Pediatrics Los Angeles Medical Center - Mentorship

Mentorship

The impact of a good mentor cannot be overstated. This is why our program has instituted a multi-faceted approach to trainee mentorship, ensuring that each resident has a team of experienced teachers available to provide all the support they need. The department prides itself in being full of enthusiastic and caring physicians who are always willing to help residents with their personal development and professional goals, even if they are not assigned to each other formally.

Big & Little Sibs

Incoming interns are paired with senior housestaff in big sib, little sib “families” to give new trainees a venue to ask questions and get personalized advice in a secure and relaxed manner. Each family is a little different, but many meet up periodically throughout the year to catch up and enjoy each other’s company and guidance.

Outpatient Mentors

Residents are paired with a general pediatrician from our outpatient clinic each year and work with their mentors closely to learn core concepts in ambulatory pediatrics. By rotating mentors, learners are exposed to a variety of practice styles and can focus on different aspects of patient care such as communication and efficiency.

Inpatient Mentors

Each resident is assigned an inpatient mentor with whom they meet periodically throughout the three years of training. Mentor involvement is tailored to the trainee’s interest and may involve checking in quarterly or more in-depth guidance through a fellowship application or scholarly project.

Student Mentoring

Residents are also afforded the opportunity to work on their skills as mentors to medical students and sub-interns, both in the inpatient and outpatient setting. Chalk talks, observation of the physical exam and history taking, feedback on medical documentation and patient presentations, and tips and tricks for residency applications are all a daily part of our interactions with students who are fully integrated into every patient care team.