Degrees vs. Doing: What Actually Moves Your Career Forward

February 11, 2026

As a physician, you’ve already achieved a level of education and expertise most people will never touch. But if you’re like many high-achieving women doctors, you’ve probably found yourself wondering:

“Do I need another degree or certification before I take the next step?”

Whether you're thinking of leaving medicine, starting a business, adding a new service to your practice, or stepping into leadership, it's tempting to believe another set of letters behind your name will make you more prepared or more credible.

The truth?

You likely don’t need that extra degree to get started.

Let’s talk about three of the most common certifications physicians pursue—and why they may be keeping you stuck more than helping you move forward.

1. The MBA: Do You Need It to Be an Entrepreneur?

There’s a strong belief in the physician world that if you want to start a business, you need an MBA. But let’s be clear:

Most MBA graduates aren’t entrepreneurs.

They’re employees seeking advancement into C-suite roles—not building something from the ground up.

If your goal is to run your own business, you don’t need an MBA to get started. You need to understand the essentials: how to market, how to sell, how to lead, and how to deliver value. Much of that will come from doing, not sitting in a classroom.

Ask yourself:

• Is this degree required for my next step?

• Or am I using it to avoid taking the leap?

2. The Obesity Med / Menopause Cert: Is It Fueling Your Practice or Feeding Your Fear?

Want to integrate a new focus into your clinical work? Great. But be honest—are you doing it because you have a clear vision for how it fits into your practice and your life? Or are you collecting certifications in hopes that one of them will finally point you in the right direction?

If you haven’t yet tested out this new path—seen patients, experimented with the model, talked to mentors—then an expensive and time-consuming certification might be premature.

Here’s the rule:

Start with aligned action. Then decide if the training is actually necessary.

3. The Coaching Certification: Necessary to Help Others?

If you’re a physician drawn to coaching, you already have many of the skills. And no, you don’t need a certification to start helping people.

A certification can deepen your skillset—but it won’t build your business for you. If you’re not ready to market, sell, and show up, then the real work isn’t in another training—it’s in doing.

And if you’re thinking: “But I don’t feel qualified yet…”

Ask yourself: Is that true—or are you waiting to feel ready before taking action?

Before You Enroll in That Next Course...

You’re not lazy. You’re not unmotivated. You’re deeply trained to prepare first, to perfect everything before you move.

But preparation without action leads to burnout and stagnation. So before you chase another degree or program, ask:

• Is this truly required for what I want to do?

• Do I already have what I need to begin?

• Is this moving me forward—or keeping me safely stuck?

Investing in yourself is powerful. But the best investment?

Taking the next right step.