Doctors offices are called a practice for a reason. Expertise is earned not assigned by a title.

When we go to school, we leave with a baseline of skills to build expertise upon. A friend recently was talking about what it takes to be an expert. Let’s use the accepted idea that after 10,000 hours of practice you are an expert. What does that mean? I am an expert movement specialist. I have been doing it for over 15 years, someone comes in my door with a new issue they didn’t have last week, I am able to pivot on the spot and address or work around whatever that issue is. I am an expert. I have also been a licensed massage therapist since 2015. I am great at the type of massage that I do, but it isn’t all that I do. I don’t have 10,000 hours of time in, I am continuing to develop my expertise and approach every client’s physical challenge through the lens of curiosity. Where do my skills apply and where do I need to seek more information or refer to another resource in the care continuum.

Practicing medicine is two parts science one part art. Not all doctors have been practicing in one area for 10,000 or more hours. That does not mean they are not great at what they do, or that they are not developing expertise. Hopefully, it means they come to every patient with an open mind, open ears, and the ability to apply their skills or seek answers from other practitioners with more expertise on behalf of their patient. This is how expertise is developed. Where are you developing your expertise today?

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