The Strategic Value of Lateral Moves in Academic Medicine
The Move Nobody Talks About
In academic medicine, we are trained to think in one direction: up. Assistant to associate. Associate to full. Bigger grants, higher titles, more prestige. But some of the most career-defining moves I have seen my clients make were not upward at all. They were lateral.
A lateral move in academic medicine — shifting to a different department, a new institution at the same rank, or a parallel leadership role — can feel like a step sideways. And in a culture obsessed with vertical advancement, sideways can feel like standing still. It is not.
Why Strategic Career Moves Faculty Overlook Matter Most
Herminia Ibarra's research on career transitions and professional identity shows that people rarely change careers in a straight line. They experiment and make moves that look illogical from the outside but make perfect sense from the inside. Lateral moves in academic medicine work the same way.
Here is what a well-timed lateral move can do for you:
- Reset a stalled trajectory. A new environment at the same rank can open doors that were locked where you were.
- Expand your network. New colleagues, collaborators, and mentors. That relational capital pays dividends for years.
- Build a broader skill set. Moving from a research-intensive division into one focused on education or clinical operations forces growth your current role never would.
- Improve your negotiating position. Sometimes the best way to be valued where you are is to be valued somewhere else.
When a Lateral Move Makes Sense
Not every sideways step is a good one. In my coaching work, I help clients pressure-test the decision with a few key questions:
- Is this move toward something specific, or away from something I have not tried to fix?
- Will the new role give me skills or relationships I cannot build where I am?
- Am I willing to rebuild some institutional credibility in exchange for what I gain?
Think of it like a point guard who passes up a contested shot to swing the ball to the open side of the court. The play does not show up on the highlight reel, but it wins the game.
The Risk of Never Moving
There is a quieter risk nobody warns you about: staying too long. Faculty who spend an entire career in one department sometimes find their world has narrowed without them noticing. Their network becomes insular. When they finally need to move, they have fewer options than they expected.
A strategic lateral move, made from strength rather than desperation, can prevent that.
Make the Move Intentional
If you are considering a lateral move, do not leave it to chance. Map out what you want it to accomplish. Talk to people who have made similar transitions. Understand the culture of where you are going before you commit.
And if you want help thinking it through, that is exactly the kind of work I do. Check out our individual coaching options.
