Peter Hirschi

Mentoring Activity
July 20, 2015
The Role of Mentoring in Medical Dosimetry
Teaching is often used interchangeable with mentoring, when in fact there are substantial
differences between the two. Teaching is simply dispensing information and is done several
ways; textbooks, articles, oral presentation and so forth. While mentoring, on the other hand, is
accomplished by becoming involved in the learning process and spending meaningful time with
an individual to ensure that the individual understands what is being taught.[1] To be an effective
mentor, the mentor must have a strong ability to assess the students clinical skills and associated
knowledge.[2] This ability helps the mentor to teach the student a new skill at a level that the
student can understand.[3] An effective mentor also shares experiences and knowledge in a way
that optimizes understanding for the student, thus helping the student incorporate the learning
into their life. This way of learning not only helps the student become a medical dosimetrist but
also helps them grow in a facet of their life and become something new. An effective mentor
should have a strong understanding of the subject being taught, good communication skills so
they are understood, and most of all patience. Individuals learn at different paces so its
important for a mentor to take time with students who may not understand everything at first.[1]
All the characteristics needed to be a good mentor can be learned and improved to some degree.
However, communication is a vital skill for effective mentors and effective communication is
learned long before a person becomes a mentor. Because of previous life experiences, some
people are just better mentors than others.[1]
An effective form of mentoring should begin with the teaching of information first, and then
showing the student how the information is important to daily activities in the department.
Lastly, spending time with the student as the student tries new concepts and techniques ensuring
the student is using the information to complete the required tasks effectively.[1]
Textbooks play a vital role in helping medical dosimetry students become a knowledgeable
and effective dosimetrist. They cover the base of what every medical dosimetrist should know
and teach what has been established as the standard of care for radiation oncology. However,
textbooks struggle to stay up to date on the latest treatment techniques, and different institutions
develop their own procedures depending on their needs, preferences of physicians, equipment

available, and patient populations. The mentors perspective helps the student understand that as
long as the treatment planning goals are met, there are different ways of delivering safe effective
treatments.
Mentoring is vital in the medical dosimetry field because an effective dosimetrist should have
the ability to teach and help therapists understand how to implement the plans the dosimetrist has
created. An effective dosimetrist doesnt just share information, but rather takes the time to
ensure the therapist and everyone involved in the care of a patient understand the nuances and
important details that may pertain to each plan. Mentoring in medical dosimetry creates an
exclusive connection for dosimetrists to impact future healthcare professionals and further the
progress being made in the field of dosimetry.[4]

References
1. Discussion with Blair Bentley, Junior Physicist at Intermountain Healthcare Dixie
Regional Medical Center. July 23, 2014.
2. Gopee N. Mentoring and Supervision in Healthcare. SAGE; 2015.
3. Discussion with Tana Cooper, Medical Dosimetrist at Intermountain Healthcare Dixie
Regional Medical Center. July 23, 2014.
4. Kinnell D, Hughes P. Mentoring Nursing and Healthcare Students. SAGE Publications;
2010.

Appendix A
Peter Hirschi
Mentoring Interview with Tana Cooper (Transcript)
July 23, 2015
Q: What would you say the difference is between a teacher and a mentor?
A: Mentoring is developing a skill or progressing a skill someone already has verses teaching a
new idea
Q: How would you describe effective mentoring?
A: Assisting someone at learning a new skill at a level they can understand and one that helps
them develop a new skill
Q: What does mentoring someone mean to you?
A: Assisting someone in learning a new skill
Q: What do you feel is an effective form of mentoring?
A: See one, do one, teach one. See an example, do it yourself, explain how to do it to someone
else
Q: Do you feel that providing your own perspective of a definition or technique is more useful
than what would be found in a textbook?
A: I think they are both beneficial; its easier to expand upon my own perspective if someone has
a question about what I mean by something
Q: What are some characteristics or qualities that a person must possess to be an effective
mentor?
A: Patience, desire to help someone, they must fully understand the concept they are mentoring
Q: Do you think that those characteristics or qualities can be learned or is someone born with
them?
A: Anyone can be a mentor but an effective mentor is born with the qualities it takes
Q: Do you think mentoring is important in medical dosimetry?
A: I think it is a beneficial way to learn, eventually each dosimetrist will adopt their own way of
doing things, but it is helpful to learn the basics from others applying them

Appendix B
Peter Hirschi
Mentoring Interview with Blair Bentley (Transcript)
July 23, 2014
Q: What would you say the difference is between a teacher and a mentor?
A: Teaching is simply dispensing information. Mentoring is becoming involved in the learning
process and spending time with a student to make sure they understand what is being taught.
Q: How would you describe effective mentoring?
A: Effective mentoring involves assisting someone to achieve an education or occupational goal.
The mentor shares experiences and knowledge in a way that optimizes understanding for the
student.
Q: What does mentoring someone mean to you?
A: Mentoring is more than teaching or showing how to do something. It is becoming involved in
the student to make sure they incorporate the learning into their life and become something new.
Q: What do you feel is an effective form of mentoring?
A: Teaching information to start out, then showing how the information is important to daily
activities, and then spending time with a student watching them try new things to make sure they
can use the learned information to complete the required tasks effectively.
Q: Do you feel that providing your own perspective of a definition or technique is more useful
than what would be found in a textbook?
A: I think both are important. A textbook will show a technique that is generally accepted and
tried in many institutions. Its information is usually generated from state of the art techniques.
However, different institutions develop their own procedures depending on their needs and
patient populations. It is important to learn those ways also. This helps to understand that as long
as the treatment or planning goals are met, there are different ways of creating the final product.
Q: What are some characteristics or qualities that a person must possess to be an effective
mentor?
A: A strong understanding of the subject being taught, good communication skills so you can be
understood, and patience with a student who may not understand everything at first.
Q: Do you think that those characteristics or qualities can be learned or is it someone born with
them?

A: All characteristics can be learned and improved to some degree. However, many of the
communication skills necessary for mentoring are learned long before a person becomes a
mentor. Because of previous life experiences, some people are just better mentors than others.
Q: Do you think mentoring is important in medical dosimetry?
A: Mentoring is important in every aspect of life both personal and professional. Part of the
dosimetrists job is to communicate and teach therapists, students and other staff members how
to treat a patient they have planned. They should have these skills to be successful at this part of
their job.