Strategizing Success with Dr. Thomas McGinn

Thomas McGinn, MD, is the Chair and Professor of Medicine at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. He serves as the Director and Professor at the Institute of Health Innovations & Outcomes Research at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. Dr. McGinn also holds the office of Senior Vice President and Executive Director of Medicine Service Line at Northwell Health. Teaching trainees at multiple levels, Dr. McGinn is a huge proponent of mentorship, continually mentoring students, residents, and faculty at Northwell and beyond. He strongly supports the innovative ideas and research stemming from the talented young minds of tomorrow’s healthcare leaders. He has been the recipient of several NIH-funded grants and effectively executed numerous research studies. He has authored and published more than one hundred research papers. Dr. McGinn is also the author of the clinical prediction rules chapter of the JAMA series Users’ Guides to Medical Literature. First step: Get clear on what your goals are. After that? Recognize the opportunities that lead you closer to your goals—and let go of the rest. Dr. Thomas McGinn believes in strategizing when it comes to success: With every opportunity that comes our way, there is a cost to consider. Hard work, says Dr. McGinn, does not magically equal success. Instead, we must plan ahead, especially in academic careers. Success is also derived from supporting—and celebrating—the joy that comes from helping others achieve their full potential. Pearls of Wisdom: 1. Being proactive in reaching out to your mentors, that is the key to a successful mentor/mentee relationship. 2. Having a cost effective approach in taking up opportunities and know when to say no to which opportunity. 3. Be cognitively strategic about your own personal success. Hard work alone will not suffice.