How to Find a Mentor

Mentors come in many shapes, sizes, and professions. When seeking out a mentor first look at who your mentors are right now even if they aren't in the medical field and remember that they are valuable! Having a wise council is what everyone needs and the more diverse the better. Your wise counsel is a circle of people that all contribute to your journey in their own ways this can be spiritual, academically, personally, and the list goes on...

Although all of your mentors are important and valuable having a mentor in the medical field is extremely helpful and in my opinion very important. For me having physicians as mentors have been a blessing on several occasions. Not only do they understand the journey that you are about to embark on but they also know what it is like where you are going which makes them valuable resources especially when asking questions about things both current and down the road for your life such as stress, worries, logistics, etc. If you are lucky you will have the privilege of having a mentor that becomes more like a friend and even part of your family.

Everyone meets their mentors in different ways here is how I met one of mine. This story takes place over ten years ago when a young eight-year-old girl determined, driven, and passionate as ever had a visit to the University hospitals pediatric urgent care with here Grey's Anatomy coloring book in hand (courtesy of a medically inclined academic mother), a little excited, and not feeling too well. Most children normally don't really enjoy the thought of visiting the doctor's office but not me, the doctor's office was full of doctors and people that they knew how to fix, people that needed help and doctors who were skilled enough to fill the need in these people's lives. This took place after I had gone on a missions trip to Mexico and fell in love with medicine and people more than ever. Back to the story, the little girl has given her orange a white striped wristband with her name, DOB, etc. listed on it and was shown to an exam room. After a short wait a young woman entered with a white coat, and stethoscope adorning her neck she introduced herself as "Doctor James" she looked just like me with brown hair, dark eyes, and beautifully toasted skin. When she asked what brought us in today my mother looked at me and I opened my coloring book and began to explain what I thought may be the matter based on my anatomy and my understanding of how I felt; After this I followed up with my desire to become a physician and how I wanted to shadow her! At the time I was much too young but that didn't stop me from asking. Each time I saw Dr.James I asked the same question and we spoke of my passion for medicine and people, my plans of how I would accomplish my dream of becoming a physician. Fast forward several years and "Doctor James" has become more like a big sister to me, I have shadowed her on several occasions for several hours at a time and she has been helpful, encouraging, she has been my advocate, and so much more. This great segway into my next point How to get a mentor.

How to get a mentor (physician):

*Mentorships in my experience have grown out of other relationships

- Just like in my personal story finding a mentor can be as simple as asking your current physician if you can shadow them and see where that relationship goes or if they have a colleague that would be willing to mentor a prospective medical student.

-Some hospitals may have mentorship programs through their volunteer office or other seasonal programs.

-Your school's premed club or premed academic advisers may have connections with physicians or hospitals for students looking for a mentor.

-Ask family and friends if they know physicians that would be interested in having a shadowing student/a student to mentor.

- Another way you can go about finding a mentor is by first getting in contact with physicians about shadowing via email, telephone, etc. take a look at my shadowing blog post for more on this.

Remember ALL mentorships have to start somewhere so start talking to people in your communities and in hospitals whether this is over the phone, online, or face to face, get out there and start making connection!

As always good luck on your journey and on your endeavors to find a mentor. If you have any questions, advice, want me to write about a topic or if you need any help just let me know :)