Why self-awareness is the missing piece in medical careers

What is Self-Awareness?

The Oxford Dictionary defines self-awareness as ‘the conscious knowing of one’s own character and feelings.’ Most of us have some level of self-awareness but often rely on gestalt—our gut feelings—rather than conscious decision-making.

In clinical practice, gut instinct is an invaluable tool, shaped by years of experience and clinical knowledge. But when it comes to career decisions, what is that instinct based on?

Without understanding how we make career choices, it’s difficult to define or improve our approach. During times of uncertainty, most of us prefer to rely on logical, well-reasoned choices rather than pure instinct—especially under stress. This is where a structured career framework becomes invaluable.

The Role of Career Frameworks

Doctors thrive on frameworks—after all, ABC is still the gold standard in medicine. Career decision-making benefits from a similar structured approach.

One of the most effective models I’ve found as a career coach is SCAN (image below):

🔹 S for Self-Awareness – Understanding your values, interests, strengths, and stressors.

🔹 C for Career Exploration – Researching opportunities, networking, and seeking advice.

🔹 A for Arriving at a Decision – Weighing up options and considering the pros and cons.

🔹 N for Next Steps – Taking action through applications, interviews, and CV building.

Without a structured approach, we may apply elements of these steps but rarely all of them. SCAN works for all career decisions, not just the difficult ones. And like any skill, it improves with practice.

Self-Awareness: The foundation of career fulfilment

Many of us skip self-awareness altogether—sometimes because we don’t even realise we should be developing it. Yet, it’s a fundamental leadership skill, one that should be introduced in medical school and refined throughout our careers.

Without understanding ourselves, how can we effectively:

✅ Develop our own potential, work sustainably, maintain enjoyment in our careers?

✅ Develop within a team?

✅ Contribute to a wider system?

We rarely take time to reflect on what truly drives and fulfils us. But without that clarity, career decisions can feel misaligned—leading to frustration, burnout, or a sense of being “stuck.”

In the next blog, I’ll explore how self-awareness applies in practice and the key questions to ask yourself when making career decisions.

Looking Ahead

This is the second in a series of blogs exploring career planning skills for medics and other healthcare professionals. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing the key resources and strategies I use with the doctors I coach to help them make informed and empowered career decisions.

If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you.