Balls and Walnuts
more than you ever wanted to know
Voted onto the island
They like me. They really like me.
Here at California’s biggest and best HMO, physicians put in three years before they make partner. Partnership means a little more money and a lot more job security. Job security is, of course, worth far more than that little bit of extra money.
Some (like Karen) would say that there was never any doubt that I’d make partner, particularly since they keep showering me with leadership roles. I’m chief of my department, and as of June 1 looks like they’re gonna make me the Physician In Charge for our building. They jumped over a lot of docs with far more seniority than me for the latter job, which either means (A) the boss sees remarkable leadership qualities in me, or (B) I’m still naive enough to say ‘yes’ to an offer like that. It would have been odd (understatement) to make me chief and PIC, only to then dump me from the organization. But it’s the partners who vote people on or off the island, not the big boss, and it wouldn’t be inconceivable for a difference of opinion to exist.
As it was, the boss told me they had to delay the decision on me because the partners were slow to vote. But I think that has more to do with the I-never-read-my-damn-emails problem than with any reluctance to jump me in to the gang.
What can I do differently, now that I’ve made partner?
* Buy a saltwater aquarium. No one wants to buy a saltwater aquarium if he thinks he’s gonna have to find a new job and MOVE.
* Hang my partnership plaque up on the wall.
* Deduct things on my income taxes, apparently, and oh . . .
* Start paying income taxes quarterly, yay! because the organization will no longer take automatic deductions.
* Breathe a little easier. Except, this area of the country has the worst particulate smog of anywhere, so strike that last thought.
I think we’ll go to Santa Barbara next weekend to celebrate . . . it’s been about 20 years since we last went to the Palace Cafe.
D.
It sounds like congrats are in order, so congratulations little bro!
Tell your readers what makes the Palace Cafe special. I love Santa Barbara.
Congratulations!
Thanks.
Sharon, have you been there? It’s a great little Cajun restaurant that has wonderful, wonderful food.
No, never been there. Cajun would not be good for me.
So it’s starting to look like this whole medicine gig might have legs.
I was in Santa Barbara for a couple of hours five or six years ago and I really liked it ERGO you should go there for the weekend. Actually, since today is Tuesday, you should have had gone there.
English doesn’t handle the past imperative well.
Congratulations, Doug!