I've been in Portland for two weeks and day. I wish I had started
writing sooner about my journey here. I remember the day I left from
Atlanta -I went to work as usual with all of my material possessions
packed away in my 2011 Kia Soul. I wore jeans and a button down shirt
with sneakers.
Leah, a pharmaceutical rep from Abbvie made a surprise visit to my office with an envelope in hand. She was always a joy to speak with - someone I could easily be friends with outside of work. Leah and I shared something unique in common. We both were from Selma, Alabama and went to the same high school, which was the subject of many of our conversations.
She wished me safe travels and handed me the envelope. Inside, I found $100 that she had collected from herself and her colleagues from Abbvie. She told me it was for gas and that the Abbvie team wanted to wish me well. She also informed me that Dr. Wolf contributed $20 to the gift.
Dr. Wolf - renowned gastroenterologist and Primary Investigator for the research registries I managed - made a significant impact on my decision to depart from Atlanta. There was no argument, no insult, or expression of dissatisfaction. There was no obvious reason for the tension between us. But there was the obvious tension; the constant irritation from the lack of communication between our shared responsibilities and the awkward silences that became the elephant in the room. I just couldn't thrive under his leadership. I could not then or now, pinpoint the major cause for the problem. It was all the small things; fundamentally different work ethics and conflicting ethical standards.
I have often thought about him since I moved. I've wondered why a professional relationship could ever become so miserable that it couldn't be reconciled. After all, he offered me the job - but I fully believe he regrets that decision as much as I regretted accepting it. Could I have done something differently to make it more manageable? I honestly don't think I could have. The one thing we have in common is our stubbornness - and I believe the resulting conflict is what influenced my early departure.
It's important to note that my decision wasn't random. I had been planning to move for a long time. I had considered several places before deciding on Maine. It was, however, the debilitating conditions at work that influenced me to move a year earlier than I had previously considered.
I have to look back prior to my promotion to appreciate the experience there. Working as a medical assistant for Dr. Anand and under the management Emma Carter was a very enlightening experience. It was during that time that I began to open up to learning about myself and how others perceive my behavior. I had several major challenges but I believe the magic is in the fact that I learned from them. My manager and the physician I worked with supported me and showed me patience - something few people have done for me in my life.
I learned that I was unhappy. Filled with negativity and constant frustration, I began to realize I was in the wrong career. It wasn't just about the financial aches and pains of living in Atlanta, it was that I wasn't being true to myself. The truth - I only entered the health care industry because I knew it was safe. I want to be a writer. I always have. Writing is the only thing I've ever felt passionate about in terms of a career. Yet, I neglected my talent - until now.
Leah, a pharmaceutical rep from Abbvie made a surprise visit to my office with an envelope in hand. She was always a joy to speak with - someone I could easily be friends with outside of work. Leah and I shared something unique in common. We both were from Selma, Alabama and went to the same high school, which was the subject of many of our conversations.
She wished me safe travels and handed me the envelope. Inside, I found $100 that she had collected from herself and her colleagues from Abbvie. She told me it was for gas and that the Abbvie team wanted to wish me well. She also informed me that Dr. Wolf contributed $20 to the gift.
Dr. Wolf - renowned gastroenterologist and Primary Investigator for the research registries I managed - made a significant impact on my decision to depart from Atlanta. There was no argument, no insult, or expression of dissatisfaction. There was no obvious reason for the tension between us. But there was the obvious tension; the constant irritation from the lack of communication between our shared responsibilities and the awkward silences that became the elephant in the room. I just couldn't thrive under his leadership. I could not then or now, pinpoint the major cause for the problem. It was all the small things; fundamentally different work ethics and conflicting ethical standards.
I have often thought about him since I moved. I've wondered why a professional relationship could ever become so miserable that it couldn't be reconciled. After all, he offered me the job - but I fully believe he regrets that decision as much as I regretted accepting it. Could I have done something differently to make it more manageable? I honestly don't think I could have. The one thing we have in common is our stubbornness - and I believe the resulting conflict is what influenced my early departure.
It's important to note that my decision wasn't random. I had been planning to move for a long time. I had considered several places before deciding on Maine. It was, however, the debilitating conditions at work that influenced me to move a year earlier than I had previously considered.
I have to look back prior to my promotion to appreciate the experience there. Working as a medical assistant for Dr. Anand and under the management Emma Carter was a very enlightening experience. It was during that time that I began to open up to learning about myself and how others perceive my behavior. I had several major challenges but I believe the magic is in the fact that I learned from them. My manager and the physician I worked with supported me and showed me patience - something few people have done for me in my life.
I learned that I was unhappy. Filled with negativity and constant frustration, I began to realize I was in the wrong career. It wasn't just about the financial aches and pains of living in Atlanta, it was that I wasn't being true to myself. The truth - I only entered the health care industry because I knew it was safe. I want to be a writer. I always have. Writing is the only thing I've ever felt passionate about in terms of a career. Yet, I neglected my talent - until now.
-JD
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