As a healthcare professional, you’ve probably had a mentor at some point. Whether it was a supervisor, colleague, or senior physician, a mentor can provide invaluable guidance and support. It helps you navigate the complex and constantly evolving healthcare landscape. Medical mentoring can be rewarding for a newly qualified professional and a seasoned locum doctor alike. It can help you escalate the growth and create an unerring impact on the delivery of healthcare services.
We recently launched Mylocum Healthcare Summit, entitled ‘Trust Me, I work in the NHS’. Two of our speakers shared their insights on the importance of Medical Mentoring. One was Paramedic Alice Jones, who worked for the West Midlands ambulance service for eight years and is now a mentor. The other was Dr Alexander Lai who is a GP with a special interest in mental health and workplace well-being.
Keen on learning more about the Summit talk? Head to the link to immerse yourself in the sea of learning.
Paramedic Alice Jones
Doctor Alexander Lai
In this blog, we will outline how mentoring can help glaze your growing medical career personally and as an industry.
Medical Mentoring for Healthcare Professionals
Escalate the growth trajectory while starting the medical career:
Having a good mentor who is enthusiastic and willing to go the extra mile for you can shape your career seamlessly. Being a student requires you to be proactive and eager to learn.
Alice Jones said, ‘In that initial phase when you’re learning, you’ll absorb every information that you come across. You will listen to the person mentoring you and take on all that information in all sectors.’
1. Help you become independent as a professional:
Not everyone knows everything we don’t know. We are here to learn as well. Adopt the approach to explore and learn yourself. Then corroborate with your mentor to build confidence within your learnings. This will help you build independence and confidence in your decisions.
While sharing her experience, Ms Jones said, ‘Through mentoring, I’ve had different approaches. I’ve always maintained the thought that I want to be a good clinician, and I will research things myself. This is quite important to continue development in any role.’
2. Reflect on professional outcomes:
Coaching is a useful tool in medicine. We can use it to help us understand what we want to do next or if we’re facing a challenge with our work or team. In this way, we can devote our time to someone who can guide us to work out our solutions. Instead of having someone tell us what we should be doing or give us advice too frequently.
Dr Alex Lai said, ‘It is sort of such a gift to have that time to sit and reflect. Gives you the autonomy to come up with solutions to how you might tackle whatever problem you’re facing and move forwards. Externalising thoughts, writing them down, and being able to visualise things can help achieve the goals you set out for yourself.’
The Benefits of Mentoring for the Healthcare Industry
Medical mentoring is not just for individual healthcare professionals. It is also critical for the healthcare industry as a whole. Here are some reasons why-
1. It promotes professional development and growth:
Healthcare professionals continuously learn and grow to provide the best possible care. A mentor can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, set goals for yourself, and guide how to achieve those goals. You can also gain valuable insights into the latest trends and technologies through mentoring. Curious to know about the emerging trends and technologies in healthcare? Here’s a quick insight on the same, – The Future of Healthcare Jobs.
2. It helps to retain talented healthcare professionals:
Healthcare is a demanding and often stressful profession. Burnout is a real risk for many professionals. Having a mentor who can provide emotional support and help you navigate situations can make a big difference in your job. Professionals are more likely to stay with their organisations when they feel supported and valued.
3. It fosters a culture of learning and collaboration:
When healthcare professionals have access to mentors it is easier to engage in learning and collaboration. Mentors can ease opportunities for networking, knowledge sharing, and skill development. This can help healthcare professionals to stay well-informed and adapt to changes in their field.
4. Improve patient outcomes:
When professionals have access to mentors, they are better equipped to provide high-quality care. Mentors can guide clinical decisions, help professionals communicate better and provide feedback on patient interactions. All of these factors can contribute to better patient outcomes and in turn enhance the services of the healthcare industry.
Wish to thrive as a healthcare professional? Read more of our blogs:
- Pulling Off Long Night Shifts.
- Taking A Gap After FY2.
- GMC Guidelines.
- Tips for Returning to Work After Illness.
Medical mentoring is an integral part of continuing education in healthcare. It is crucial for professional growth and success. It helps to foster a culture of learning and collaboration and can ultimately lead to improved patient outcomes.
If you are a healthcare professional, seek out opportunities for mentoring. You can consider becoming a mentor yourself. We can create a supportive, collaborative, and effective healthcare system with mentorship.
FAQs
1. When to use mentoring in the workplace?
Here are some situations where mentoring can be particularly beneficial-
a) Mentoring can help new employees get up to speed quickly and integrate into the company culture. A mentor can guide company policies and procedures. They can introduce the new employee to key contacts within the organisation.
b) Mentoring can help employees develop skills like leadership, communication, or technical skills. A mentor can provide feedback and guidance on improvement in these areas.
c) Mentoring can help employees plan their career paths and work toward their goals. A mentor can guide them in acquiring the necessary skills and experiences to achieve their desired career outcomes.
d) Mentoring can help ensure the organisation has a pipeline of qualified and prepared employees to fill roles.
2. What is mentoring in health and social care?
Mentoring in health and care refers to supporting and guiding less experienced professionals. Such as nurses, social workers, or therapists, by a more experienced mentor. The aim of mentoring in health and social care is to improve the quality of patient care. Furthermore, enhance the professional development of mentees by enhancing their skills.
3. Why is mentoring important in healthcare?
Mentoring in healthcare can improve patient care, support career development, and build expertise. It can foster a learning culture within the healthcare industry.
You can go visit our website and you can go to the CV-Library to find more job opportunities for All Healthcare Workers.
