Role of mentorship in the development of Emergency Medicine Resident.
Imagine a child learning to walk. Nowhere does he feel more secure than while holding the finger of his parent. Walking on its own, in whatever direction he fancies, all the while happy and secure in the knowledge that he is not alone, that somewhere in his vicinity, a far more experienced being is there, watching his every step, every movement. And with each moment passing, his belief in his own self mounts. In time, he not only walks, but runs. Every sinew in his body bursting with energy. And although he may appear alone,that experienced figure is never away. Such is the nature of a mentor and a disciple.
In an emergency department, we fight a losing war. Our sole source of joy is winning a single battle. Never has an army been fated to lose than one without a leader. For us, those heroes are our seniors, our mentors. A mentor not only shapes us in our professional life, but also impacts on psychological, social, and human aspects. Consider the long line of physicians, toiling day and night, transferring knowledge to disciples just so that someone, somewhere, will save one life. And we are the proud custodians of that tradition. These mentors are our safeguards, our protectors and our leaders, our colleagues, friends. In every emergency physician, there resides his mentor. They are reflected in the decisions we make, in the decisions we do not make. In our skills, in our demeanour, in our habits, in the simplest of movements of holding a stethoscope, a mentor is lurking behind.
Long gone are the days of Hippocrates, now physicians are Oslerphiles. Call them by whatever names, residents are residents and mentors remain mentors. A symbiosis exists between a mentor and a disciple. Each learning from the other. A mentor learns humility, a disciple wisdom.Today, information overwhelms human senses and wisdom has taken a back seat. A mentor makes one realize the difference. But much also depends upon the disciple. The desire to learn is not something that can be put into one. One has to possess that inherent ability to realize the dearth of knowledge. And it holds true for us emergency physicians, who encounter a plethora of scenarios hitherto unknown, and without sound guidance, there would have been far less homo sapiens.
For an Emergency Physician, and more so an EM resident, a mentor is the utmost blessing. A computer screen can tell us drugs or their doses, but it cannot teach us how to rein in our impulses. How to control our emotions. To be afraid every single moment in ED, and yet standing fast and composed so that a patient may feel hopeful, against hope, against all odds, is what we have to do and precisely what we learn. A good emergency physician is not one who is a good clinician, but also compassionate, and humble. And these things we learn from our mentors. Not just by asking, but by simply observing also.
For a fresh EM resident, this field is a quicksand. Difficult consultations, perplexing presentations, a quick handover, time critical situations, assessing, analyzing, diagnosing,
deciding, and acting upon those decisions within a span of few moments are monumental tasks for someone new. And whom do they seek under such duress ? A colleague, a senior, a team leader, and a consultant. All of whom are mentors to that EM resident. And a pat on shoulder, a thumbs up, or even simply an affirmative nod, from a senior not only boosts that one residents confidence in himself, but also reminds him that there are things yet to know.
And someday, an EM resident will find himself standing in resuscitation. His heart thumping against the boundaries of the cage. Fear leaving a trail down his spine, pupils dilated, perspiration on his face. With life hanging on the tip of a syringe. He might feel a gentle presence right next to himself. And a life will be saved. Not just because he knew what to do, and not just because he made the right call at the right time, but because the one who taught him all that believed in his capabilities, and that made him believe in himself. That is what a mentor means to an EM resident. A realization of the fact that he is not alone, that lives do depend on him, that despite these odds, his teacher believes in him. And that means all the difference between a doctor and a physician.