TRAINING and EDUCATION
money to hire that person.
Then, ask your personnel for what
you need. People aren’t mind-readers,
so delegate responsibilities and establish
expectations. Communicate your ideal
conditions for productivity to the ad-
ministrative assistant who manages your
calendar so he or she can schedule meetings
more efficiently.
and serve as lifelines when chal-
lenges arise. In addition to finding
a mentor who is an expert in the
field you’re pursuing, I recommend
finding a career-development or
work-life mentor whose goals align
with yours – and who is modeling the
behavior needed to achieve them.
Starting a new position as a faculty member can
mean that we have support staff available to us, in-
cluding administrative assistants, research specialists
and technicians, and nurses and advanced practice
providers. So, don’t be afraid to ask for what you need
to maximize your productivity. This can be part of
your contract negotiations. For example, my contract
guarantees me a certain level of support staff. When
I was getting my flow cytometry research off the
ground, I learned that I needed a research techni-
cian to help me process samples so that I could focus
on applying for grants, writing protocols, and seeing
patients. I was able to use start-up funds and grant
“Be present. Checking
email when you’re
spending time with
your family means
you’re not doing
either thing well.”
Finally, take care of your team so they will take care
of you. Maintain open lines of communication and
schedule time for two-way feedback. Working together
is an iterative process where you will increase produc-
tivity by ensuring things are running smoothly; you do
that by talking with – and listening to – your team.
This advice applies to your personal life, as well.
If you have a partner, share responsibilities at home –
cooking, cleaning, laundry, caregiving, etc. When you
make the transition to faculty, you will likely have the
financial means to outsource tasks, such as doing the
laundry, that detract from family time. That hour is bet-
ter spent doing what you are passionate about.
Protect Your Personal Time
Preserving the time spent outside of work is as vital as
protecting research time.
If you’re not proactive about setting aside personal
time, don’t expect anyone else to do it for you. Take
the initiative to schedule both the big and little stuff,
from vacations to nights out. Define your boundaries
and make them clear to your co-workers. For example,
I expect to be home by 6:30 p.m. to have dinner with
my family and put my son to bed. I do my best to avoid
scheduling meetings or other work obligations after
that time.
Another bit of advice that’s easier said than done:
be present. Checking email when you’re spending time
with your family means you’re not doing either thing
well. When you enter that protected personal time,
leave your phone behind and sign out your pager if
you can.
The term “work-life balance” implies a zero-sum
game where one part of your life suffers when you
devote time to or succeed in the other. This framing
turns “work” and “life” into competing interests. I
prefer the concept of “work-life synergy,” because I’ve
found that success and gratification in either realm
often feeds back positively to the other. ●
Resources from the ASH Trainee Council
The American Society of Hematology (ASH)
created the ASH Trainee Council in 2001 to
advocate for the issues and concerns of hema-
tology/oncology trainees, including mentorship,
publishing, and funding. The Trainee Council
consists of 12 trainees from the U.S., Canada,
and Mexico, whose primary function is to advise
the ASH Committee on Training about issues
relevant to the educational needs of hematolo-
gy trainees, including the planning of events and
services for trainees at the ASH annual meeting.
Trainee Council projects and programs include:
Trainee Day at the ASH Annual Meeting
ASH provides a variety of educational and net-
working opportunities to help trainees make the
most of their meeting experience. Activities and
services for undergraduates, medical and gradu-
ate students, residents, and fellows include didac-
tic and interactive small-group breakout sessions
and career-development lunch sessions.
Hematology Career Planner
The ASH Trainee Council created this career-
development tool to provie timelines for every
hematology trainee, whether an MD or PhD.
Visit hematology.org/Career/Planner to review
the interactive tool.
ASHClinicalNews.org
Grants Clearinghouse
This database of hematology
grant opportunities is
provided as a service by the
ASH Trainee Council to aid
trainees in their search for
grant information. However,
ASH does not endorse any of
the information or web links
contained in this database
and is not responsible for the
content of external websites.
Visit hematology.org/
Fellows/Grants to search for funding
opportunities.
TraineE-News
Trainees and fellows who join ASH as associate
members automatically receive TraineE-News
in their inbox, a quarterly collection of articles
written by and for trainees that is curated by
the ASH Trainee Council. Visit hematology.org/
Fellows/Council to browse more articles from
the TraineE-News archives.
For more information about the Trainee Council
and ASH programs and awards available to
early-career hematologists, visit hematology.org/
Trainees.
More from ASH Clinical News
Check out our “For Fellows & Trainees” section at
ashclinicalnews.org/for-fellows-and-trainees for
exclusive special features and resources for early-
career hematologists, including:
• Tips on navigating the array of careers open
to trainees from Leidy Isenalumhe, MD, MS,
chair of the 2017-18 Trainee Council
• An exploration of the wide world of medical
education with Hanny Al-Samkari, MD
• Advice from senior innovators and mentors in
hematology and oncology
ASH Clinical News
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