What do you really want out of your career?

Author

Lauren Curtis
May 06, 2025

Hey Health Techies!

This week I’m hosting a free 5 Day Nonclinical Role Match Challenge for those that are looking to narrow down their nonclinical role options in health tech. It’s way too easy to get overwhelmed with where to get started in a career pivot, and I’m here to help with that.

Today’s challenge reflection was around asking what you really want out of a role, and I thought I’d bring the topic to the newsletter because I don’t think it’s a question that clinicians ask themselves enough.

What do you actually want?

I’m willing to bet that one reason you got into healthcare was because you wanted to help people. Same. But somewhere between late night shifts and being told to “do more with less,” that purpose began to get lost.

If you have ever found yourself wondering “Is this it?”—you’re not broken. You’re human. And you’re not alone.

We’re trained to put ourselves last

Healthcare doesn’t exactly reward introspection. From the moment you enter training, the culture tells you: sacrifice is noble, overwork is expected, and questioning the system is a liability. You learn to override your needs (hello aching feet and full bladder!) because the work matters more. Because patients come first. Always.

There seems to be an unspoken rule in medicine that if you’re not actively suffering, you’re not working hard enough. Then there’s the guilt that comes with wanting something more or just something different because after all you worked so hard for this.

You don’t have to hate your job to want something different. And you don’t need a rock-bottom moment to earn a pivot.

But you do need clarity. You need space to ask:

  • What feels meaningful to me right now?

  • What am I tolerating because I think I “should”?

  • Who benefits from me staying stuck?

Reflection isn’t indulgent—it’s essential. And I’ve been really proud of those in the Nonclinical Role Match Challenge this week as they reflect deeply about how their work is impacting them and what isn’t serving them anymore. Especially in a profession where burnout is framed as personal failure rather than a systemic inevitability.

The reason I think most healthcare professionals wait too long to do this type of reflection? Maybe you can relate. You are too good at pushing through. You adapt. You make it work.

And before you know it, you’ve built a career around who others need you to be—not who you are.

🔔 This is your permission

To stop ignoring the whisper that says: “This isn’t working.”
To stop gaslighting yourself into thinking that you’re not qualified to do anything else.
To start asking what a career on your terms might look like.

You don’t have to figure it all out today or this week. You just have to promise me that as a part of figuring it out, you stop to think about what you really want, not just about the things that you’re trying to escape. And to acknowledge that it’s ok if the things that you wanted 5, 10, 15 years ago when you started this journey…have changed.

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Until next time,

Lauren

P.S. If you forgot to sign up for the free challenge I’m hosting this week - it’s not too late! We got started yesterday, but all of the week’s activities are included in the challenge workbook that I’ll send you, so you won’t miss a beat!