Clinical Mentoring is a pathway to clinical excellence

I am always inspired by the enthusiasm of practitioners to improve their knowledge and skills. When we recently opened Lilydale Physio and Sports Medicine www.lpsm.com.au we had a mix of experience among our team.  From new graduates to those with more than 10 years' experience the opportunity was there to ensure that we focused not just on training our grads but also providing the opportunity for others to learn as mentees and have roles as clinical mentors. Megz is part of the team with experience and has spent the last few years helping others but not developing her own skills as much as she would like. I met with Megan and Laura (both joint practice equity holders) at Lilydale and we chatted about the process of learning and mentoring and how to get the best outcomes for both mentor and mentee.  I devote significant time to the achievement of clinical excellence in The Health Practitioners journey.  Clinical Mentoring is the pathway to clinical excellence. https://www.michaelkenihan.com.au/book

Both Megz and Laura are high performing physios clinically and eager to share their knowledge with others. This can be done in a random or ad hoc way with younger team members asking for assistance at times when treating someone. We try to assist in these cases and quick assistance can be provided but often those with expertise may be too busy to assist then and there. This means that we need to have a structure with all mentoring. Some ad hoc, just now, assistance can be provided but the bulk of mentoring needs to be applied in organised sessions of 45 to 60 mins with topics advised beforehand.

Mentoring sessions should always have both a clinical component where techniques are taught and demonstrated and a theory component where more complex cases are introduced and can be discussed where critical thinking and clinical reason can be encouraged and developed... Ideally the mentee can apply the learned technique to the mentor. If the mentee is well prepared, they will bring one of their own cases to the sessions and discuss them with their mentor.

Towards to end of our discussion Megz asked how we could mentor her. She felt that she had much to learn, and the opportunities had not been there recently for her to do so. To further assist Megz, we plan to organise leading therapists to come and visit and provide input to those with experience. Our other leaders with post graduate study behind them will add a higher level of mentoring to those who wish to avail themselves of such learning.

All clinics need to look how they can mentor their personnel more effectively. This is part and parcel of developing an empowered work environment and a way to improve the retention of your people and ensure that the results of treatment will be maximised for the patient’s benefit.

It takes time to become an effective mentor and the best way to develop the skill is to seek out persons to mentor you. Indeed, this is what I have strived to do in my career, and I hope to be able to instill in others the important role they can play in assisting others to learn and grow.

Harvesting Knowledge In Your Career

Building a career as a health practitioner should be a structured process. As I outline in “The Health Practitioners' Journey,” structuring your career in stages of development can lead to a satisfying and financially rewarding path. I outline four stages and see the journey taking a linear approach where you move from one stage to the next. This approach may not suit everyone, but most of us will seek to harvest knowledge on the journey, whichever direction it takes us.

Harvesting knowledge involves approaching your career and experiences as opportunities to learn, experiment, and expand your understanding. If you embrace your journey this way, you'll be well-equipped to take advantage of any opportunities that may arise during your career. This is the key to success, opportunity, and fulfillment across all stages of your career. It ensures not only commercial and professional success but also personal growth and satisfaction.

Many practitioners who have ‘harvested’ well have seized or created amazing opportunities. These include positions in corporate healthcare companies, developing courses to teach their unique skills, or using their harvested skills to embark on new directions, such as speaking at events or becoming facilitators or consultants for similar businesses. As the industry constantly evolves, new innovations arise. For example, AI is becoming more widely adopted, enhancing operational efficiency in our practices.

The above may sound reasonable and achievable, but there are examples where practitioners have taken on too much and pursued opportunities they weren't fully equipped to handle. This happened to me early in my career when I was thrust into managing a sports medicine business without the necessary knowledge, training, or experience. Fortunately, with support from mentors, I learned as I went along. I continued with my clinical practice while harvesting more knowledge, attending courses, reading widely, and listening intently to those with greater expertise. This path eventually improved my competence.

Throughout your career, continue to apply your skills to various opportunities, putting the concept of harvesting knowledge into practice. Here are some key takeaways to ensure you make the most of the knowledge you’ve harvested:

• Develop a Continuous Plan: Ensure you have a plan that involves developing your clinical skills throughout your career.

• Understand Commercial Success: Gain an understanding of what is involved in achieving commercial success.

• Network: Build connections with colleagues in your profession and those in related fields.

• Seek Mentors: Find mentors to guide you through different stages of your career.

• Enrol in Courses: Start with courses in your area of interest, then progressively take courses that broaden your knowledge and challenge you.

• Be Present to Opportunity: Always be aware of opportunities. Luck is often just the awareness of an opportunity and the willingness to act on it.

Too often, people miss out on important opportunities due to a lack of awareness. For example, I once shared a room at a conference with someone I didn’t know. That chance encounter led to the establishment of a sports medicine clinic and a move from Adelaide to Melbourne a few months later.

By following these guidelines, your career will become dynamic and fulfilling. Embrace the harvesting process: seeds sown in autumn will sprout in spring, but you must be aware enough to plant the seeds at the right time!