If you've ever dreamed of being a published writer, or just have something you'd like to say, participate in our Physician Writer Search. Each month, we give you a topic and a deadline, and you give us 1,000 to 1,250 words. If we select your submission, we'll publish your column in a future issue, to be seen by 150,000 of your colleagues, and we'll pay you $250.
 

September 2012 topic: 'My best practice-management idea'

Few physicians have had formal practice-management training, but that doesn't mean they can't learn on the job. Sometimes the best answer is the simplest. Sometimes, it is the suggestion made by a coworker. Share the wealth: tell us about your most effective practice-management technique.

Submit your essay by e-mailing us here. Submissions due by June 22, 2012.

GUIDELINES:
Submissions must:
+ Be 1,000 to 1,250 words (not including your name, essay title, etc.)
+ Be emailed as an attachment to writersearch@physicianspractice.com in an editable format (such as Microsoft Word). No PDFs, please.
+ Include your full name, contact information, and a brief (about 30-word) bio indicating your specialty, practice location, and any other pertinent information you would like our readers to know about you.
+ Be an original, previously unpublished work produced by you. 

By submitting your work, you acknowledge that Physicians Practice retains all copyrights to any work it publishes. We will not publish your work without your permission. If we do publish your work, we will involve you in the editing process.

'I Feel I Am Successful When…'
How I justify my life to the angels who've helped me live it
Gastroenterologist George Ferenczi escaped the Iron Curtain as a boy. Now he tries to justify his luck, and life.

Making a Difference to Patients and Community

'I Feel I Am Successful When I Am Prepared' 

'My Toughest Decision as a Physician'
Trying to Save My Own Mother: A Poorly Equipped ICU
Neurosurgeon Margaret Wacker explains why she was forced to run a code on her own mother.


'How the Public Views Doctors, and the Image I Wish they Saw'
Modern Life is Destroying a Sacred Relationship
Maggie Kozel, MD, on how she thinks physicians can reestablish a personal relationship with their patients.

'What I Want My Patients to Know'

'What They Should Really Teach in Medical School'
There's No Education Like Experience
Julie Schopps, MD, on why she thinks the real learning doesn't take place until students are out of the classroom. 

'The Work of Art that Has Most Influenced My Career'
Monet's Water Lilies: an Unexpected Mentor
Theresa M. van der Vlugt, MD, on finding beauty in unexpected places.

'How I Chose My Specialty'
Pediatrics: Where the Magic Happens
David Thoele, MD, says the magic he found in pediatrics was less in the patients than in his fellow physicians.

To Cut or Not to Cut

Psychiatrists Aren't Crazy

Jogging into Practice

What to Be (or Not to Be)?


'The Patient Encounter That Taught Me Something New'
Learning New Things from a Patient Encounter 
 Dr. Peter Kim explains how a patient inspired him to toss out conventional wisdom.

'What I Learned from My Patient'

'My Scariest Experience as a Doctor'
How My Quiet Walk Was Interrupted by an Unexpected Delivery
Infectious disease specialist Onyema Ogbuagu on his experience in rural Nigeria as a junior house officer (intern) rotating in a busy labor and delivery room.

To Lie or Not To Lie About Patient Care?

Waiting for My Scariest Moment as a Physician

'My Funniest Experience as a Doctor'
The Curious Case of Mr. C and the Worms
Find out how internist Dushyant Viswanathan kept his cool under less than dignified circumstances.
 
"How I Avoid Burnout"
Am I Too Young to Burnout?
Family physician Kevin Radbill on how passion can triumph over burnout.

"Tell Us How You Find Redemption"
Is Redemption Possible for a Physician CEO?
Hospital CEO and physician Peggy Stephens, on how her grandmother's empathetic example shaped her medical career and executive role.

"Tell Us How You Find Balance"
On Finding Balance
Anesthesiologist Cheryl Orr, MD, on her struggle to balance the time demands of her work and family, and the tough decisions that led her to a balanced life.

"Tell Us Why You Love Your Staff"
'Why I Love My Staff'
Psychiatrist Doug Bey on how his staff helped him and his practice survive and thrive after his two heart attacks.

"The Career I Would Have Had If I Hadn't Become a Doctor"
Move Over Reba, Here Comes Shebah!
Internist Beverly J. Lessane, MD, is a busy doc by day, aspiring country music diva by night.

The Orbit Not Taken

Dough or Diagnosis? Finding My Plan B  

A Love of Language, a Dream Deferred 

"My Best/Worst Day as a Physician"
Three Humbling Weeks in Senegal
Internist Darin B. Brimhall on how three weeks treating patients in Senegal added up to his collective best day as a doc.

Sometimes Laughter IS the Best Medicine

The Black Hole of Burnout

Underdog Doc Takes on Payers for Patient

"What I Didn't Learn in Residency"
Getting Schooled in the Business of Medicine
Pediatrician Sandy L. Chung on the necessity of learning the business of medicine during her first year of practice.

"Treating Friends and Family"
How My Prescription Nearly Killed My Sister
Psychiatrist Teresa Ramerth on how a common medication she prescribed had serious consequences for her sister.

 "The Moment I Knew I Wanted to Be a Physician"
On Track: A Career in Medicine; A Life of Exploration
Surgeon Robert L. Horner planned to see the country as a railroad engineer until a watershed moment in a pool hall in Wyoming convinced him to change tracks.

 "My Most Frustrating Patient"
The Right Thing Doesn't Always Please Everyone
Plastic surgeon Eugene J. Strasser runs into trouble when an angry patient insists he bill Medicare for an elective procedure and he rightly refuses. 

"How My Hobby Has Made Me a Better Physician"
Lessons from My Pumpkin Patch
Jason A. Borton, MD, on the parallels between growing giant pumpkins and life in the emergency department. 

"What Surprised Me Most About Being a Physician"
Keeping an Open Mind When There's No Evidence
Internist Kathleen Summers on how she keeps an open mind about alternative medical treatments. 
 
"What I Do to Stay Healthy"
Trading My Hypocrisy for a Healthy Lifestyle
Gastroenterologist Robert E. Kramer on his uphill battle to stay fit for the long run.


'How I Chose to Become a Physician'

'The Movie That Has Most Influenced My Work as a Physician'


'What Giving Back Means to Me'
Around the World and at Home, Physicians Are Called to Serve
Family physician Lanny Copeland on how doctors can answer the call to serve.

'How I Give Back to My Community'