17-20.

Excellent. Better than I could have imagined!

Excellent, well-organized, well positioned, you are going to need bigger venues!

It was really beneficial in so many aspects. Everyone was great to deal with. I learned so much.

Thank you, for the opportunity to attend the Conference. It was a great learning experience for me. And the food was fantabulous!

Very good enjoyed hearing lots of different ideas from many people.

Very Good panel of speakers, very approachable people

Thanks for a fabulous conference. I enjoyed it through and through. A unique experience and a gold mine worth of terrific information. The recruiters and mentors were extremely resourceful and you and Jim did an outstanding job on the Pre-conference section.

I also knew of the SEAK conference for years before attending. One reason I waited was because of the cost involved (conference registration, travel, time off work). I also hesitated because, honestly, I wasn’t ready to tell the world I wanted to leave clinical medicine. Last, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do so I thought I needed a better focus before I went. For several years I sort of just ‘treaded water.’ I knew there were things I wanted to do, but I didn’t know where to start. I decided the conference would be my place to dive in. The cost involved was difficult for me; I planned months in advance and cut back in other areas. We postponed a family vacation. I had to convince my family that the money/time were an investment in our future. I considered just registering for the Saturday and Sunday main conference to save money, but then decided that I needed to take full advantage of the opportunity so I took pre-conferences on Thursday and Friday as well. The conference was well worth the money; it was the best money I have ever spent on myself and for my career. I have absolutely no regrets. I returned inspired, energetic, and creative. It is hard to put into words the impact it has had on my life. So my advice is if you can find a way to afford it, go. And don’t miss the lectures on Thursday and Friday. Steve’s lecture on negotiating skills changed my outlook on lots of things. The chance to talk to other doctors who want to leave medicine was invaluable. I realized I hadn’t ‘wasted’ time and money on my medical training. I no longer ‘felt guilty’ for wanting to explore other options. I now felt free to explore my other options, if that makes sense. And it wasn’t necessary that I have a plan in place before attending the conference; doctors there were in all the stages of leaving practice.

Excellent info, well organized, inspiring

It was really useful and I made some friends!

I attended the SEAK conference in 2016 and successfully transitioned to a full-time non-clinical career in March 2017. I attribute my ability to make this career change so quickly to attending the conference and learning from the group of mentors you assembled. As a pediatrician, I felt there were limited opportunities in the non-clinical world for me. At the conference I learned how to highlight my transferable skills and I am now a Medicare Policy Research Medical Director who analyzes clinical literature to develop coverage criteria for medical equipment.

I just wanted to drop you a line with an update. A few weeks ago I accepted a position with [a company who was recruiting at the SEAK Conference], and I’ve resigned from my practice as of January. This was the first goal in my action plan, so I’m very excited both about this new position and about pursuing the rest of my goals! Thanks very much for your assistance … the SEAK conference was definitely a major source of inspiration and resources for me.

Wanted to say thanks for an ILLUMINATING weekend at SEAK! Had moments of clarity back at the clinical grind today—feeling more empowered than ever to leave the grind and follow my passions!

You do an amazing job of putting on an excellent conference each year and I know those efforts help a lot of unhappy docs find new paths in life!

Hi Steve, I had a wonderful time at the conference, and I found it incredibly useful! I learned so much about so many different nonclinical areas and possibilities, and I was able to meet so many interesting and helpful people! I also think that one of the most beneficial things for me was simply being with so many doctors who shared my experience and feelings about clinical medicine–realizing I’m not alone out here in rural Colorado, wanting to move to nonclinical medicine! You have an amazing organization, and I feel so fortunate to have found it!

It was an overwhelming experience. I was impressed with so many options available for physicians.

Thank you for the wonderful conference. It really opened my eyes to the multiple opportunities available. I really enjoyed the course and being able to meet with the mentors and vendors. I look forward to updating you along my journey.

Attending the SEAK 16th Annual Non-Clinical Careers for Physicians Conference was a truly an invaluable and inspiring experience! I enjoyed learning from you and meeting you at the conference, and I was encouraged by our lighthearted interactions. Your personal actions exemplify your genuine care for each individual present at SEAK events. I am grateful for the vast array of resources, knowledge, wisdom, and insight that you, SEAK faculty and mentors shared with conference attendees. Thank you for the positive impact you have had on my life and the lives of many others through SEAK. I will be happy to keep in touch and update you as my journey continues to unfold! I wish you all the best as you, SEAK faculty, and staff continue to help positively transform the lives of physicians.

Thank you for making my attendance possible as well as organizing I’m the conference. It has opened up a number of opportunities which I had never considered.

Thank you for organizing such an amazing awesome conference. I did not know there are so many options available. I hope to refer other clinicians that may need it.

Excellent great info, good place to begin networking

Very practical. I received more useful and practical information in two days than I found in 2 years of searching on my own.

Thank you for organizing the conference. I most certainly found the conference useful. The networking opportunities were tremendous. What I found most appealing was the feeling of freedom that fellow attendees and I felt after hearing about the numerous opportunities available for those of us considering leaving clinical medicine. I am now excited and motivated to move forward.

Excellent, Beyond my expectations

Our recruiters really enjoyed participating last year and hired 5 physicians from the event and are still in conversations with others from last year…

Many thanks, Steve, for a wonderful conference! All of your efforts and hard work were very much appreciated!

I attended the October 2007 Seak conference in Falmouth, MA. I went to the conference to decide if I should stop practicing medicine, get my MBA and try to transition into medical management. Seeing physicians from all over the country and representative of every specialty except dermatology (of course we know why they don’t come, stupid us) was extremely eye opening. I realized I was among friends who felt the same way I did, disillusioned and looking for a way to make my medical education work for me in a new way. After the conference, I enrolled in an MBA program and transitioned into a management job at my local hospital the following year. I finished my MBA in January of this year and am going to be relocating to NC. I still have my book from the course and I am using it to create my CV for my next transition. It was the only conference I attended that changed my life!

The presenters and your staff were very encouraging and motivating by showing that a career change is possible and only requires motivation and a proper plan.

Very eye opening as to the number of opportunities available.

Wish I did this last year.

Good exposure to multiple areas of possibilities

This is my first SEAK conference and wish I’d had this opportunity 10 years ago. Wide variety of lecturers, some polished, some less so, very informative and enlightening.

Excellent overall impressive

The conference was fabulous, thank you for putting it on. I met so many attendees and panelists that have provided great insight for my potential career transition.

The SEAK conference helped me a lot. Before I attended, I had interests outside of medicine but I felt guilty pursuing them. I felt like I was wasting the investment people had made in me. At the meeting, I realized that there were other people who felt the same way as me. I heard how many opportunities there are for doctors outside of clinical care. I listened to the speakers, I took advantage of the mentoring sessions, and I talked to the other participants. I became more confident. As a result, it was much easier for me to explore other fields– and I started to enjoy medicine more.

Well run, great panel of mentors.

Very valuable.

I truly enjoyed the SEAK Non-Clinical Careers Conference. I found it very informative, and it helped to relieve the anxiety I have been feeling for about 4 months. It was nice to know that there were that many options, some even part time as I am limited in what I can do at this time. I am currently trying to follow my action plan, one of which being to rework my CV and convert it into a resume. Additionally, I am following up with contacts and recruiters that I met at the conference. I appreciate the help you have given me in this matter.

Wonderful, opened seemingly locked doors. Addressed important questions I hadn’t asked myself.

Exposure to all possible fields, references to web sites, books, people to contact in the future

It was truly mind blowing and so eye opening as I had no idea what opportunities are out there. My goal is to slowly but surely begin to investigate some of the options as additional revenue streams. The course was very comprehensive and had excellent speakers and mentors and opportunities for networking. Thank you and I’ll spread the word!

Good method to get an overview of all the options in non-clinical pathways

Thank you, Jim! What a treat and privilege it was to participate in the conference this year. I remain inspired by and grateful for the many doors SEAK has helped me find.

Excellent overview with a variety of ideas/topics/options available for a non-clinical career

Provided me with a good overview of what’s out there and more concrete steps to get there.

Good presentation. A lot of information helped me to begin the process of transitioning out of clinical medicine.

Very useful and eye opening

Would be interested in attending again.

Packed with useful information.

Mentors were all really friendly and helpful.

Not exactly sure what I expected to gain but pleasantly surprised. Good job.

The information I received at the SEAK conference was very helpful. I plan on pursuing some of the option’s I learned about during the weekend. I may be seeing you again. Many Thanks.

Glad the speakers were so open about their own personal life and experiences…didn’t feel like in a medical education conference most of the time…but more like in a therapy toward happiness!!! 🙂

Excellent, delivers exactly what it promised

This is Sue from the SEAK conference in Chicago (‘the unofficial spokesman for all the ED docs and for those who are very early in, and very naive about, this whole process we are all beginning’). This was the most interesting and most informative conference of any I’ve attended since perhaps my first year in practice. The information provided is substantial but invaluable to me personally and I’m sure to all the other docs. It’s especially noteworthy that it the content is applicable no matter what part of the process one is at in the quest for a non-clinical job. I now have the tools to actually make this happen.

I went to it last year. I found it very helpful, even got a job in the pharmaceutical industry from the conference! Also note that I just got laid off last month. Not a big deal, it did help me realize that I REALLY like being out of clinical practice.

A great way to learn about all sorts of careers outside of clinical medicine.

Thank you so very much. I thought the conference was very informative and really well done.

Very informative and within about 20 minutes I felt as though this was money well spent.

Overwhelmed with the possibilities available.

Very good, it was validating to be among colleagues going through a similar experience.

Excellent speakers. Thorough handouts. Higher quality than anticipated.

Thank you for the wonderful conference! I will be sure to keep you updated on my journey. Have a great day!

I enjoyed the meeting, the varied speakers, and the opportunity to network.

Great beginning point to transition of new career.

I have accepted a part time position with [one of the companies recruiting at your Conference]. I should be out of clinical medicine by 2/12. Your meeting was extremely helpful.

I attended your program last year and already have a non-clinical job thanks to your program. Thanks – 2009 Seminar Attendee

Since I attended your SEAK seminar over one year ago in Chicago, I have started a new independent venture with a colleague. We have formed an LLC called Problem Solving Innovations. We are designing medical products that are targeted to provide simple solutions to common problems in medical practice. Our enthusiasm was driven largely by your conference and the program, ‘What’s the Big Idea?’ We have already obtained 4 US patents and have been working with a plastics manufacturing company in our hometown. We should have the first version of the stereolithographs for our initial product by Monday next week. We then plan to meet with particular medical companies interested in the market space for our product and sell it to them. Very exciting stuff. I am hopeful that success will come soon, and I can phase out of the medical profession (at least as a clinical service provider – the profession is damned I fear).

The years of refining this conference show immediately: speakers giving a mix of practical information and a healthy dose of encouragement to break out of the clinical world. The mentoring session lead to several job leads, the most promising of my job search. I couldn’t have asked for better preparation to transition into a non-clinical career.

I am a SEAK alumnus, initially doing medico-legal expert work in addition to my clinical work, but now completely transitioned to non-clinical full time work with insurance doing utilization review. I love my new career and SEAK was key in making it happen. If you’re in need of a speaker/mentor/ representative, I am happy to help.

Great information, opened up fields that I didn’t know existed.

Excellent conference, great information

So glad I decided to attend.

Excellent. Info applicable. This was a high yield investment in my opinion.

All presenters were great.

I attended your SEAK session last year. I learned a lot and have since successfully transitioned into a non-clincal career as a Physcian Executive for a leading Healthcare Information technology company. Thanks for helping me launch my search and good luck with this years conference.

Helpful and empowering

Thank you for the conference. I was hoping to get hooked on something nonclinical and it helped me see I am still hooked on clinical medicine.

Worth the time and money. Would have been very disappointed it I had only come on Saturday and Sunday.

Amazing conference. A lot of useful info.

Invaluable resource for me at this time of my life, has given me many of the tools I need to move my transition to non-clinical medicine.

Thank you for a great, eye-opening weekend!

I didn’t get to fill out the final evaluation form but I do want you to know that your conference is life-changing! First, this conference instantly alleviated my guilt. This was the first time in my 30 year career that I did not feel unappreciatiative of what I consider God’s great gift to me-the ability to touch His greatest creation in ways that most people cannot. Second, it dispelled the professional loneliness I felt. Meeting so many, like-minded physicians who have unfortunately found themselves in the same position I am in was strangely satisfying. Knowing that there are people out there who are willing to help me without prejudice is refreshing. And, third and finally, yours and Jim’s presentation of the entire topic was clear, precise, comfortable and very easy to absorb. You guys do not seem like attorneys, you seem more like physician who have gone through the same plight! I sincerely thank you for what I believe will save my career.

The lectures were really informative.

Thank you for the conference. It was both informative and engaging.

Extremely helpful in focusing what I need to do & introducing me to new concepts & contacts

I came away feeling empowered and motivated, and more optimistic than I have been in months.

Thank you and Jim and all your family and staff for creating such a terrific conference! Blown away by the amount of dedication, enthusiasm and detail you all gave into creating a wonderfully varied program for all of us docs. I hope to join you soon in one of your other programs!

Thanks! I found it very interesting indeed – and it was great to speak to you a day ahead of the conference.

Very informative. Enough information to help make an informed decision on what type of non-clinical job I would like to pursue.

My first venture into this and I think this is a useful jumping off point

I had debated whether or not to go to the conference as I was not at the stage where I felt ready to make the drastic step of leaving clinical medicine…and I am definitely glad that I went. I am still in the same practice but no longer feel trapped. I now am there by choice, and know that I have other options. My attitude has become more optimistic. At the same time, I have gained the knowledge or ‘tools’ to form a plan for the future. I was surprised to see so many physicians from all specialties, all walks of life, and all areas of the country. The speakers were excellent and it was truly a unique conference and experience. Thanks again.

I was unsure of my expectations when I enrolled. I am a 62-year-old board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist. After practicing for 11 years, I opted to rejuvenate my career by completing a two year fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. After 17 years as an IVF specialist, I decided to retire from clinical practice 2.5 years ago. I soon realized that my retirement may have been premature and my work was actually an integral part of my identity. Attempts to reenter my subspecialty were not promising because of the recession (infertility is usually a non covered third party benefit), my age, and—to some extent—my gender. I became increasingly bored and frustrated. However, your conference has provided me with information about options that I had not previously considered. In short, you and your presenters have given me hope and new avenues to explore.

Thank you and Jim and all your family and staff for creating such a terrific conference! Blown away by the amount of dedication, enthusiasm and detail you all gave into creating a wonderfully varied program for all of us docs.

Well organized & very good program.

Excellent exposure to opportunities

I did enjoy the gathering. It is the first conference with colleagues where I found real connections on a deeply personal level. I am not unique in my struggles after all.

Thank you for providing this service.

Really excellent, this was an information gathering conference for me & I got a lot of useful data.

Conference is useful for getting an overview of the possible non-clinical career opportunities

Really interesting and informative, I’m glad I came.

Excellent and highly relevant

Thank you for paving the road for so many professionals on their way to the next phase of their lives…

Very professional, several aspects to appeal to beginning or advanced seekers

Thank you kindly for establishing and organizing the SEAK conference. The conference was enlightening and as a result beneficial. After listening to information provided by your speakers, I feel empowered to move forward to carry out my plan to a happier career.

I didn’t know where to start networking either. I didn’t even know I should be networking until I went to the SEAK conference and everyone was talking about how important it was. I wrongly assumed that my purpose in networking was just to find a specific job (and I didn’t need to do that because I am creating my own new career path). I started meeting and talking to people anyway and discovered that the purpose of networking for me was inspiration. It is great to hear what others have done and how they have done it; it gives me new ideas and keeps me motivated. It is a great feeling to have new friends who are going through the process of transitioning, too.

I’m not certain when I first heard about a conference for clinicians seeking non-clinical careers, just that I had a vague awareness of one. When I received a brochure in the mail describing this Cape Cod gathering, I signed up immediately. My expectations were certainly surpassed, especially the ‘pre-conference’ on negotiating. That was exceptionally informative, even wildly entertaining. My experience there helped me focus on my current practice of just gyn after 25 years of obstetrics and gynecology. While my current workload is much less strenuous, I think that I simply survived to this point. I wish that I had attended years ago. I may have found a more rewarding job better suited to my attributes. Enduring a job is not the way to go. This conference readily demonstrates that and gives concrete advice on how to change your life.

It was exactly what I needed to hear to feel more comfortable in finally take the leap!

Excellent! Well worth my time and money. I learned a lot.

The salary info was very helpful and also whether that type of position is open to part time or not.

Helped a lot to define my thoughts.

Very helpful, concrete, lots of information

I enjoyed the SEAK conference a lot, and it was very informative. Quite Eye opening, actually.

Great overview of skills you need to develop to make a career transition.

It is packed with information and the contacts are invaluable. Even if you just meet one person, your eyes are opened to possibilities you didn’t know existed before.

The conference last weekend far exceeded my expectations. The speakers were excellent, and the information and personal experiences were amazing. I can’t imagine embarking on this journey without such insight. You and your staff did a wonderful job. This program is first class. Thank you.

Thanks for putting this conference together…brought some light back at the end of the tunnel.

Meeting the recruiters was especially helpful.

You have really made a difference to a lot of people like me who were/are looking for other options. I recently retired from a great career at [Medical Device Company] where I finished up as a Vice President for Medical Affairs and oversaw medical affairs groups in about 6 different companies together in a company group with a market value of about $4B. Quite a change from what I was doing and a lot of fun learning and growth along the way. Keep up the great work.

I enjoyed and learned a lot from the recent conference in Chicago. I want to thank you for setting that up. There were many interesting and helpful ideas provided.

Presenters were excellent and gave very useful information.

It was wonderful

A great opportunity to meet, network and learn from physicians who have made a successful transition from clinical to non-clinical careers.

Excellent, it bought so much hope and possibilities, it was very inspiring to hear the stories and feel supported.

Thank you for holding the conference. I cannot tell you what a relief first to find out that I was not alone. I think that is the biggest obstacle when a physician first realizes that they want to leave the clinical practice of medicine. I attended the conference because I had no idea what I could do with a medical degree outside of clinical medicine. This conference helped me to see all of the opportunities available. Some of them are very appealing. This is giving me a place to start. I have started the process of converting my CV to a resume, which is a bigger challenge than I thought it would be, partly due to the fact, I have not touched it in about 3 years. Thank you very much. I have new energy to start my journey.

I very much enjoyed the conference, and I am already thinking about attending the expert witness conference in February.

Excellent. I was amazed by the diverse group of consultants (41) and attending physicians (400) of all ages.

Thank you for putting on such an incredibly valuable conference. I heard nothing but positive comments about it all weekend long. Take care and feel good in knowing how your conference is changing lives!

Good conference! Will recommend to others who are looking for non-clinical careers.

I was surprised and encouraged by the number of attendees and alumni present. Encouraged by the information and success of so many physicians in alternate careers.

It was a great conference. Keep up the good work!

Very inspiring and eye-opening. I wish I had known about all this many years ago

It’s because of a Seak conference that I met people who got me plugged into telemedicine pre covid. I have since spent time consulting for telemed startups and am now the lead physician for Thirty Madison (the parent company of the Keeps brand). I owe you guys a lot for helping me find my way. My life is awesome. I work from home full time, make more money and see my kids every day.

Thank you for sharing your personal stories!! Very inspiring.

Improved my awareness.

Hi Steven! This was a fantastic conference. I enjoyed myself and met many physicians like me who are struggling with the guilt of potentially leaving clinical practice and yet are needing to transition to something non-clinical to make the most of our long training while, at the same time, prioritizing quality of life. The speaker sessions were very informative and the mentors were fantastic as well! I will most definitely recommend this conference to my colleagues who I sense are reaching their tipping point before burn out sets in!

Meaningful, relaxed, top notch, accurate

I am senior recruiter for a medically related company and manage the hiring process for my company. I wanted to thank you for e-mailing our recent non-clinical opening to your alumni. I am happy to confirm that we were able to hire one of your alumni who received your notice and, as it turns out, we currently have another similar position that just opened up that we are looking to fill. We are again looking for individuals with a M.D. background. Also, if there is anything else I can do to develop a relationship with your organization, I would very much welcome that.

Thanks so much for four great days. It was incredibly educational and eye-opening. It really helped to crystallize where I want to go. I greatly appreciated all the various options.

Thank you for organizing this life changing experience.

Excellent conference, very informative, lots of meaningful suggestions and ideas to consider

Found out what is out there and what I do NOT want to do.