Where do I begin? Transitioning from the clinical to the academic world

Where do I begin? For the past 14 years I’ve worked in a clinical capacity. The clinical milieu became natural to me. Sitting across individuals helping them navigate the stickiness of life.  The clinical setting is where I thrive. Even through the most challenging clinical cases, I am usually reminded why I chose this field and why this field chose me. I won’t lie there have been some academic musings throughout my clinical career. Moments of “what would that look like?” So when an opportunity to join the academic world was presented to me I immediately went into self-doubt mode but my doubts relaxed when I had the safety net of being able to continue my clinical work. In the back of my head I knew I would be challenged taking on this new role and eventually flung into academic writing. Honestly, I craved the opportunity.

Where do I even begin? Fortunately, this is where I begin. Writing about how it feels to take the leap and make the shift. For some it’s natural but for me a bit scary. Scary in a good way is the only way I can describe this new chapter in my career. I think earlier in my career writing seemed so intimidating. The lady in the Starbucks engrossed in her next novel. The guy fretting over his new screenplay. They both looked so determined and confident. There have been moments when I would occasionally dabble in writing for fun. Maybe start a blog on palliative care, complaining about raising teens, or surviving menopause. You know, write about things that permeate my world in real time. Unfortunately, the distractions would come, work, teens, hot flashes or just life in general.

So, I’ve decided to adopt a different approach to writing and now whenever I have the opportunity no matter the context, I just write. It doesn’t have to be the next great thing.  Plus, I had to tell myself that girl in Starbucks could have been questioning her writing abilities and losing focus as she smiled sipping her macchiato. That guy could easily be doubting his self and on his eighth draft and eighth expresso after seven rejections.  

So here I am sitting in an overpriced coffee shop sipping on a $7 soy latte and yelling in my head, “where do I even begin?”  I think a recipe for my adventure into academic writing is to first surround myself with those that get that THIS IS NOT EASY.  Second, remind myself that I have a voice. Although historically I’ve excelled at expressing myself vocally, it’s now time to challenge myself.  I do have a voice. Now it’s time to express it by putting pin to pad. I’ve wasted a lot of time thinking about where to begin. So now I just need to begin and then work through the kinks later. Clinical work involves planning and coordinating thoughts and ideas to present to my patients in a way that helps them grow. I meld CBT with interpersonal styles that promote encouragement and forward movement. I get excited when the patient can see the possibilities and begin to move in the direction they want.  So, this is where I begin. Plan and coordinate ideas that will help me grow as a writer. See the possibilities and begin to move in a direction by writing what I know. It will flow but first I have to begin.

Stella D. Nelms, Ph.D.