Mentoring

“Why is mentoring important?”

What immediately comes to mind for me is the quote, “Pay it forward.” I went into the healthcare field wanting to make a difference in people’s lives.  During medical school, I was matched with a mentor who modeled the physician that I hoped to become, not only in her one-on-one interactions with patients, but also in her roles as a passionate advocate for patients and leader in the field.  This mentoring relationship has had a significant and lasting impact on my career, how I practice, and the values that I attempt to model for trainees. Working to become an effective mentor and leader allows me to “Pay it forward” and hopefully make a difference in the careers of mentees and colleagues with whom I work and support their efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of their patients, just as my mentor did for me.