The value of mentorship
It is with great enthusiasm that I write this first newsletter entry in my new role as Associate Dean. As you can all imagine, it has been a whirlwind transition. I am very grateful for your well-wishes, trust and support that has sustained me during this period of transition.
Change is exciting, but it can also be challenging. Loved ones, good friends and colleagues can ease these stresses, but good mentorship is too often overlooked.
Medical education is dependent on the tireless efforts of physician mentors. Our students are exposed to volumes of medical science and asked to understand and synthesize this in a manner that will allow them to care for patients.
While the acquisition and maintenance of medical knowledge are central to our day-to-day care of patients, this is not in itself what defines us. No, the manner we carry ourselves, the compassion we show, the connections we make, and the trust we build is what makes us who we are.
How is this best taught?
The bulk of this education is informal, with students often emulating the behaviours seen around them. Other times, we teach reactively, pointing out specific behaviours with praise or redirection.
Alternatively, we occasionally spend time talking about what it means to be a physician, how to carry oneself, how to put patients first, how to recognize our own biases.
These lessons are vital. Opportunities for these discussions can be challenging. The student mentorship program gives us this opportunity. Here, faculty members meet small groups of students at different points throughout the year. This connection is consistently cited as one of the most important educational experiences students receive.
It has been said that we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. Please reach out to me if this is something you think you may want to be a part of.
As faculty, our needs are different, but our professional growth can also benefit from a mentorship program. Peer mentorship is often incredibly effective, convenient and relevant to your day-to-day needs. Formalizing a partnership with a senior clinician, researcher and educator can also help achieve specific goals. The Schulich Medicine – Windsor Campus provides mentorship support and my office can help put you in touch with local colleagues, individuals at the London campus, or throughout the region.
As always, thank you for your hard work and dedication.
Larry
Twitter: @larry.jacobs1
