FIRED at 30 is not fired at 50

A colleague once quipped that Deans of medical schools come and go the same way-fired with enthusiasm.

The next time you go to see your doctor, if you even get to see one, they might be practicing millennial medicine. That means they might be FIRED with enthusiasm-financially independent and retire early.

On the other hand, you might be seeing an employed physician over 50, who, one day is the white coat that gets the pink slip. Here's what that looks like.

Like all things American these days, there are inequities and ageism bias not matter how much the economy is "booming".

Many doctors are planning their early exit strategy and will most likely have abbreviated clinical careers. Some won't even start one. Others are already preparing to work in the sick care gig economy.

Here is your guide to non-clinical career transitioning. Try not to make these side gig gaffes.

However, depending on your situation, you might want to think twice before telling someone to take this white coat and shove it.

If you are an employed physician or part of a startup team, and are "made redundant" , what should you do? Here are some tips:

1. Take a deep breath. Work through the stages of loss and get beyond denial and anger as quickly as possible

2. Do a Plan B assessment. Depending on the stage of your career, you might want to pursue a non-clinical pathway .

3. Increasingly, it is likely that as a medical student and resident you had little or no exposure to the business of medicine and, as an employed physician, were immunized from the intricacies of practice management. If you decide to join an independent group, you will need to educate yourself and get up to speed quickly , particularly when it comes to revenue cycle management. Create value as soon as possible.

4. Familiarize yourself with your biocluster and network extensively to get a view of a landscape that you probably have ignored up to now.

5. Don't make these 7 common mistakes when looking for a job or working with a search consultant.

6. Learn your lesson and, even when you find your next job, always have Plan B. There is no job or corporate loyalty and you are always on the bubble.

7. Playing it safe can the most dangerous thing you can do with your career.

8. Consult an employment law attorney if you feel you have been wronged or subjected to discrimination or wrongful discharge.

9. Forget the exit interview.

10. If you are at the later stages of your career, don't screw up the encore.

11. Be aware of the warning signs that you have a target on your back.

12. Tell the good story and , to a select few, the real story.

We all come into and out of this world the same way. Truth be told, what happens in the middle is often beyond your control. How you prepare for and handle life is up to you.

Arlen Meyers,MD, MBA is the President and CEO of the Society of Physician Entrepreneurs on Twitter@SoPEOfficial and Facebook