In this episode of Under Your Skin, host Nicholas Brownstone, MD, chats with Muneeb Shah, DO, to explore some valuable advice for residents, effective time management techniques, and strategies for advertising your practice.
Dr Shah begins by reflecting on his residency experience, likening it to "drinking from a fire hose" due to the overwhelming influx of information. His key advice to residents is to seize this period as a valuable learning opportunity. He emphasizes the importance of asking questions and seeking insights not only on clinical matters but also on aspects like billing and operations. He encourages residents to attend conferences, network, and absorb as much knowledge as possible, as the intensity of post-residency responsibilities may leave little room for catching up on missed learning opportunities.
Acknowledging his own journey to improve time management, Dr Shah underscores the significance of building a supportive team. Delegating tasks that may not be the best use of one's time to qualified team members, whether an office manager or medical assistant, allows for more efficient and strategic use of time. Additionally, he advocates for creating systems within the office to streamline patient interactions, suggesting the implementation of codes to prompt assistance when spending excessive time with a patient. Dr Shah's insights highlight the long-term benefits of optimizing team dynamics and establishing efficient office protocols.
Dr Shah acknowledges the benefit having a large social media following has in attracting patients; however, he notes that patients discovered through social media tend to be more complex. They often seek him out after other dermatologists were unable to solve difficult-to-treat issues and have higher expectations.
He also notes that despite having a large social media following, targeting a specific geographic area remains a challenge. Considering that, Dr Shah does not dismiss traditional advertising methods like door-to-door marketing and business card distribution to local family physicians and businesses, noting that he has seen significant success with these tactics.