1

Karen Krueger
Effective Mentoring
August 2, 2015
Effective Mentoring
A mentorship program provides an opportunity for a novice entering a professional field
to learn from mature, experienced practitioners.1 Mentorship is a relationship between a
mentor(s) and a mentee, wherein a novice receives guidance from one or more experienced
personnel for the purposes of career and personal development.2 Students, trainees, and junior
faculty benefit from the guidance of mentors.3 Mentorship is intended to increase
professionalism, improve job satisfaction, and boost employee retention, resulting in the
mentees personal and professional development.2 Students involved in a mentorship program
receive support throughout their program which often carries over into their careers. A successful
mentorship program requires an effective mentor.
An effective mentor is most commonly defined as an experienced and trusted advisor.4
During an interview regarding mentoring with Alex Whittington, CMD (July 2015), he defined
an effective mentor as a trusted, experienced individual who cares about and is invested in your
future. While interviewing Clint Wood, MD (July 2015), he defined an effective mentor as
someone that you trust and who has considerable life experience to help guide you. They should
be available and willing to walk alongside you through whatever situation you face. They should
be a resource and sounding board for advice and/or difficulties that you face.
A mentor should be one with experience, who is willing to make themselves available for
the guidance of someone with less experience in a professional field.1 An effective mentor is
committed to helping a novice progress from inexperienced to proficient. In order to be a decent
mentor, it is necessary to have effective communication skills.2A good mentor shows support by
providing feedback in a respectful, specific, and encouraging manner.1 Mentors should treat
mentees as colleagues whose contributions are appreciated. A mentorship is developed based on
trust and respect and the mentor and mentee should share and learn from one another.2 One
challenge of being an effective mentor is balancing the workload with the needs of the mentee. It
is important to put the needs of the mentee first and ensure their involvement in all aspects of the
work.4 A mentor should guide a mentee while encouraging them to think independently.1 Though
a mentor teaches a mentee, a mentor is more than a teacher. The primary difference between a

2
teacher and a mentor is the depth of the relationship.4 When asked to explain how a mentor
differs from a teacher, Alex Whittington, CMD (July 2015) simply stated the personal
relationship.
Although repeated interactions between the mentor and mentee allows a special
connection to develop, an appropriate professional distance should be maintained.3 The mentor
and mentee should not become friends. Establishing a friendship during the mentorship period
could result in complications.3 The mentor has a responsibility to the mentee and the profession,
to give constructive, unbiased criticism. If a friendship develops, the mentee may take things
more personally and their feelings might get hurt when receiving feedback. In addition, the
mentor might get their feelings hurt if the mentee chooses not to follow their advice and handle
certain aspects of the job differently. A mentorship can be cordial, personal, and enjoyable, but
appropriate professional boundaries must be maintained to protect each individual.3
Though not considered a friend, an effective mentor is a teacher, sponsor, advisor, agent,
role model, coach, and confidant.5 Effective mentors encourage professional growth by imparting
responsibility, trust, and chances for the mentee to accomplish personal and career goals.1
Mentors provide career guidance, reassurance, and networking opportunities.3 Effective
mentoring leads to scholastic achievement, academic efficiency, and professional
accomplishments.1 Under the supervision of a mentor, a mentee begins to determine the type of
professional they would like to become. The mentee begins cultivating goals, and forming an
individual approach to work.1
A synergistic relationship exists between the mentor and mentee, which results in benefits
not only for the mentee but the mentor as well.2 In the interview with Clint Wood, MD (July
2015), he said mentoring allows him to think about situations from different viewpoints, solidify
what he knows, and express it to others in terms easily understood. During the interview with
Alex Whittington, CMD (July 2015) he said that mentoring has benefitted him by making his job
exciting again by reminding him what it is like to start out in the field of dosimetry.
Literature contains many reports identifying the benefits of a mentorship such as:
enabling the future success of trainees, greater career satisfaction for the experienced and novice
professional, networking, and aid in stress management.3 Although mentoring has been proven to
be beneficial, it is essential to ensure the mentor and mentee are compatible.2 Mentorship is more
successful when the mentee and mentor have similar personalities and goals. Mentors should

3
always be able to speak openly and honestly regarding the mentees performance.3 Mentors can
advise mentees, but should have the understanding that the mentee may choose not to follow the
advice given. During the interview, Alex Whittington, CMD (July 2015) stated, Effective
mentoring is taking the time to guide the mentee into the best person they can be rather than
forcing them into the person you think they should be. The mentee observes the mentors
professional behavior and then uses their own goals and moral compass to determine the
professional they would like to be.
For better or for worse, mentors influence the next generation of professionals.1 To help
ensure an effective mentorship program; there should be: specific qualifications for a mentor,
policies delineating mentor responsibilities, a written agreement between the mentor and mentee,
and evaluation processes by which the mentor and mentee evaluate one another.2 Periodic
evaluations of mentorship programs help ensure that the mentor is effectively communicating
clear objectives and the mentee is progressing as expected.3
In the field of medical dosimetry specifically, a mentor is important for professional
growth. I can learn about various treatment techniques and apply them in the clinical setting, but
nothing is more valuable than the education I receive from the mentor. Through mentor
guidance, one can learn what to do when you do not have a text book case. I am learning how
to manipulate the dose distribution and reduce dose to the organs at risk (OR) when the OR are
included in the planning target volume (PTV) and much more. I am able to gain knowledge from
my mentors personal experiences. I feel fortunate to be involved in a great mentorship program.
Admission interviews that were done prior to clinical site assignment helped to ensure
compatibility. Periodic evaluations are used so I can give personal feedback regarding my
mentorship and professional growth. The mentor and I have developed mutual trust and respect.
He treats me as a colleague and we have learned from one another. I have received support
throughout the medical dosimetry program, and we have developed a partnership that I expect to
carry into my career.

4
References
1. Lenards N. Mentoring. [SoftChalk]. La Crosse, WI: UW-L Medical Dosimetry Program;
2014.
2. Trad ML. Mentoring radiation therapy students: a review and survey. Radiation Ther.
2009;18(2):101-108.
3. Detsky AS. Academic mentoring-how to give it and how to get it. JAMA.
2007;297(19):2134-2136. http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.297.19.2134.
4. Holliday EB, Jagsi R, Thomas CR, Wilson LD, Fuller CD. Standing on the shoulders of
giants: results from the radiation oncology academic development and mentorship
assessment project (ROADMAP). Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2014;88(1):18-24.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2013.09.035.
5. Baerlocher MO, OBrien J, Newton M, Gautam T, Noble J. The mentor-mentee relationship
in academic medicine. Eur J Intern Med. 2011;22(6):e166-e167.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejim.2011.05.018.

5
Appendix A
Karen Krueger
Mentoring Interview with Alex Whittington, CMD (Transcript)
July 20, 2015
Q: What is your definition of an effective mentor?
A: A trusted, experienced individual who cares about and is invested in your future.
Q: What are some characteristics or qualities that a person must possess to be an effective
mentor?
A: Knowledge, experience, passion.
Q: What do you expect from a mentor?
A: Guidance.
Q: How do you think a mentor is different than a teacher?
A: The personal relationship.
Q: In your opinion, how important are mentors in your particular profession?
A: I would say they are very important in this relatively small field, with continuing and aiding
the growth of medical dosimetry.
Q: Have you had any mentors that have impacted your life?
A: Yes.
Q: Who is your most memorable mentor?
A: Professionally, a CMD named Justin. From day one of working with him I could tell he
wanted to teach and mold me into a great dosimetrist.
Q: What made him a good mentor?
A: The effort and time he invested in me.
Q: What did he teach you professionally?
A: How to be a dependable, productive, knowledgeable dosimetrist.
Q: Are you still in contact with each other?
A: Yes. We send each other a few emails every now and then.
Q: Is your mentoring style similar to that of your mentor? If yes, what similarities do you share?
If no, how does your style differ?
A: Yes. I think we both understand what its like to be the mentee which helps us both with
patience and allowing or mentees to make supervised mistakes, so they can learn from them.

6
Q: How has being a mentor benefitted you?
A: It takes me back to when I was learning this field, and in a way makes it exciting again.
Q: What do you think is the most important aspect of mentoring?
A: I would say it would depend on the relationship, but communication is always important so
everyone involved knows where they stand, and if need be make circumstances better.
Q: What advice would you give to someone taking on the role of a mentor for the first time?
A: Dont rush it.
Q: Do you know the difference between effective mentoring and ineffective mentoring? If so,
please define the difference.
A: Effective mentoring is taking the time to guide the mentee into the person they can be, rather
than forcing them into the person you think they should be.
Q: Any other thoughts on mentoring?
A: I would not be where I am or who I am today without the mentors in my life.

7
Appendix B
Karen Krueger
Mentoring Interview with Clint Wood, MD (Transcript)
July 23, 2015
Q: What is your definition of an effective mentor?
A: An effective mentor should be someone that you trust and who has considerable life
experience to help guide you. They should be available and willing to walk alongside you
through whatever situation you face. They should be a resource and sounding board for advice
and/or difficulties that you face.
Q: What are some characteristics or qualities that a person must possess to be an effective
mentor?
A: Experience, wisdom, honesty, and willingness.
Q: What do you expect from a mentor?
A: Experience, wisdom, honesty, and willingness.
Q: How do you think a mentor is different than a teacher?
A: A mentor may not have knowledge regarding the issue that you are facing, but they can still
be a resource using their own experience to help guide you. A teacher has knowledge of facts but
not necessarily is able to give good advice or counsel.
Q: In your opinion, how important are mentors in your particular profession?
A: As a recent graduate from resident, having a mentor is very important for me. Radiation
oncology is a practice of medicine which requires significant experience and wisdom, not just
medical knowledge.
Q: Have you had any mentors that have impacted your life?
A: Yes.
Q: Who is your most memorable mentor?
A: My partner, Dr. Funke.
Q: What makes him a good mentor?
A: Experience and patience as well as availability.
Q: What has he taught you professionally?
A: How to implement clinical knowledge into real life situations when there might not be a clear
answer from a text book or article.

8
Q: Have you ever been a mentor in any setting?
A: Not in a long-term manner. I often teach or instruct other medical personnel, but have not had
a one-on-one mentor relationship per se.
Q: Is your mentoring style similar to that of your mentor? If yes, what similarities do you share?
If no, how does your style differ?
A: Yes. We are both make ourselves available for guidance of a mentee. We are patient.
Q: How has being a mentor benefitted you?
A: It keeps me on my toes and helps me think about situations from different viewpoints. It also
helps me to solidify what I know and express it to others so that they can understand it.
Q: What do you think is the most important aspect of mentoring?
A: Establishing trust, availability.
Q: What advice would you give to someone taking on the role of the mentor for the first time?
A: Develop your own style, but draw from experiences in the past when someone else mentored
you.
Q: Do you know the difference between effective mentoring and ineffective mentoring? If so,
please define the difference.
A: Not really, but ineffective mentoring does not continue on for a long period of time.
Q: Any other thoughts on mentoring?
A: Everyone needs mentors at all phases of life, and it is healthy to be a mentor to your best
ability to give back just like someone who has helped you in the past.