Chapters 1 and 2 emphasized establishing professional goals and life goals and selecting a practice specialty. Perhaps you are very focused and detailed with your list of goals and expectations for yourself. Perhaps you have a comprehensive, lengthy timeline for proposed accomplishments. While these represent hallmarks of career success, some level of patience and flexibility will likely be required. Know yourself and have a keen understanding of your own strengths and weaknesses, your qualifications, and your preferences. Be able to succinctly present yourself, including these attributes, in an articulate, yet not ostentatious way. This takes practice, so practice it. Review with your significant other, your mentors, and your friends. It takes courage to expose yourself to those around you in this manner—realize that you are mature enough to do it, which again is a sign of someone truly ready for the next step. Clarify and hone your expectations. Consider developing tiers of importance: which items on your list are essential (deal-breakers if not fulfilled); which are important but not essential; which are nice, but only icing on the cake?

Key aspects of your job are presented in no particular order. All have importance, although each person will value some attributes more than others. Some major priorities for you may even be absent from this list. For those desiring an academic career, specific additional priorities will be reviewed in Chapter 4. Many new surgeons would prefer an academic position, but when a suitable opportunity does not arise, they are willing to move forward with a nonacademic position. Prepping for both options is often the best course of action, and your priority list will be relevant to either.