Role of mentorship in the development of EM trainees.
A year spent as a House Officer, one might feel comfortable to attend clinical rounds, offer help with patient care, follow orders and write treatment plans. Though as a resident the burden of responsibility and a change of perspective glides in to your life. Like a man once said, “This too shall pass, like a kidney stone”. The pain and anguish of being a focal person in clinical decisions and quality patient care are paramount. In my view, residency is dictated by an array of focused inflow of knowledge, clinical acumen and a mentor who paves way for you to reach the highest standards of clinical brilliance.
In training a mentor allows you to take Mammoth steps, while removing obstacles during the process. Books and guidelines are made by a process of scrutiny and thorough review but may not be applicable in every clinical scenario, therefore the need for tailored guidance, substantial thought process, essence of clinical experience and decision making in key situations are cardinal.
Mentorship is a silent pillar which supports the foundation of the training structure. A candle that illuminates and brings life to the path. It may not present itself in a tangible form, albeit, may change the personality and work ethic. Approach to a situation, skill, examination and judgement are fairly influenced by a supervisor. Though subtle in magnitude it may define the very fabric of patient care in future.
Residency is defined by a diverse set of factors. In the emergency medicine department with a limited time for clinical decisions, observation of the situation and approach of senior augments and exemplify quality management.
In the ED, life saving procedures, treatments and urgent management are essential. So without a clear mind, and streamlined approach treatment can be detrimental. Supervisors are a scaffold of decades of experience and they are key in defining the outcome in difficult and near fatal cases.
Any patient who comes to the emergency department demands the highest standards of care, sympathy and empathy. In my view, personality and clinical approach amplify during the course of clinical rounds done under direct supervision of mentors.
A very important subject to keep in mind is the stress related to working in the ED. From issues related to work, hospital politics, financial constraints and minor personal issues the need for a constant and smooth moral support cannot be undermined. Working in shifts, sacrificing family time and staying awake for monthly night duties affects the peace of mind resulting in frequent quarrels amongst medical personnel to ill management of potentially critical patients. Mentors should be wary of this fact and their support and care can be extremely beneficial.
Having put the absolute importance of senior supervision in perspective, trainees are like children who are guided and trained into quality clinicians. Supervisors and Mentors ensure that their trainees not only qualify as excellent Doctors but as exceptional Human Beings in the process.
“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” -Henry Adams