Are you a clinician considering a nonclinical career path?
I get asked regularly about how I got started on my nonclinical career path. Whether I’m speaking at a conference or event, or working with clients on business development strategy projects, it seems people are interested in learning about how an occupational therapist went from treating patients in the clinic to working as a healthcare positioning strategist.
So, this week, we’re continuing our series on nonclinical career paths with this solo episode where I break down every role I’ve held since graduating in 2012. I walk through each job, what I took from each one, how I made the step into the next role, and things that I thought were key factors in skilling up for these nonclinical roles.
What we cover in this Episode:
- The importance of taking every learning opportunity available to you early in your career
- Looking at every position as an opportunity to grow your network and skills
- Starting a healthcare business with no funding
- Purchasing a healthcare business
- Key principles in managing and leading a healthcare business
- How I used LinkedIn to get my first nonclinical consulting role
- Understanding business models and incentives and how that relates to obtaining nonclinical roles
- Achieving Better Outcomes by stepping out of the clinic to affect systemic healthcare improvements
We post videos of certain podcast episodes, including this episode, which can find on the YouTube Channel.
Connect with Me
- LinkedIn (Rafi Salazar)
- Hire me to Speak
- Book a Healthcare Positioning Workshop
- Learn About Working with Me
For More:
If you enjoyed this episode: Join Rafael E. Salazar II, MHS, OTR/L (Rafi), principal of Rehab U Practice Solutions and host of The Better Outcomes Show as he explores the possibilities of a new healthcare. Guests range from clinicians trying new techniques and treatments to executives and entrepreneurs exploring new service delivery methods, business models, and organizational structures. You can sign-up to receive new episodes delivered directly to your inbox by filling out the form below. Learn more about Rehab U Practice Solutions by reading The Manifesto for a New Healthcare, or listen to Episode 000. Or, grab a copy of the book: Better Outcomes: A Guide to Humanizing Healthcare.
Are You Ready to Take Your Healthcare Business to the Next Level?
If you run an innovative healthcare company and are looking to develop a strategy that drives business in the form of qualified leads and sales, reach out. I’d love to talk with you about how I can help help you craft a business development strategy that leverages positioning, market research, stakeholder alignment to drive business development strategy for specific healthcare stakeholders.
Rafael E. Salazar II, MHS, OTR/L (Rafi) is a healthcare consultant, speaker, and host of he Better Outcomes Show. He helps healthcare startups, SaaS platforms, and organizations craft clear positioning, humanize the patient experience, and go to market effectively. He’s the author of Better Outcomes: A Guide to Humanizing Healthcare and principal at Rehab U Practice Solutions. His work on Telehealth has been discussed in Forbes, and he’s advised on projects ranging from digital health product launches to multi-million-dollar healthcare transformation initiatives.
Today, Rafi helps innovative healthcare companies like technology startups, platforms, SaaS companies & innovative healthcare organizations develop effective positioning strategy and business development plans through his consulting work. He also leverages his experience as a professor and academic to speak and train on the topics around humanizing the healthcare experience & healthcare innovation. In addition, Rafi also owns and operates ProActive Rehabilitation & Wellness, a multidisciplinary outpatient clinic treating patients with musculoskeletal pain.
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Work With Me
Are you building something innovative in healthcare—like a digital health product, service, or platform that’s aiming to truly improve the patient experience?
I help healthcare startups, SaaS platforms, and forward-thinking provider organizations develop clear positioning strategies, identify high-value offers, and build go-to-market plans that actually resonate with both users and buyers.
Whether you're launching a new product, scaling an existing service, or navigating digital transformation, I bring 12+ years of experience across clinical operations, healthcare innovation, and strategic development.
How I help:
- Clarify your product/service positioning so customers “get it”
- Align your offer with real market needs
- Build a Digital Health Roadmap to scale your healthcare organization effectively
- Support business development with industry-informed strategy
I’ve consulted on projects from multi-million-dollar state initiatives to early-stage product launches. My work’s been featured in Forbes, and I also speak at healthcare events and conferences on topics like innovation, digital health, and humanizing care. I also speak and train at healthcare conferences, events, and organizations on topics related to technology-enabled care, healthcare innovation, healthcare positioning, and humanizing the healthcare experience.
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