I understand that this post may be met with some criticism, so let’s address this right away. I’m not saying that mentorship programs aren’t helpful, or that there aren’t amazing mentors out there, because there are.
I’m also not saying that with the right mentorship you can’t grow as a clinician because you can. That is, when you have the right situation.
That being said, mentor/mentorship is a hot word right, I’d bet you’ll see some form of mentorship in every job posting you find. Every new grad therapist or 3rd year PT student that I have talked to expresses the importance of having some form of mentorship when they start working. But I often question if they even know what kind of mentor they are looking for or are they just falling for the buzz word as well.
My Experience with Mentors
My first full time job that I took, talked with me about their mentoring program and used it as one of their selling points for hire. Me, being young and dumb, was sold on the idea. Why wouldn’t I want a “mentor” to guide me into the work force as a nervous new grad.
When I did commit and eventually started working, this “mentoring” program consisted of the manager giving me another physical therapists number saying “Call if you ever have any questions”. Is that mentoring?
I know this doesn’t only happen to me either. I’ve heard of others so called mentoring programs as well. Often times, your mentor is another recent new grad, nearly as green as you, it’s the person who is just being a “mentor” to get paid a little more, it’s the PT’s “turn” at the office to be the mentor, it’s the over the phone mentor, it’s the just plain bad clinician who is still using outdated techniques or finally, it’s the mentor doesn’t even exist. You get the idea.
Yes, there are things to learn from all of these people, I don’t doubt that, but is this mentoring?
Yes, they can show you a few different techniques that they use when they have time, help you locate the goniometers in the clinic, or can help you navigate the documentation when you are starting out. But does this count as mentoring?
My thoughts are no.
Think about your final clinical, the time when you are suppose to be getting perfected and groomed to venture out on your own when you graduate. How many of you were treated like a full time staff member? Just another way for a company to increase revenue or a way for an overworked clinical instructor to get some increased free time?
Did you receive much true assessment of your abilities, guided critical thinking, or perfection of your skills/techniques?
Yeah me neither. I was given a full caseload and treated like a full time clinician. An unpaid full time clinician. Man, I made that clinic a lot of money in hindsight. So is this mentoring?
I can hear you. Giving a student their own caseload is preparing them for the real world working life. Which is true, I agree with that. When I finished my final clinical, I knew I could work anywhere with full confidence in my abilities to get someone better.
Obviously, I did and will continue to grow as a clinician and improve my skills and communication with time and experience but after that clinical I knew I’d be just fine at whatever job I started.
True Mentors
I can feel people yelling at their computers. Again, I’m not saying that there are not amazing clinicians who serve as even more amazing mentors who are helping to mold the next generation of clinicians. But I also would argue that most of these type of relationships form organically. The best mentorships aren’t the ones that you get when you sign a contract. The best mentors aren’t the ones getting paid more to mentor you.
The best mentors are from the relationships that you make with people You can’t just ask someone to be your mentor because you are nervous new grad and expect them to just take you under their wing. Finding a true mentor takes time, and no mentor is going to want to mentor you until you can show that you provide a value to them or until you can show them you have the drive to make it worth their time. True mentorships cannot be forced.
To be honest, I hate the word mentor. A “mentor” is a relationship, a partnership, or a friendship.
So how does this apply to traveling healthcare?
1.) After finishing your clinicals, you know that right now, you have the skills and abilities to perform your job. You won’t be the best at it, but who really is? You will continue to get better at your job by doing it day in and day out. Experience brings confidence.
2.) Most travel companies will offer you the level of “mentorship” that you will get at most full time jobs. Not my favorite selling point, but true nonetheless.
3.) Traveling doesn’t limit your ability to find and create a relationship with a true “mentor”. You can still go to every conference, reach out on social media, or provide value to other clinicians that you respect.
4.) Traveling allows you to try many different settings and learn about what you truly and thoroughly enjoy in your profession. You may not even like sports ortho like you thought you did, maybe you have a special interest in spine patients? Maybe you are are more suited for inpatient? Why find a mentor in sports ortho if you don’t know if you are even ready for that?
5.) You get to learn from, observe, and talk to clinicians from all over the United States with different educations, skills, techniques, or thinking. These clinicians may not “mentor” you, but you can learn from them all the same. No clinician will ever tell you “no” if you ask them for advice, or to show you that technique you saw them use.
You will see and observe things that you can and will use for the rest of your career. Sometimes, working in the same setting, with the same colleagues breeds complacency.
6.) With today’s wealth of information through research, social media, and continuing education, you can create your own mentor by using others experiences as your own. This is always how I have learned best.
I only have 2 years of working experience now, so I am constantly using others who are smarter and wiser then me. When you don’t know something, read and learn until you do. And more specifically, learn from someone who you respect or from someone who is respected by the masses. What better mentor is that?
And if you ever want get my list “mentors” whose websites I frequent, blogs I read, or Instagram videos I watch, please feel free to reach out!
Conclusion
Yes, mentorship can be amazing. But make sure you know what kind of “mentorship” you are getting and what kind of mentorship you even want.
Don’t just sign on to a job for the mentorship until you can thoroughly answer both questions. Mentorship is a hot word right now, make sure you aren’t just chasing the buzz surrounding it, more than the actual product itself.
Traveling healthcare offers the same opportunity for mentorship as a full time position if you are truly trying to find a mentor the correct way through building a relationship and offering value.
Don’t let the idea of mentorship inhibit you from exploring traveling healthcare.
What are your thoughts on mentorship? Let me know below.
As always, if you have any specific questions, feel free to reach out here.
