Mentoring is usually defined as a process by which an experienced, highly regarded, empathic individual (the Mentor) guides another person, known as the mentee, in developing and re-examining their ideas, learning, and personal and professional development.
The word mentoring has been used since ancient times. The term ‘mentor’ is gotten from Homer’s Odyssey, in which Mentor, who was the goddess Athena but disguised as Mentor, guided and advised Odysseus’s son, Telemachus, while he was away.
The medical field has long recognised the value of a mentoring relationship outside formal education and management structures, and doctors are not left out. In the 1990s, medical fields started to experience mentoring schemes and mentor development programs.
Although several mentoring schemes offer different things, many successful schemes use the ‘developmental mentoring’ approach. In this approach, time is barely provided; mentees usually seek mentors only when they have a dilemma or opportunity to manage.
Role of a mentor
Mentors may have numerous roles, including critical friends, supporters, facilitators, networkers, coaches, strategists, and role models. Each mentoring relationship is different and unique. While some are close and last long, others are brief and related to a particular situation. The main focus of the Mentor is to empower the mentee to achieve lasting change. The Mentor is an enabler who encourages the mentee to become effective at improving their opportunities and managing their problems.
This is, however, not the same with a doctor’s clinical work; in this case, information is conveyed, and expert opinions are offered to patients and colleagues. This is achieved by gathering and analysing information, deciding what is valid, and formulating a diagnosis and a plan.
Even though the working relationship with the patient is essential, the doctor-patient interaction focuses on solving the problem with which the patient presented. The doctor in this relationship is an expert and not a mentor.
Why would I use a mentor, and what are the benefits?
Mentoring creates a psychologically safe, confidential space to discuss an opportunity or dilemma. Mentoring can reduce anxiety and disastrous behaviour, stopping time-wasting worrying about things that cannot be altered. By encouraging the mentee to work within their range of influence, the Mentor enables them to regain control over their situation, giving them structure, clarity, and direction.
Trained mentors for doctors also depict the reward of combining clinical expertise and mentoring during patient consultations. Skills such as active listening, summarising, and paraphrasing encourage patients to describe and delve into their stories in depth and identify the real problem rather than the presenting complaint. This enables patients to reach the right decision for them, to suit their circumstances, thus maintaining patients’ autonomy and ensuring clinical decisions are shared between doctor and patient.
Many trained mentors often commented on the benefit of using mentoring skills when patients complain; they reported that more careful listening and empathic exploration of the patient’s perspective make reaching an understanding more likely. Most doctors describe feeling less pressurised and more confident in managing complex consultations, which enhances job satisfaction.
Conclusion
Mentoring enhances the well-being and professional development of mentees and mentors and has a reward for patients’ care. It is more valuable during change and when taking on new roles.
It encourages job satisfaction, well-being, working relationships with patients and colleagues, confidence, problem-solving abilities, organisational commitment, and job performance. As a result, there has been a rise in official support for mentoring by numerous national bodies and colleges around the world.
If you’re a doctor seeking a mentoring program, get in touch with a coaching for doctors organisation who specialises in the arrangement of mentoring for doctors programs.