1

Taisa Polishchuk
Mentoring Assignment
August 3, 2015
The importance of effective mentoring
When I think about a mentor, I think of a trusted advisor, a counselor and a facilitator. A
mentor is an individual with knowledge and experience, who has a great desire to share
everything he knows with others.1 I think the key word here is the desire, the strong feeling of
wanting mentees to do well in anything taught or explained by the mentor. Having this type of
desire provides the commitment by the mentor to his or her students, the willingness to give time
and energy to the mentoring relationship and expect nothing in return.1
Being a mentor involves so much more than just being a teacher. A teacher presents the
knowledge to his students, whereas a mentor shows how to apply this knowledge in real life.
Medical dosimetrist Louise Francis stated that mentoring has more of a symbiotic dynamic (oral
communication, July 2015). Emphasizing more on a partnership, the mentor can learn from the
mentee during the mentoring process. The role of a good mentor is not to give the students the
answers or solve all of their problems.1 Instead, the mentors role is to point mentees in the
correct direction, encourage them to find their own way, and show them how to think critically in
any situation. In other words, by doing so one can exercise the effective mentoring, leading to
completion, academic success, scholarly productivity, and career achievement.2
Effective mentoring can benefit both the mentee and mentor. Personal and professional
development is one of the most important benefits gained by the mentees that guide the
individual into a successful career. Effective mentoring is a process where the mentor is
encouraging the mentee to be as successful as they were, and hopefully exceed what they were
able to accomplish (oral communication with medical dosimetrist Ed Bump, July 2015).
Utilizing all of the knowledge and skills gained from the mentor, a mentee can truly become the
best asset to his profession and enhance the future of the profession. In addition to the benefits
gained by the mentee, the mentor can also profit from the participation in the effective
mentoring. Helping others become passionate about the field, the mentor can reward from such
relationship by increasing his expertise and acquiring confidence in his role as an employee.1
Being challenged by questions from the mentee, can both strengthen and adjust the mentors
methods of completing tasks for the better (oral communication with medical dosimetrist Louise
Francis, July 2015). Mentoring can bring the joy and satisfaction to the mentor and help learn
their own talents, as well as develop new leadership skills.

I strongly believe that effective mentoring can shape and make a difference in the future
of the medical dosimetry. Having a valuable experience within the profession, the mentor can
help the mentee avoid potential mistakes and guide them through the job (oral communication
with medical dosimetrist Amy Watson, July 2015). Sage advice from the mentor could help the
mentee avoid career pitfalls, and assist in establishing a career path best suited for the mentees
strengths and interests (oral communication with medical dosimetrist Louise Francis, July 2015).
Effective mentoring could help the mentee see the the forest-through-the-trees thereby
accelerating the ability to implement specific learned knowledge towards achieving larger
professional goals (oral communication with medical dosimetrist Ed Bump, July 2015).
Mentoring is essential in any profession, especially in medical dosimetry as it can build
community, inspire hope, share success, and enrich life.

References
1. Trad ML. Mentoring radiation therapy students: a review and survey. Radiat Ther.
2009;18(2):101-108.
2. Lenards N. Mentoring. [SoftChalk]. LaCrosse, WI: UW-L Medical Dosimetry Program;
2014.

Appendix A
Mentoring questionnaire with Louise Francis (Transcript)
July 28, 2015
Q: Define mentoring in your own words.
A: A mentor is someone who teaches, guides, and gives advice to a less experienced person in a
given discipline. A key element of mentoring is communication between individuals in a nonthreatening environment.
Q: How is a mentor different from a teacher?
A: Although mentoring involves an aspect of teaching, it has more of a symbiotic dynamic.
Teaching often involves only giving information to an individual in a structured manner.
Mentoring also disseminates information, but is often less rigidly structured. It emphasizes more
of a partnership because the mentor can learn from the mentee during the mentoring process.
This exchange of ideas helps mentors and mentees see concepts differently, hopefully allowing
for more effective learning by both participants.
Q: What does effective mentoring mean to you?
A: Effective mentoring means that I have conveyed ideas and concepts to someone who did not
have previous knowledge in a given area. During the mentoring process, I expect to be
challenged by questions from my mentee. This will cause me to both strengthen and adjust my
methods of completing tasks for the better. Effective mentoring should also involve real life
advice pertaining to career guidance that only life experience can offer.
Q: How can someone become a better mentor? What skills do they need to have?
A: Becoming a better mentor involves gaining experience as a mentor, effective listening, and
flexibility. The more a person mentors, the more effective they will become. Something positive
should be learned from each mentoring experience, even if that mentoring experience included
negative aspects. Effective listening and flexibility of thought/action from the mentor, regarding
mentee feedback, can assist the mentor in becoming more effective. Feedback from the mentee is
vital because it allows the mentor to evaluate what methods worked, and which did not.
Q: Do you believe mentors can shape the future of the profession? If so, how could it be
done?
A: Mentors can shape the future of the profession if it is a task that is taken on willingly and not
forced. Not everyone wants to be a mentor, and if forced to do so, may do more harm than good.
Ideally mentors should be given an opportunity to volunteer, and if possible, offered a mentoring
workshop pertaining to effective mentoring. Mentors should be partnered with mentees as early
as possible. Sage advice form the mentor could help the mentee avoid career pitfalls, and assist
in establishing a career path best suited for the mentees strengths and interests.

Appendix B
Mentoring questionnaire with Ed Bump (Transcript)
July 28, 2015
Q: Define mentoring in your own words.
A: A mentor is someone who has been through the same experience as that which you are
currently living through and is willing to provide constructive criticism, suggestions, and
encouragement to help you not only be as successful as they were, but hopefully to even exceed
what they were able to accomplish.
Q: How is a mentor different from a teacher?
A: It is difficult for a teacher to be a mentor and still maintain a professional detachment
allowing them to assign a fair grade to the student. It is easier to succeed as a mentor if you are a
3rd party who can be objective about what the student is experiencing in their educational
environment.
Q: What does effective mentoring mean to you?
A: At the core of being effective as a mentor is whether or not you sincerely want the student to
succeed and/or surpass what you were able to do in similar circumstances. Students may achieve
more or less than the mentor, but success is when that student achieved significantly more than
they would have without the mentor. All mentors should at least provide encouragement so that
the process is easier to bear.
Q: How can someone become a better mentor? What skills do they need to have?
A: If a mentor derives his/her pleasure from watching the student suffer as much as they did,
then they are the worst mentors that exist. Education may involve suffering, but it should be a
means to a high and respectful end. A mentor should always think that they are helping in the
process to self-replace and wonder how they could make the process more efficient for the
student to achieve more and improve the field as a whole when they take over the reins.
Q: Do you believe mentors can shape the future of the profession? If so, how could it be
done?
A: Yes, mentors can help students see the forest-through-the-trees thereby accelerating their
ability to implement specific learned knowledge towards achieving larger professional goals.
Often students learn things, but dont have any idea how that knowledge could be used in the
field. A mentor can help the student understand the value of their education and assist them in
applying what they learn creatively in the field. In addition, the mentor can make the student
aware of strengths that they have, but were not aware of, which could be used to succeed in their
field.

Appendix C
Mentoring questionnaire with Amy Watson (Transcript)
July 28, 2015
Q: Define mentoring in your own words.
A: I believe mentoring is a way to help and/or advise a person in a certain area/subject to help
better understand it and excel in it.
Q: How is a mentor different from a teacher?
A: A teacher gives you the information and the resources to learn more about it. A mentor can do
the same but also gives guidance in applying it to certain situations, whether it is work, life, or
other classes. For example, a teacher may be able to teach about biology but may not have
anything more to teach other than what is in books. A mentor may have more hands on
experience and situations that can be shared with the student to maybe avoid mistakes or help
understand the topic better.
Q: What does effective mentoring mean to you?
A: In my opinion, effective mentoring is when the student grasps a concept that wasnt clear
when it was taught to them. Its when you see that student do the job just as well, or even better
than how it was done before. I think effective mentoring is when the student feels confident
enough to not seek your help or advice as much.
Q: How can someone become a better mentor? What skills do they need to have?
A: Even a mentor doesnt know everything there is to know about the subject. If the mentor has
another person they can call to help if the student is still having trouble, I think that can be better
to everyone involved. This person may have a different way of teaching what they know and it
can be a learning experience for the mentor as well. Asking for help isnt a skill but some people
do not do that as often as they should. Also, having the time, dedication, and patience to be with
that student enough to help and guide them through is important.
Q: Do you believe mentors can shape the future of the profession? If so, how could it be
done?
A: I think mentors can definitely help in many professions, especially for students and new hires.
There are so many people in a rush at work and in life, and that makes it difficult to have
mentors. Also, just because a person is very educated and experienced about a subject doesnt
make them a good mentor. That person may not be able to sit one-on-one with someone to teach
and share what they know or guide them through the job, which wouldnt be as helpful for the
student/new hire. If the work group was big enough, maybe 1-2 people or even the entire group
can work in mentoring a new hire.