The Future

Importance of Mentors

BY JOIE N. MARHEFKA, PH.D.

Joie N. Marhefka

Ihave been thinking about the importance of mentoring, both in my own career and for my students. In my own career, I value both having good mentors and being a good mentor. I also think it is important for my students to have good mentors as they transition from students to professionals. Therefore, I recently paired each of my incoming students with an alumni mentor, which really seemed to benefit the students. Digging a bit deeper into mentoring, I asked some of our recent graduates to share their insights on how mentors have helped them as they have started their career and on how they’ve mentored students and others entering the field.

Q: THINK OF SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN A MENTOR TO YOU. HOW HAS THAT PERSON HELPED YOU IN YOUR CAREER? Some answered that their mentor provided information on career pathways as well as tips for doing the job right. Others answered that their mentors provided them with opportunities. Eian Shurina, a 2017 graduate and current senior clinical engineering technician at Rochester Regional Health Care, added that his mentor “taught me if someone is willing to take the time to show you how to do something the right way it’s my responsibility to pay it forward and help people that are willing to learn.”

Q: HOW HAVE YOU MENTORED OTHERS, INCLUDING STUDENTS AND NEW EMPLOYEES, IN YOUR CAREER? All of the graduates who I spoke with said that they have mentored students and/or new employees, and they mentioned showing students and new employees how things work. Jack DelloStritto, a 2017 graduate and current radiology engineering tech at WakeMed Health & Hospitals, added a few specifics, including demonstrating good troubleshooting skills, people skills and documentation tips. Nathan French, a 2016 graduate and current biomedical equipment technician at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, also highlighted the importance of being available to answer questions as a mentor.

Q: WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE A GOOD MENTOR AND TO BE A GOOD MENTOR? Several answers to this question focused on modelling quality work. If a mentor demonstrates good work practices, the mentee will likely follow in their mentor’s footsteps. Other answers focused on the importance of mentoring relationships in helping the field to evolve and thrive.

Q: HOW WOULD YOU GO ABOUT FINDING A MENTOR? I asked this question because it can be challenging to find a mentor, especially outside of school. DelloStritto suggested “look for the ones that are ‘doing it right.’ That doesn’t mean that you or a mentor need to be a slave to the job by any means, just that you find someone in your career path that takes their job seriously, does their best, and treats equipment as if your family member were going to be placed on it, all while accepting that we cannot ‘do it all’ and are sometimes going to make mistakes.” Shurina added. “I take any opportunity to learn from anyone that is willing to teach.”

Q: DO YOU HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ON BEING A GOOD MENTOR? Several people stressed the importance of communication to being a good mentor. DelloStritto added, “Let your mentee know when you are available and through what means you are available.” Dalynn Park, a 2020

graduate and current clinical engineering generalist at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, stressed the importance of being open to discussing all questions and to being open and honest. Shurina suggested letting the mentee take the lead on service calls when possible and providing guidance as a mentor. French emphasized being a good communicator.

Q: WHAT ARE SOME SPECIFIC THINGS YOU HAVE DONE TO HELP SOMEONE THAT YOU ARE MENTORING? Park said that she allows mentees to shadow her. She added that she “assisted on service calls while allowing them to take charge but offered suggestions/tips when needed.” DelloStritto said, “I think giving personal experience stories have been the best. That is where you really get a feel of what the field is like. One could say ‘sometimes you encounter a difficult doctor/nurse’ but that is far less helpful than giving an actual example of when you personally encountered that situation and what you did to resolve it.” Shurina added, “since we have our intern three times a week, I will look at the work order queue and see what tasks would be suitable. We run though about 5-10 work orders a day to get him more familiar with how to interact with staff along with troubleshooting the device in question. Last week we also went through how to order parts by contacting the manufacturer to get price points and part numbers.”

Q: DO YOU HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ON BEING A GOOD MENTEE? Common recommendations included keeping an open mind, showing interest and asking questions. DelloStritto suggested, “Do not be afraid to ask questions! That is why the mentor is there! There are no stupid questions!” Park also recommended that a mentee take the reins in order to get what they want out of the experience. When asked for some final thoughts on mentoring, DelloStritto stated, “Just that you’re never too old or too far in your career to have a mentor. There is always someone you can learn from! The great thing about this field is that it is ever-changing, there will always be more to learn!” French felt that pairing current students with alumni mentors provided a very good opportunity for current students. He added, “the more resources to students or technicians, the better.” I could not agree more. Many thanks to Dalynn, Eian, Jack and Nathan for their contributions to this column and for being excellent mentors to our students.

Joie N. Marhefka, Ph.D., is the biomedical engineering technology program coordinator at Penn State New Kensington.

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