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EDITORIAL On Mentoring

This is the time of the year when we are trying to recruit the best pediatric residents for pediatric cardiology fellowship programs. All around the country, pediatric residents are interviewing at various institutions, and we are trying to choose the very best people for our individual centers. One of the things that have been very interesting over the past few years is to see what these residents are looking for in a fellowship that will provide for their education, growth, and development. There is no question that they need to see from the institution a committed effort in regard to providing a broad experience in clinical care and to have a concentrated, focused effort on teaching and education. One of the other things that have really come through in my personal observation in interviewing all of the candidates has been the real need and expressed desire on their part for mentorship. Residents are truly looking forward to be mentored. The residents are really looking for someone to help guide them in regard to their clinical care experience and to help them improve their diagnostic clinical skills. They are also looking for someone to help shepherd them through the myriad opportunities presented to them in regard to clinical research, such as talks, papers, abstracts, chapters, presentations, and projects. They really want someone who is truly interested in them as a person and through that process will help guide them into being the best clinical fellow they possibly can be. This means helping them select a project that they will be passionate about but will also contribute to the growth of knowledge in the field in which we work. Nothing is more frustrating for a fellow than to be given a project that will “end in a dead end” with nothing really for the fellow or for our specialty. It is also very frustrating for a fellow to have a senior mentor who does not get back promptly with additions, corrections, or changes to that fellow’s work. It is really important for a senior mentor to make a commitment to have his or her editorial comments of any sort back to the fellow in a very short period of time so that there is no delay in getting the real work done. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

It is also important for that mentor to be concerned about the fellow as a person, not just as his or her cardiology professional side. That means trying to help the fellow in decisions about where to live, what to do in their spare time, what job to take in the future and how to interview for that job, what questions to ask about job searches, and provide general recommendations on the fellow’s life outside of the cardiology arena. I think fellows really sense when someone is interested in them, not just professionally, but personally. It is also very clear that many programs do not provide this kind of mentorship or do it in name only. I think the fellows sense that very quickly during their interview process and are quick to size up as to whether or not the program they are applying to will provide real guidance and mentorship for them during their fellowship years. Mentorship has also become a lost art. There are few people who can really mentor individuals in a positive and constructive way and will take the time to do that on a regular daily or weekly basis. Formal mentorship programs are important but what is more important is to have that personal touch the fellow recognizes early in his or her career that the staff person can provide for them. When one does develop a very personal mentorship relationship, there is no limit to what can be done for that fellow in that situation, and most fellows recognize that and approach individuals that they know will have their best interests at heart for a mentorship role. In this recruiting season, it is not about just getting the best fellows but providing those fellows an experience that will last a lifetime. That can only be done with people who are mentors and who will provide leadership and direction to the fellows. Fellows need to choose programs where that mentorship is easily available and is part of the fabric of that institution. On mentorship—the key role for any pediatric cardiology fellow in his program for his ongoing education and for his future development. Congenit Heart Dis. 2014;9:169–170

170 Douglas Moodie, MD, MS Associate Chief, Pediatric Cardiology Director, Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Program Associate Director, Adult Congenital Heart Center

Congenit Heart Dis. 2014;9:169–170

Editorial Professor of Pediatric Cardiology Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital 6621 Fannin Street MC, 19345-C Houston, Texas 77030, USA

On mentoring.

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