When we celebrated Women’s History Month in March, Drs. Carolyn D’Ambrosio, Aneesa Das, and I discussed our experiences as women in chest medicine and why connecting is so important. We touched on the critical role of mentors. This conversation prompted me to dedicate this President’s column to the value of mentorship. The conversation is available on the CHEST YouTube for viewing.
I think many of us who have been successful and fulfilled in our careers can say we were blessed by having great mentors along the way.
I have been blessed in having mentors who were both within my institution and outside, but one of the most important places that I found mentors was through my involvement with CHEST. It is critically important to find a mentor or mentors who can guide you through the initial phases of your career. It is also very important to allow yourself time to be a mentor to those who need you.
To the junior faculty or trainees who have yet to connect with someone to provide guidance, I cannot stress enough the importance of getting involved in an organization like CHEST.
The best way to begin is to attend the annual meeting. Know that you are invited to approach any member of CHEST leadership, introduce yourself, and tell us that you want to get involved. (Conveniently, registration for CHEST 2023 in Hawaii just opened.)
I genuinely believe our community would say yes to anyone looking for guidance.
To my colleagues who are established in their careers, I am issuing a personal request (and a bit of a challenge). Before the upcoming annual meeting, consider who among your newer colleagues could benefit from having a mentor.
Take the time to tell them that you are there to support their development. Making that connection could mean re-establishing a relationship that got off track and that you want to re-engage.
Show how the commitment to mentorship matters by sharing a post (with a picture, if possible) on social media. Tag your post using the hashtags #CHESTMentee and #CHEST2023 to introduce them to your network. This type of exposure and support can have a lasting impact.
While attending CHEST 2023 – ideally with your mentee – be sure to add the mentoring ribbons to your badge. We will be heavily socializing these ribbons, sharing that anyone wearing the “I’m a mentor” ribbon is either open to accepting new mentees or will help facilitate a conversation that may lead to mentorship.
Beyond its incredible education opportunities, the CHEST Annual Meeting is well-known for being a welcoming environment. It’s up to us to take the extra steps to help earlier-career clinicians succeed by providing the best possible education and guidance for years to come.
Until next time,
Doreen J. Addrizzo- Harris, MD, FCCP