Insurance Planning Through Your Medical Career
Start with the stage you are in, then look ahead to your next transition. These guides organize questions about existing benefits, household responsibilities and the documents to bring to a comparison.
By Navid Lalezari · Author
Reviewed by Navid Lalezari
Last reviewed
In this guide
Begin with what is changing
A new role can change your employer, duties, location and household budget. Write down the transition date and the questions you need answered. A guide helps you organize that conversation; your actual policy and benefit documents supply the coverage details.
Read next: Physician Planning Toolkit · Changing Physician Jobs: A Disability Coverage Handoff Checklist
Make income and family protection separate conversations
Use the disability guides to explore protection for your ability to earn. Use the life guides to explore the responsibilities that would remain for other people after your death. Keep a short list of existing policies and open questions so the two conversations support the same priorities.
Read next: Physician Disability Insurance · Life Insurance Planning for Physician Households
Choose your career stage
- Insurance Planning Before ResidencyOrganize school benefits, household needs and questions about disability coverage before the residency transition.Explore guide →
- Disability Insurance Planning During ResidencyPrepare a resident coverage review covering current protection, student policy discounts, younger-age pricing and future attending-income options.Explore guide →
- Disability Insurance Planning During FellowshipReview existing resident coverage, student policy discount continuation and increase opportunities as fellowship responsibilities and income change.Explore guide →
- Disability Insurance Planning for New AttendingsReview the next layer of income protection while preserving relevant rights from coverage purchased as a resident or fellow.Explore guide →
- Insurance Review for Established PhysiciansRevisit clinical duties, employer changes, existing policy rights and family protection as a medical career develops.Explore guide →
Where to go from here
These next steps are educational and have no cost or obligation. They do not start an insurance application or begin coverage.
- Request a conversation
Tell Drs Choices what you are weighing and request a conversation about your situation.
- Explore My Insurance Options
See the disability, life, health and employer-group paths side by side before you decide which one to start.
- Start Your Plan
Build a discussion brief from your own numbers. No account or email is required.