Manager Boot Camp

Question: I’m thinking about accepting a new job as manager of an ambulatory surgical center (ASC), but I’m not sure my experience is sufficient. Where can I get quick training?

Answer: It’s hard to learn everything overnight, especially about a specific type of practice, but if you’ve simply noted a few issues that make you uneasy, consider calling the managers of ASCs in your state to ask whether they’ll meet you for lunch or spend 20 minutes on the phone to talk to you about their key challenges, give you advice, or provide insight into the issues that concern you. Your future competitors might even be willing to lend you a hand to some extent. People love to be considered experts and are usually willing to help a peer.

Or you can pay a consultant you respect for the time it takes to give you a crash course. Specific books and articles also are easy to locate in these days of Internet access and Amazon.com overnight delivery.

Keep in mind that assuming you didn’t exaggerate anything, your future employers think your experience is sufficient. You can always extend your education in a more thorough and careful manner once you start.