A world-renowned surgeon contacted Westgate with a plea for help.

With a busy surgical practice in Western North America, his primary concern was his family. Located in a city with no family or support system, the surgeon was anxious to move his family back to the east coast where his family of origin was located. With three young children, it was important to him and his wife for the children grow up near their grandparents. 

The surgeon’s surgical practice was growing rapidly and demands on his time were escalating. As an ambitious professional, his vision was to move his family and continue to grow his specialty practice. 

To do so, he would need to establish himself as a department head of a large hospital. The surgeon’s primary concern was the application process for the position at the hospital. 

Although certainly well qualified for the role, he would be competing with surgeons globally for this opportunity—a rare opportunity to grow a specialty practice in a highly competitive field happens infrequently. The application process would be critical. 

Initially I suggested referring him to another career specialist, given my specialty is working with corporate executives. However, he insisted he wanted to work with me because of my credentials and track record for producing quality results. I do not have a medical background and new very little, if anything, about his area of practice, or the application process hospitals follow to select their surgeons.

The
Outcome

He was awarded several interviews by not one hospital but three! The project did not end there. With a gruelling interview schedule over several months, we worked together to anticipate any questions which might arise that would preclude him from attaining the next step in the process. 

There were several points in time in which communication with the decision-makers halted (very common in this level of position) where we were uncertain as to whether or not a next step would be awarded. 

I worked with the client to build his confidence, drawing on his previous accomplishments from a career he was very proud of and for which had been recognized through awards and prestigious fellowships. 

The final interview was a presentation of his vision for the department. For this presentation, I suggested we create a medical model for the future. With his medical expertise, and with my storytelling ability, we created a visual model for him to present to the interview panel. It is said a picture paints a thousand words and the interview panel was very pleased indeed with the client’s vision for the future. 

He was awarded an attractive offer, but our work did not stop there. 

Once an offer is awarded, then it is time to negotiate the terms and conditions of the contract, which we did over several weeks. The terms were complex, and we needed to ensure the client’s interests were protected. Using my negotiation skills and partnering with an employment lawyer, we negotiated an arrangement honored the interests of all parties. 

He is now settled in his new home in Eastern North America with his young family who are thriving. The support of his extended family and his new world-renowned surgical practice has made him very happy. He can now serve his patients with confidence while knowing his family is safe and settled in their new home.