Historically, physicians have been “lone wolves”, especially in solo practice or rural settings.

Even in community clinics or hospital settings, we tend to be quite independent, minding our own business.

But times have changed: patient care has evolved to be heavily team-based, coupled with EMRs and virtual care platforms. As the team lead, it’s no longer just about your personal performance: it’s a team production now. 

In essence, the practice of medicine is more like a team sport—each teammate with their specific strategic roles following a certain playbook. Alas, most medical schools and residency programs seldom equip us with such skills.

Once we step into the real world of medical practice, we either conform to conventional practice traditions or we “wing it” based on survival instincts. 

Let’s face it: building or rebuilding a team is no easy feat.

However, awareness is the first step of any great adventure.

As a starter, here are some reflective questions to ponder:

1. In my practice setting, what kind of a team do we have? What role does each member play?
2. What kind of redundancy or inefficiency is evident?
3. If I could have a dream team, what would that look like for the best outcomes for all parties—patients, clinicians, and staff?
4. Who can I find to seek some advice on team building?