When it comes to our jobs, we all have our own areas of particular interest and expertise. What is our responsibility to ourselves and others, however, when we are assigned responsibilities that lie outside our preferences and comfort zone? Consider the following scenario.

Ins and Outs

After 6 years as a physical therapist (PT), Tim still tends to think of himself as a "new professional." True, he has gained considerable experience and insight while rotating through his assignments at Metro Memorial Hospital, but there's always so much more to learn! Indeed, 1 thing he likes about his job is the opportunity to work in different settings and situations, with a variety of patient populations.

But not all of his early-career colleagues seem to share that enthusiasm, Tim has noted. Shelly is a case in point. She graduated with her doctor of physical therapy (DPT) degree 2 years ago and is working in an outpatient sports rotation at the hospital. To date, Tim has noticed, Shelly has ended up in some form of outpatient care every time new assignments are posted. She has not yet worked on the inpatient side. What's more, she has repeatedly announced how happy she is with this state of affairs.