Harvard Medical School

MENTORING: A Crisis in Surgical Education

Christopher C. Baker, M.D.

Isidore Cohn, Jr. Professor of Surgery

Chair, Department of Surgery

LSU Health Sciences Center

New Orleans, LA

MENTORSHIP

OUTLINE

• Characteristics of good mentors• Current educational challenges• Strategies and solutions• Lessons from 30 years in academic surgery

Mentor

Trusted friend and advisor to Ulysses.

Characteristics of a Good Mentor

• Wise and fair

• Patient and

constructive

• Objective and

tough (as needed)

William J. Baker, MD (1915-1993)

• Able to set goals

& ensure success

for mentees

• Altruistic-puts

trainee’s needs

ahead of one’s own

George F. Sheldon, MD, FACS

• Flexible and

caring

• Available and

enthusiastic

Surgical Nurse Leaders @ UNC, 2003

You Find Mentors in Unexpected Places

Master Jewell AllenSixth Degree Black Belt

Roles of a Mentor

Teacher

Counselor

Coach

Trainer

Role Model

Sponsor

Advisor

Priorities for Mentors

• Be patient and flexible.

• Give constructive feedback.

• Be readily available to mentees.

• Be a good role model.

• Maintain your self-awareness

• Don’t neglect your own career development.

Professionalism for Residents

• Avoid dishonesty in all forms.• Get out of bed, see the patient, & document it.• Take care of paperwork in a timely fashion.• Be on time for cases, clinic, & conferences.• Avoid conflict in the chart & in public arenas.

Maintain Resident Esprit de Corps

LSU—December, 2009

Educational Challenges

• Duty hours restrictions• Information overload• Trainee debt obligations• Measures of competency• Government regulations

Impact of Duty Hours

• Lack of continuity of care• Ineffective hand-offs at change of shift• Ownership of patients by residents• Development of “shift mentality”• Erosion of the team concept

Impact of Duty Hours

• Interferes with ability to follow a disease process in a longitudinal fashion

• Reduces consistent interactions between residents and attending staff

• Decreases opportunities for mentoring

• Lowers chances to model professionalism

Educational Strategies

• Stress independent life-long learning.• Disease-centered approaches to patients• Encourage multi-disciplinary collaboration.• Promote effective mentoring.

Educational Solutions

• Offer training in simulation centers• Encourage flexibility• Emphasize problem-solving skills• Promote autonomy in decision-making

“If you keep practicing

a mistake, you’ll get really

good – at the mistake.”

- Benjamin Pang Jeng Lo

T’ai Chi Ch’uan Master

Challenges in Mentoring

• Balancing nurturing and toughness

• Career guidance for senior residents

• Mentoring junior faculty

• Providing mentorship for future leaders

When faced by challenges,

Sometimes you just have to…

JUMP IN !

Lake Winnepesaukee, NH

“There are some things about swinging a cat by the tail that you can learn ONLY by swinging a cat by the tail.”

- Mark Twain

Lessons I’ve learned from

30 years in Academic Surgery

TREASURE YOUR

COLLEAGUES

NC Trauma Directors

Chapel Hill, 6/2004

Samir Fakhry, M. D. Former Partner & Long-time Friend

NURTURE YOUR

FAMILIES

DEVELOP AN

AVOCATION

Maintain Balance in Your Personal& Professional Life

Conclusions

• Good mentors are key for training residents.

• Pay it forward .

• Today’s trainees are tomorrow’s mentors .

• Mentorship is a life-long journey .