Excellent mentees know what type of help they need, select the right people to help them, finish tasks ahead of schedule, are mindful of their mentor’s time, are energized and engaging, and credit others liberally. Do you have what it takes?
Vineet Chopra, MD, MSc, Michigan Medicine
Sanjay Saint, MD, MPH, University of Michigan
takeaways of note:
Tips for Mentees….
Clarify what you need – some mentees may require formal, long-term guidance; others may just need support with one-time needs.
Choose wisely – someone you can relate to and who shares your goals & understands your priorities (someone at the top of their field may not necessarily be ideal)… find mentors you can see yourself becoming — and make sure they are up to the challenge.
Underpromise & overdeliver – Ideal mentees are enthusiastic, energetic, organized & focused. They embrace feedback, remain honest & responsive, always behave with integrity and recognize that hard work & sacrifice pay dividends down the road.
Mind your mentor’s time – i.e…. (1) give your mentor enough time to review work, (2) define goals for meetings ahead of time re: what you want to discuss & accomplish, and (3) avoid long, winding emails with no clear answerable question.
Beware of pitfalls – learn to “manage up” when mentors go awry.
Be engaged & energizing – the best mentees are energy donors, not energy recipients. They come with enthusiasm, excitement, and eagerness to move forward… mentors more likely respond positively when presented with the upsides rather than the downsides.