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V O L 4 2019 I S S U E

MENTORSHIP MENTORSHIP – A LIFE CHANGING RELATIONSHIP
A LIFE The term Mentoring is derived from the fulfill goals and is flourishing in many areas

character ‘Mentor’ from Odyssey written
of their private, professional and public lives.
CHANGING by Homer in the 8th century BC [1]. Mentor Within medicine, there have been such
dramatic changes in training recently that
served as a teacher and guide to Odysseus’
son, Telemachus. Despite its historic name,
additional support is often needed if the
new generation of trainees are to maximise
mentoring only began to enter modern
over ever shorter training periods. In Plastic
popularity over recent years.
RELATIONSHIP literature in the 1970s but has rapidly gained their learning and professional development
Surgery, I can say this with certainty that no
A mentor is much more than a teacher. He
unit is complete and doing all round justice to
is a Guru with a ‘gurutwakarshan’! By his all the subspecialities. That is the reason why
wisdom, words of encouragement and deeds if we intend to work in areas where our parent
of kindness and understanding he attracts units are deficient we have to look for mentors
the mentee to such an extent that the latter who will guide our destiny.
starts aspiring to be like him one day! By his
personalized attention and care, the mentor Trainees face numerous challenges during a
chisels almost all aspects of the mentee’s highly competitive surgical training process,
life and shows him/her how to ignore the including their own career planning and
redundant and the unimportant and spend external issues such as working hour limits and
the limited precious time with him in shaping workforce changes. To address such issues and
his ambitions and polishing his life. the many other everyday trainee concerns –
Dr. Surajit academic, social, environmental, financial and
Bhattacharya Looking back, I can say with certainty that the inter-personal, there is clear need for a more
first mentor I had was in my school days in robust system to help equip trainees with the
Sr. Consultant, Plastic, Colvin Taluqdars’ College in Lucknow. He was skills necessary to generate solutions to their
Reconstructive & Aesthetic our Principal, Mr. H.L. Dutt, who came from own problems, pursue their cherished goals
Surgery England and he would teach us Shakespeare’s and to enhance their own career progression.
Lucknow ‘The Merchant of Venice’ in his own inimitable A mentor is an invaluable aid at this juncture.
style. Being the youngest Principal at 34, he
was younger to all our teachers and dearest to Mentoring has been defined by Whittaker as ‘a
us as he was keen in sports and even keener in relationship between two people in which trust
co-curricular activities. He was my confidential and respect enables problems and difficulties
ear and sounding board who encouraged more to be discussed in an open and supportive
open discussion and widened my horizon. He environment’ [2]. Connor suggests that mentors
gave me an opportunity to grow, learn, thrive provide a safe place for reflection, they listen
and excel with a unique and specific personal and support, explore strengths and blind spots,
support system, tailored only for me. Needless enable self challenge, generate insight and
to say I had a hero to look forward to and focus on goals [3] Ideally, mentoring should be
worship. independent from assessment, performance
review or evaluation within a mentees’
Mentoring has been shown to help mentees workplace . The Royal College of Surgeons of
overcome difficulties, discuss problems and England has stated that mentoring is “hugely

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