Most professions require the guidance of mentors, and medical doctors are not exempted particularly when making a career change. Mentors are more than coaches although at times they do wear the hat of a coach. An online career platform, themuse.com offers a good definition of a mentor as “a person who provides you with the tools, guidance, support, and feedback you need to thrive in your career. They’re often someone who’s gone down the same road you’re on currently and are ‘there to advise you on what they’ve done and what’s worked for them'”. Mentors are needed for doctor’s career change.
Three features characterize mentors: They are available, they are analytical, and they are active listeners.
“A mentor is a person who provides you with the tools, guidance, support, and feedback you need to thrive in your career.”
Mentors can help when we face a “roadblock”
Mentors can help when we face a “roadblock” in our career pivots. Their knowledge and experience is priceless in helping us to make sense of the obstacles facing us. They help us figure out ways to overcome them. As an example, let’s say we’ve a found a new hobby in rock climbing. There might be others engaged in rock climbing around us who are probably of the same level as we are. But when faced with a “roadblock”, most of them may not know what to do. This is primarily because we’re all of the same level so, we end up getting stuck.
A mentor, because of his/her many years of experience in the field of rock climbing would be able to share a nugget or two of deep insight with us. This would enable us overcome that “roadblock”. They are able to give us a different perspective of what is facing us. With their encouragement, motivation, example, and guidance, mentors are able to lead us to greater heights of success.
Mentors can help us when we’re hit with a “roadblock” in our career change. Their knowledge and experience is priceless in helping us to make sense of the obstacles facing us. They help us figure out ways to overcome them.
Mentors are less noticeable among doctors leaving clinical medicine
However, while mentors abound in many fields, they seem to be less noticeable when it comes to doctors transitioning out of clinical medicine. One doctor who transitioned to the field of finance revealed to MFM that this is possibly due to doctors being “mentor-resistant.”
In the main, doctors tend to be self-reliant thinking that they are able to master whatever fields they’ve set their hearts on. It is also possible that a lack of mentoring exposure in clinical medicine has made doctors unwilling to work with mentors.
But a career transition is an area where the guidance of a mentor is critical. Bear in mind the analogy of our rock climber!
Mentors can actually help to cut short the learning time needed to transition to a new field.
Mentors are helpful when faced with a steep learning curve
Besides, the education and clinical training of doctors are so technical and specialized that when it comes to pivoting to other fields, it requires a steep learning curve. This is mainly because doctors have a limited exposure to these fields. Mentors can actually help to cut short the learning time needed to transition to a new field. In fact, doctors who have made successful career change advise that transitioning doctors have a team of mentors to support them!
Good mentors offer reflective listening and empathy, direct and honest feedback, a respectful attitude and an eagerness to invest in others. They are also enthusiastic in sharing expertise and knowledge in a field. In return, mentors obtain deep satisfaction from knowing they’ve helped someone else in successfully pivoting to a particular field.
Why struggle alone…when you have the whole MFM team ready and waiting to offer you the expertise you need?
Helping doctors make successful career changes is one of the reasons MFM was formed and we are dedicated to this goal. That’s why we are offering the Career Development Mentorship Program and our upcoming intake is in September 2022. Get paired up with our exemplary and experienced mentors from the fields of insurance, pharmaceuticals, hospital management, the corporate world, private business and more.
Why struggle alone in making your career move when you have the whole MFM team ready and waiting to offer you the expertise you need. You don’t have to walk this journey by yourself. Kickstart your career transition process with confidence now!
