Ep 199: The Importance of Mentorship, with Dr. Cris Blevins

Episode DescriptionIn this episode of the ‘So You’re a Vet, Now What?’ podcast, host Dr. Moriah McCauley is joined by Dr. Cris Blevins as they discuss the importance of reflection in mentorship and discuss strategies to create a more focused and uninterrupted environment for mentorship meetings. Dr. Blevins suggests meeting offsite, away from distractions in the veterinary hospital, once a week for an hour. By doing so, mentors and mentees can reflect on their progress, discuss accomplishments, and plan for the future without interruptions.Dr. Blevins explains that meeting offsite is crucial to avoid the common distractions that occur in a veterinary hospital setting. They note that important meetings held behind closed doors in the hospital often face interruptions, which can hinder the effectiveness of the reflection process. By choosing a quiet and private location outside of the hospital, mentors and mentees can create an environment conducive to meaningful discussions.Furthermore, Dr. Blevins emphasizes the need for individualized reflection in mentorship. Dr. Blevins encourages individuals to think about their personal expectations and needs from a mentor. They suggest engaging in self-reflection activities such as reading and listening to podcasts to gain a deeper understanding of one's own goals and aspirations in mentorship.Overall, the episode underscores the significance of reflection in mentorship. It allows individuals to assess their progress, identify areas for improvement, and set goals for the future. By engaging in regular reflection, mentors and mentees can enhance the effectiveness of their mentorship relationship and support the mentee in their professional growth.Episode Outline[00:01:17] The importance of mentorship.[00:06:04] Finding a good mentor.[00:08:09] Mentorship in veterinary medicine.[00:13:35] Red flags and green flags.[00:14:49] Mentorship and accountability.[00:19:04] Reflection in mentorship.[00:23:35] Culture of mentorship.[00:25:17] Early stage veterinary career support.Quotes"The smallest percentage of really good mentorship is teaching you medicine and surgery. The greater percentage of great mentorship is teaching you how to be a great veterinarian.""The first question that I would ask a potential employer is, how did you select your clinical mentor? How did that come to pass? I'm looking for them to give me some tangible answers, something that is actually meaningful, not just, well, Dr. Smith works here. She's been here the longest, so she's our mentor. Well, that doesn't really mean anything.""Mentorship is one of those things that if we get this right, we will continue to have a sort of a working body of advertisement to young people to come into veterinary medicine because we're doing this the right way."Mentioned in this episode:So You're a Vet, Now What? - The CourseAre you a new or recent veterinary graduate? If so, Dr. Dave’s course, ‘So You’re a Vet… Now What?’ has been put together specifically for you. The course focuses on non-clinical skills. This is not as dull as it sounds. In fact, almost every career problem that people face is due to not having well-developed, non-clinical skills. These are skills like client communication, so you have great relationships with clients. Emotional intelligence, so you've got great relationships with your teammates. Effective negotiation skills, so you can get paid what you are worth. Management of imposter syndrome, so you can have confidence in your abilities. And, how to build formidable resilience, so you can handle everything that comes your way. These are not just skills. They are prerequisites vital for success and financial and emotional wellbeing. This course...