MENTORING IN PEDIATRICS Timothy Gibson, MD Pediatric Hospitalist Division UMassMemorial Children’s Medical Center MCAAP Conference, November 2, 2013 Timothy Gibson, MD Pediatric Hospitalist Division UMassMemorial Children’s Medical Center MCAAP Conference, November 2, 2013

Mentoring at UMass: The Learning Communities ◦ Advising at UMass Medical School dysfunctional until LC: 400 students, 300 advisors ◦ School’s commitment to LC: 20 faculty members have 25% protected time for advising and teaching activities ◦ Meet students on day 1: Longitudinal advising, and we teach them their Physical Diagnosis and Doctoring Course at UMass. We know our students better than any UMass faculty has ever known students ◦ We are called their “Mentors” from day one. Anyone else other than me have an objection to that?

The Process of Mentoring ◦ Rose, et. al., defined mentoring as a “naturally formed, one-to-one, mutual, committed, relationship between a junior and senior person designed to promote personal and professional development beyond any particular curricular or institutional goals” ◦ Can you mentor someone outside of your field? What if they don’t have a field ◦ Is mentoring an obligation of ours? ◦ Identification of a mentor: can one be assigned? Can you have more than one mentor? Is there a difference between an advisor and a mentor? ◦ As a faculty member, give the student or resident the opportunity and motivation to choose you as a mentor

Opportunities for mentors (can’t believe these seem to be profound) ◦ Relate personal stories, especially as they relate to the “hidden curriculum”, or anything “not in the textbooks”. ◦ Imparting wisdom indirectly through behaviors, attitudes and perspectives. (Community hospital example, “rising above” example) ◦ Give real world perspective of eventual career specifics (e.g. surgery) ◦ Empathize: have to remember what it was like in their shoes ◦ Inspire, sometimes by surprising ◦ Talk about salaries, finances

Mentoring in Pediatrics ◦ 90-95% of students on surveys rate mentoring as important or very important (Aagaard, et. al, 2003) ◦ Students who don’t have a defined mentor cite limited faculty contact in the pre- clinical years and short exposures during clerkships, along with discomfort asking for mentoring as major reasons for not having identified a mentor. (Igartua, 1997). These things can all be remedied easily from the faculty end ◦ Students who have mentors assigned cite incompatibility as the biggest barrier to a successful relationship. ◦ Literature suggests that mentoring and role modeling very important in medical student’s decisions to enter primary care fields, including pediatrics. ◦ Debt also associated strongly with student’s career paths (? Another role for mentoring?)

My own personal tips for successful mentoring ◦ Seek out opportunities to be cast in the “Mentor” light ◦ Start by insisting that the interaction be between colleagues: First names a must! ◦ Be a role model (Ricer, 1998): have potential mentees see you at your best ◦ Take the initiative, because learners won’t (also recognize the signs that your initiative is not reciprocated) ◦ Use novel methods to immerse yourself (eg. Walking down student hallway, scheduling) ◦ Check in, use whatever method seems natural text when appropriate) ◦ Look for signs that the mentee needs more. ◦ Know your limitations as a mentor ◦ Play your role correctly (Pediatrics vs. Career mentoring)