The rise and rise of the portfolio career | The BMJ

Fiona Pathiraja and Marie-Claire Wilson argue that portfolio careers are the future of the medical profession Portfolio careers have been known in medicine since at least the 19th century, when Anton Chekhov combined his medical practice with writing plays. Medicine no longer has to be a doctor’s sole occupation or a job for life, and today it is common for consultants and general practitioners to diversify into other areas. Charles Handy, a leading business thinker, described the “portfolio career” in the early 1980s.1 He argued that as long as earned income is sufficient, job satisfaction will derive from a widely based portfolio of jobs, tailored to suit the needs of the individual. Within medicine, the portfolio career was pioneered by general practitioners and is gaining popularity among hospital doctors. Common portfolio careers include management, medical education, medicolegal work, or research, but a growing number of doctors are developing portfolios in less traditional areas

Fiona Pathiraja and Marie-Claire Wilson argue that portfolio careers are the future of the medical profession Portfolio careers have been known in medicine since at least the 19th century, when Anton Chekhov combined his medical practice with writing plays. Medicine no longer has to be a doctor’s sole occupation or a job for life, and today it is common for consultants and general practitioners to diversify into other areas. Charles Handy, a leading business thinker, described the “portfolio career” in the early 1980s.1 He argued that as long as earned income is sufficient, job satisfaction wi