Transitioning From Mentee to Mentor: How and When to Start Developing the Skills Needed to Support Others?

Abstract

good mentor is supportive, honest, accessible, and dependable, has outstanding interpersonal skills, and has a proven track record of achievements in their field. In addition, they are inspiring, genuinely interested in their mentees development, and serve as role models. Finding that person can be challenging (an issue covered in a 2017 article in this section 1 ). However, becoming that person for others may be even harder. To establish a successful career in clinical practice, science, or both, it is important to gain experience in mentoring and building the skill set that is needed to support others already at the beginning of your career. It is unlikely that aspiring clinicians/ scientists establish long-lasting mentor-mentee relationships at their first encounter with students, fellows, or peers who work under their supervision. However, gaining experience from supervision and early mentoring is the first step on the continuum towards becoming a good mentor. Furthermore, as your career advances, it becomes inevitable that you find yourself in the situation where others depend on your experience, knowledge, and skills and eventually identify you as a role model. This role can be accompanied by challenges and pitfalls resulting in individual stress, role confusion, and disillusionment when unexperienced in mentoring but also gives the opportunity for personal and professional development. This article, therefore, focuses on advice for early clinicians/scientists willing to engage in mentoring relationships and offers strategies to turn that relationship into a rewarding experience.

Developing a Second Line of Physician Leaders

“…Mentoring is a process whereby an experienced, highly regarded person guides another individual in the development and reexamination of their own ideas, learning, and personal and professional development. 7 Being mentored by senior leaders who have been through the journey before is an unmatched learning. The sharing of experiences, challenges faced, and lessons learnt help the young mentees to assimilate transferable lessons that formal training programs cannot provide.…”

“…Mentoring is a process whereby an experienced, highly regarded person guides another individual in the development and reexamination of their own ideas, learning, and personal and professional development. 7…”

Invaluable Benefits of 10 Years of the International Collaboration of Aphasia Trialists (CATs)

“…foster the future research capacity and mentoring skills of ESRs/JSRs, by providing training in current best practice research methodology, education in evidence-based clinical care, and offering international mentoring, networking, and leadership opportunities (including visits to international centers of research excellence, where funding allows) for those seeking a research career in an aphasia-related discipline and thus qualifying as a future mentor for others 6 ;…”