Editor’s Note: With this article, we introduce Trainee Corner, which will focus on topics of interest to trainees and fellows in hematology. In this inaugural contribution, two hematologists who left academia to pursue careers in industry talk about their decisions. Anita J. Kumar, MD, PhD, is a senior medical director with Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine. Nina Shah, MD, is the global head of multiple myeloma clinical development and strategy at AstraZeneca.

Dr. Shah: It was a complicated decision, and not an easy one. I can definitely say I wasn’t running away from academia. It was more that an unexpected opportunity came my way and I wanted to take a chance. I had always been interested in disease strategy and drug development; when I was approached to shape a portfolio that was specific for my disease, I felt my interest piqued and decided that this was as good a time as any to pivot.

Dr. Kumar: I was struck by a two-part series in ASH Clinical News, “The Doctor is Out.” One comment was particularly memorable, in which one expert advised physicians to move toward a new opportunity rather than trying to dodge a current situation. As I loved many aspects of academia, including mentors and colleagues, I spent months considering this comment. At the same time, I was introduced to colleagues who had made the transition early in their careers. I remember distinct conversations outlining the things they loved — cross-functional work, utilizing their clinical skills, and working at a global level. I also remember a colleague highlighting that it could be an adjustment to pivot from writing your own research studies to following the initiatives and priorities of a larger company.

I still felt conflicted about the possibility of leaving behind the pieces of academia I enjoyed, so to better understand my own values and priorities, I started professional coaching. For anyone considering coaching, I would highly recommend this. My coach, a retired pediatrician, told me at our first session, “I don’t know anything about your field, but I can help you understand your own goals and values.” For the next six months, we met regularly, and, at the end of our journey, I felt like I understood my own professional and personal values, which included professional collaboration and having a job that could help patients but without the uncertainty of the grants process. At the same time, as I considered a new opportunity, I found support in these decisions both within and external to my home institution. External support ranged from former co-residents (yes, those connections last!) to my former fellowship program director and ASH Clinical Research Training Institute mentors.

Dr. Shah: It’s a transition from focusing on your individual achievements to focusing on the success of a team. I think this is particularly striking if you make the transition during a later part of your career, after you have established your academic reputation. In industry, your team is a cross-functional matrix, where each person has a different expertise, so there is a true interdependency and less of a hierarchy. And the success of that team is celebrated at the level of the larger group and company, not as a light shining on you. The best way I can describe it is shifting from being a cross-country runner to rowing crew. But either way, a win is a satisfying one.

Dr. Kumar: I would add that a physician can succeed in many types of roles within industry, ranging from clinical development to medical affairs to health technology. Identifying the “best fit” based on your own skill set and career aspirations is important in this process. I would also reassure trainees that they can continue to work in a scientifically rigorous setting that promotes critical thinking and patient-centered outcomes.

Dr. Kumar: At the end of the day, I think most or all of us go into the field to make a difference and improve patient outcomes within hematology. I would tell trainees that there are many avenues to use our skill set to improve the field, whether it be in academia, private practice, or industry. With qualified physicians in all realms of cancer care and research, the field will hopefully make stronger and faster strides.

Dr. Shah: I would say that your working life is a marathon and not a sprint. More than that, it’s a (most of) life journey. And if you’re going to be on a trip, you might as well enjoy it. Different things make different people happy. Progressing upward in stepwise fashion is a template we are taught, but not necessarily one we should all follow. I know myself better now. My main goal with work, aside from doing good for the world, is to have fun. If you enjoy what you are doing, you will have a fulfilling career, no matter the path.