We’re all told to find mentors in medical training, but how does this actually work when you’re a new medical student interested in surgery? In this episode, our surgical education fellows and two expert mentors talk through the ins and outs of mentors – who are they, what can they do for you, how do you find one, and what do you do once you have one.

Hosts:
Nina Clark, MD
Jessica Millar, MD
Jon Williams, MD

Guests:
Michael Englesbe, MD, University of Michigan
Erika Bisgaard, MD, University of Washington

Some tips from the episode:

Mentorship teams: think about 4-5 people who can help you in different ways.

Research mentor who can help you find opportunities and be productive
1-2 people who support you in all things (these might be residents!)
1-2 higher level sponsors who facilitate opportunities and pay for things

Discipline and accountability

RESPOND TO EMAILS. If you get an indication that a potential mentor would like to meet with you, take them up on the offer and be prompt with your replies! Nobody likes to be ghosted.
Meet with your mentors at some regular cadence (every 2 weeks is a good place to start)
Think of mentorship as a game of tennis – if your mentor gives you something to work on, the next meeting you should bring it back completed. This is a relationship, and back and forth accountability can establish trust.

Change over time

As you grow, you’ll change, and so will your relationships with mentors. This is one of the most rewarding aspects of these relationships and something you should aim to maintain over time.

Please visit https://behindtheknife.org to access other high-yield surgical education podcasts, videos and more.

If you liked this episode, check out our Medical Student Intern Survival Guide Series: https://behindtheknife.org/podcast-series/medical-student-and-intern-survival-guide/

Medical Student Mentorship – Who they are, what they do.

Behind The Knife: The Surgery Podcast