After 5 years in outpatient Dermatology at the Mayo Clinic, my phototherapy, wet dressing, and tar application days are numbered. Sometime in the past few months, I got really restless with my job. I love the patients, love the hours, love my manager, love the benefits, but I wasn't in the least bit content. I tried being thankful for my job, looking on the brighter side, taking a different perspective ... but then the Division of Allergy Services posted a position for a part-time FTE in mid-July. Even before I got restless, I looked at the job postings whenever I worked, because you just never know when an incredible opportunity comes around. Anyway, finding a job at Mayo with a part-time FTE (20 hours a week) is very rare and when I saw the posting in Allergy I couldn't get it off my mind. The job was posted on a Friday and I applied for it that Sunday. The very next day, the posting was pulled off the website. Did they already have someone in mind for the position? Did they get a huge response and close the posting because of so many applicants? It was anybody's guess.
I received an e-mail three weeks later with an invitation to interview on the 5th of August. My last interview was 10 years ago when I was a brand new nurse trying to get in at Mayo, so needless to say I was nervous. At the end of the interview, I was told that if they were interested HR would contact me for a second interview with the Department Head of Allergy and the Practice Chair. Gulp! Another interview? An interview with physicians? Double gulp! The next day, HR called and offered me a second interview and wanted to get it scheduled before I left for vacation. So... it's our first day back from vacation and the first thing I had on my agenda was another interview. It must have gone well, because 3 hours later I got another call from HR offering me the position!
It still seems a little surreal because transferring to another department certainly wasn't on my radar. But it's hard to hold back enthusiasm because I'm really excited about learning something new and challenging. I'll be trained to administer skin tests to various allergens, provide immunotherapy, educate patients about their disease process, work directly with the physicians one on one, and someday once I'm there long enough, mix the medications and allergens and distribute them to other health care facilities. It's a little overwhelming to think about everything I'll have to learn, but I'm optimistic that I can catch on quickly.
My manager has been absolutely awesome to work with and it's going to be very difficult leaving because I have so much respect for her and have appreciated everything that she's done for our family. She's been so understanding of both Steve and my medical issues and has been so flexible with scheduling and giving me time off. I'm hoping that I'll be able to stay on supplemental and pick up extra shifts if they are short staffed, but the details still need to be worked out. HR usually gives the current unit about 30 days notice before transferring staff, so I probably won't start until mid-September or early October. And with the way the summer has been, mid-September will be here in no time!