In medical school, there are many ways to find a mentor, but ultimately finding a mentor early in medical school can lead to your success.
Navigating medical school can feel a bit like trying to find your way through a maze. A really long confusing maze where you’re walking backward with your eyes closed while calculating an anion gap and—I digress…
Not only is there a lot to figure out week by week, but there are also board exams to keep an eye on, electives to choose, and deciding if that month-old energy bar in your white coat pocket is safe to eat.
Medical school is hard enough as it is, which is why we can't emphasize enough the importance of finding a mentor early on in medical school. Your mentor can help guide you, providing advice, perspective, and encouragement and giving you the support you need, especially in your first couple years
…And, while finding a medical school mentor sounds pretty straightforward in theory—just go find a mentor—in practice, it can actually be a lot trickier.
We know how daunting it can be after moving to a new city and walking into that lecture hall on the first day, every face unfamiliar, so many letters after everyone’s names. Where to start? Scroll on down to get our top tips.
Yeah, medical school gets busy. But carving out just a little time can make a big difference when it comes to making meaningful connections.
That applies as much to finding a mentor as it does to networking and finding study buddies. Student interest groups are a good place to start. These might range from topics like wilderness medicine to a book club.
Start with choosing a couple that speak to your interests. Not only will you meet other students, but many interest groups have faculty advisors. If you don’t find a group that resonates with you, start your own!
If you’re interested in research, take a look at what kinds of grants, fellowships, and partnerships your program has in place. And while you’re at it, look for potential topics of interest.
Your medical school is probably affiliated with hospitals and clinics where you’ll spend most of your third and fourth years. But you don’t have to wait a year or two to meet clinical faculty.
Many medical schools are a part of a larger institution. In addition to medicine, you might be interested in engineering or business. Or maybe you hope to combine your interest in medicine with a career related to athletics. Or education. Even music!
Whatever your other interests are, look for a mentor in that adjacent field. They’re likely to know what connections already exist between departments at your school and how to help guide you along the way.
Beyond your program’s institution, also consider the surrounding community. Are you interested in nutrition? Look for community leaders and groups that you can connect with over this topic.
People love talking to med students. Maybe you have experience organizing community events or volunteering for particular causes. This could be a great way to help others and meet potential mentors in your new community.
Depending on your medical school’s curriculum, you might not spend much time learning alongside med students in the years ahead of you. But don’t let that be a barrier.
Second, third, and fourth year med students have been where you are, and they can often provide a lot of insight about who to connect with and potential opportunities. They might even have a recommendation for a specific mentor, know of an opening in a lab, or a volunteer opportunity.
But hey, if there’s just too much going on in your first year to connect with a mentor, don’t worry! The summer between first and second years can be a great chance to get involved and connect with others…while still enjoying some much needed time off!
Many medical schools have dedicated summer fellowships and programs that your student advisory office should know all about.
Once you find a mentor don’t forget about those following in your footsteps. Does your school have a mentoring program in place? If not, now might be the time to start one!
Now that you’ve wrapped your brain around how you can find a mentor, we hope you’re better prepared for the process.
But once you make that essential connection, what should you talk to your mentor about?
Having a mentor and making the most of being a mentee are two very different things, after all. Faculty mentoring programs work best when you cultivate the mentor-mentee relationship. And part of that involves asking the right questions.
Here are ten basic questions to ask your med school mentor, once the two of you have been matched together:
It’s important to note that the above list of questions is by no means comprehensive.
Looking for more information? Indiana University’s School of Medicine also offers up several questions to ask your med school mentor, conveniently broken up by the year of med school you’re in.
Of course, if you have any additional questions, feel free to lean on us here at Sketchy— your # 1 resource for med school prep!
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