Electronic Spring 2024 | Issue 58

IPS Mentorship

By: Chelsea Karson, MD

"How do I find a job? What if I find the wrong job? What is an RVU?” There are many questions attendings and senior residents can answer, but sometimes a mentor is the only person who can help.

My experience with the Illinois Psychiatric Society (IPS) mentorship program has been incredible. Dr. Joshua Nathan and I were paired together based on biographies and interests. Dr. Nathan has had a wide variety of experiences since completing graduation – a perfect fit for me, a then PGY-3 who was exploring job opportunities for the first time and completely overwhelmed.

The mentor and mentee pair decide together the frequency and modality of meetings, virtual versus in-person, and set goals. Dr. Nathan and I met on an as-needed basis by phone or virtually through WhatsApp about once a month for 30-60 minutes. During these meetings, my mentor answered my questions about life after residency. I had an excellent problem – every job opportunity appealed to me! Dr. Nathan shared the story of his career path and helped me narrow my focus, enabling me to gain a better understanding of what I truly enjoyed about my experiences during my rotations. When I expressed concern that I may not have opportunities to learn about areas of psychiatry I wanted to explore after graduating from residency (ECT, DBT, etc.), my mentor assured me this was not the case. If I wanted to learn about a topic, there were resources and opportunities available, and reminders to ask about CME.

Over the past year, Dr. Nathan introduced me to psychiatry social media groups and helped me prepare for job interviews. The groups allowed me to connect with psychiatrists who worked in areas I wanted to explore and learn from docs actively working in them. We reviewed and updated my resume and my mentor taught me where I could find psychiatry job postings. Dr Nathan walked me through what to expect from a typical interview and what questions to ask so I could learn the most about the organization. The support and guidance enabled me to feel confident during the interview process. When a job opportunity I was excited about turned out to be a disappointment, my mentor helped me bounce back and learn from what was otherwise an unpleasant experience!

Throughout our collaboration, I have thanked Dr. Nathan many times for being my mentor. He is quick to reply that mentors benefit from the IPS Mentorship program too! By working with a resident or medical student, mentors can learn with their mentees about changing trends and new treatment options in psychiatry, adding to their own knowledge. 

While I have hunted for a job, my mentor has joked that he is expanding his professional network by working with me! It is true – whether working full–time, part–time, or retired, mentors can stay involved in psychiatry and expand their professional connections. Finally, Dr. Nathan shared that he enjoys paying forward the kindness and goodwill others have shown him by helping his mentees navigate residency and face the many challenges of a newly graduated attending psychiatrist. I look forward to following in Dr. Nathan’s footsteps, continuing with the IPS mentorship program in the future, but as a mentor.

Mentorship is an important, yet informal part of medical and residency education. Advice and guidance are often taught through anecdotes during casual meetings, helping future colleagues navigate new challenges and giving them tools they will share with future colleagues. The IPS Mentorship program honors this timeless tradition of learning and camaraderie in a way that is both effective and fun!