From Physical Therapist to Primary Care Clinic Manager: Jacob’s Career Pivot with Collective Coaching

1. How did participating in the Collective Coaching program shape your approach to making this career pivot? 

Collective Coaching broke the career transition process into manageable pieces. Once these pieces were identified, it became much easier to strategically focus on each one—for example, exploring various career paths, building a résumé, networking, and interviewing. It was incredibly helpful to be in a cohort of other healthcare professionals with a similar goal in mind. Learning not only from Lauren and Kylie but also from each participant provided tangible examples and a deeper understanding of how others approached a similar career transition. Networking and engaging with this smaller group helped me grasp how networking works and how to apply it to a broader professional community, including LinkedIn and other platforms. 

Through networking on LinkedIn and connecting with leaders at my current employer, I was able to secure my current role. Without this knowledge of networking and the skills I gained in résumé building and interviewing, I can confidently say I would not have been able to make this transition possible.

One of the most valuable concepts I learned and experienced is this: the more people I reach out to, the broader my network becomes, and the more opportunities arise. By applying what I learned from Collective Coaching, I was able to initiate conversations and build connections with communities I wouldn’t have otherwise had access to. Over the past year, I have connected with more than 60 people who have directly or indirectly contributed to making my transition possible.

2. What challenges did you face during the transition and how did the program or other resources help you navigate them?

I think perseverance is challenging for many people. As a physical therapist, I recognize that I may not be the typical applicant for some of these non-clinical roles. However, I also know that my work experience and expertise make me a strong candidate for many of these positions. In this process, perseverance and the ability to effectively communicate and market your skills are invaluable. Hearing from guest speakers during Collective Coaching who had successfully made the transition provided real-life examples of how others navigated this change and how I could apply similar strategies in my own career transition.

3. In what ways did your background as a physical therapist prepare you for success to land your non-clinical role?

I had already made the transition from acute care physical therapist to acute care rehab supervisor. Through this transition, I gained valuable leadership skills and experiences. My background in healthcare leadership within rehab, combined with my experience as a physical therapist, helped highlight my ability to manage both people and department operations as well as having an intimate knowledge of the patient experience. This aligned well with my new role as a Primary Care Clinic Manager, where I will oversee both personnel and clinic operations.

Additionally, as a healthcare leader and clinician, I have worked closely with physicians and medical teams during my whole career—something that will be even more prevalent in my new role. Even though this clinic falls outside of rehab, I believe there will be significant overlap, allowing me to draw from my prior experiences to succeed in this new position.

4. What advice would you give to other clinicians considering a similar move and how might Collective Coaching be helpful to them?

The number one piece of advice I have is to ask questions, connect, and network as much as possible. Without these connections, you are navigating the transition alone, without prior experience or knowledge—which I believe would be nearly impossible.

Collective Coaching was integral in this process for me by preparing me with a well written résumé, interview practice and a great idea of what I was looking for. This way, when the right opportunities present themselves, I was ready to initiate the transition right away. 

As clinicians, we are not accustomed to extensive networking. However, taking the leap, investing in yourself, and building connections will make the transition much more achievable and rewarding in the end. I was incredibly pleased to find that a very high percentage of the people I reached out to (including Lauren and Kylie) were willing to connect and share their stories and advice.

After making my first transition out of rehab, I definitely still don’t have it all figured out and plan to continue these connections with the community that I have built thus far! 

So, if you are considering a non-clinical transition, rely on these communities and the people around you. And most importantly, have perseverance—if you put in the effort, it will happen for you too!