Looking for mentor replacement therapy? A coach may be the answer

Abstract

How can women physicians address the needs of those they serve until they meet their own needs for balance and fulfillment in their lives and careers? They can't, but there are sources of help. Women physicians can learn from consultants whose professional expertise can help them devise master plans to attain equilibrium, competence, and influence, and they can speak with other women physicians who share similar experiences and have succeeded in attaining stability, proficiency, and authority in their own lives. Career development coach and faculty career and diversity consultant Janet Bickel writes that seasoned professionals offer assistance in planning for productive careers that combine personal and professional goals. To find a coach, ask colleagues about their experiences and for recommendations. When selecting a coach, inquire about their training and credentials; ask for a free consultation and for references. Interview at least three coaches before making a selection. A coach with a similar background may provide the most comfortable working relationship. Ms. Bickel offers suggestions and programs to consider when seeking a career coach. Physicians Julia Files and Janis Blair address the multiple responsibilities of motherhood and medicine. Their experiences and tips from colleagues demonstrate that women in search of harmony benefit from others' knowledge and wise advice. Talking with colleagues lessens the feeling of isolation; all mothers who aspire to be the best at medicine and motherhood worry that achieving a healthy balance may be impossible. Drs. Files and Blair share strategies that worked for them and their colleagues at the Mayo Clinic.