Veteran’s Perspective 34 www.latinastyle.com LATINAStyle Vol. 25, No. 3, 2019
Lessons Learned
By Jennifer Peña, MD, FACP
Virtual Primary Care Physician at Oscar Health Insurance;
INOVA VIP 360 Executive/Concierge Medicine Physician
U.S. Army Veteran
One of my former Army
Commanders told me that my
transition into the civilian
workforce would be easy, because I have
a “profession” as a physician. I then felt
that my physician resumé and credentials
spoke for themselves, and I didn’t take the
time to learn how to sell myself to potential future
employers.
Turns out that by not preparing to “sell myself,”
I ended up selling myself short upon transitioning
into the civilian job market. I was applying for jobs as
a physician, and my previous experience as an Army
officer took a backseat. But doctors aren’t born
leaders, and my leadership education was acquired
in the Army, not in medical school.
I learned early on that medicine was my
vocation, but being a soldier was my profession. As
physicians in the military, we try to fit that white coat
over our uniforms, but it never fits correctly because
it is not meant to. Your caduceus is already present
on your uniform lapel, but it is the “U.S. Army” plate
that you proudly display over your heart.
Here are some of the valuable lessons I learned
during my recent transition:
1. You no longer wear your resumé on your
sleeve.
Literally. As military members, we are fortunate to
have uniforms that proudly indicate our
accomplishments, ranks and tenures. Once that
uniform comes off, you have to represent yourself on
a piece of paper, on interviews and on the job. Don’t
sell yourself short. Make sure to translate all of your
worth from the uniform to the resumé.
2. You are a leader, whether you get hired into
a leadership position or not.
I am honored to work alongside brilliant minds in
civilian medicine, and help shape the future of
healthcare in this country. But smart doctors aren’t
always born leaders. As a prior servicemember, you
have been trained to lead, whether by emulation or
in opposition. Use your experience to educate by
example, supervise…but trust enough to delegate,
manage…but don’t micromanage, and always
engage with tactical patience.
3. You might be older, but you are wiser.
You might be faced with working with a younger
cohort. Exercise humility, don’t be afraid to learn and
ask questions, share helpful experiences and don’t
be afraid to educate the educators. You don’t have
to prove your worth, but you have to earn respect.
4. Being a veteran isn’t a crutch.
Being a veteran is a tool. Employers know the skills,
discipline and work ethic that veterans offer. Yes, you
probably were hired because you’re a veteran. And
that is a badge of honor, not something to be
ashamed about. These lessons have proven
beneficial as I navigate my way through this new
chapter. I’m reassured to know that the military
trained me to face challenges. The roadmap to
transitioning into civilian employment is like a tricky
Land Navigation course-in the dark, with end points
too close together to discern…but if you over or
undershoot, as long as you keep moving, you’ll
eventually get somewhere.
LS
sp
time to
Jennifer Peña is a
board-certified, internal
medicine physician with over
10 years of clinical experience.
Currently working as a Virtual
Primary Care Physician for
Oscar Insurance and as a
PRN/Part-time provider for the
INOVA VIP 360 concierge and
executive medicine practice.
She transitioned out of active
duty service in the U.S. Army
on January 2019, most recently
serving in the White House
Medical Unit as primary
Physician to the Vice President
of the United States. She has
extensive experience in
executive medicine, providing
high quality, patient-centered
and comprehensive primary
care in a concierge model.
She is experienced in leading
and collaborating with
multidisciplinary teams and the
use of telemedicine to ensure
world-wide access to quality
healthcare.
Jennifer Peña with medic, Camp Sabalu
Harrison in Afghanistan, 2012.
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