Things I Wish I Had Known: Mentoring Tips

• General
• For medical students
• For residents
• For young physicians entering practice
• Add your mentoring tip

General

“I wish I had known … that my success would depend on life-long learning and self improvement.”
Charles Cutler, MD
Internist, Norristown, Pa.
Pennsylvania Medical Society member since 1979

“The difference between the excellent and average physician is the extent to which they pay meticulous attention to detail. Everything needs to fit, any aberration needs to be explained.”
Ralph Schmeltz, MD
Endocrinologist, Washington, Pa.
Pennsylvania Medical Society member since 1973

“Assume nothing!”
Ralph Schmeltz, MD
Endocrinologist, Washington, Pa.
Pennsylvania Medical Society member since 1973

“I wish I had known from the beginning that political and legislative advocacy is essential to the practice of medicine.”
Marilyn Heine, MD
Oncologist/Emergency Medicine Specialist, Langhorne, Pa.
Pennsylvania Medical Society member since 1989

For medical students

“Study habits from college won't work now; it's a massive volume of data, you need to keep up with daily study. Grades don't matter too much unless you want to get into very competitive specialties for residency (orthopedic surgery, ophthalmology, ENT; the list keeps changing) and for them, Board scores are the most important.
Beginning the clinical years (usually start of third year of medical school)—you have to speak up; none of your faculty or residents will have a clue about how much you know unless you talk. Take advantage of the opportunity to learn from those who are caring for patients and who really want to teach (or else they wouldn't be at a teaching hospital).”
Kenneth Certa, MD
Psychiatrist, Philadelphia, Pa.
Pennsylvania Medical Society member since 1985

"Although the knowledge I gained in four years of medical college is significant, I wish I knew more on how insurance products often play a huge role in the delivery of health care."
Scott Shapiro, MD
Cardiologist, Abington, Pa.
2008-09 President - Montgomery County Medical Society
Pennsylvania Medical Society member since 1997

“If you haven't seen it, touched it, smelled it, or tasted it, it doen't exist.”
Ralph Schmeltz, MD
Endocrinologist, Washington, Pa.
Pennsylvania Medical Society member since 1973

For residents

“Don't be a hero, taking on more responsibility than you are ready for. All of your supervisors are there for a reason, and really, really don't mind being called to answer your questions. They really, really mind if they are not called and you make a mistake that hurts someone.”
Kenneth Certa, MD
Psychiatrist, Philadelphia, Pa.
Pennsylvania Medical Society member since 1985

“Having had a mother who worked in a physician's office I had a pretty good idea about medical. However I was poorly prepared for internship—long hours, stress and little support from staff—we were bodies to do work. Residency is a better experience—a learning one.”
Richard Baltz, MD
Pediatrician, Camp Hill, Pa.
Pennsylvania Medical Society member since 1965

“Uncommon manisfestations of common diseases are more common than common manifestations of uncommon diseases.”
Ralph Schmeltz, MD
Endocrinologist, Washington, Pa.
Pennsylvania Medical Society member since 1973

“Some residency survival tips …

1. Know everything about your patients—read up on one topic per day.
2. Place a nametag on your stethoscope.
3. Save time by photocopying your admission notes.
4. Update your personal procedure log after each new procedure; this is often important for certification and credentialing, and can be hard to recall down the road.
5. Try to see new admissions in the ER.
6. Eat and sleep when you can; make time to exercise daily.
7. Dictate discharge summaries at the time of discharge.
8. Research clinical information quickly by accessing JAMA and Archives specialty journals—free online to AMA members.
9. Smile and introduce yourself.
10. Prepare an on-call bag; include an extra pair of scrubs, deodorant and a snack.”

Marilyn Heine, MD
Oncologist/Emergency Medicine Specialist, Langhorne, Pa.
Pennsylvania Medical Society member since 1989

For young physicians entering practice

“I wish I knew more about the billing, coding and necessary documentation for billing compliance that goes into successfully submitting a claim for care provided to a patient.”
Scott Shapiro, MD
Cardiologist, Abington, Pa.
2008-09 President - Montgomery County Medical Society
Pennsylvania Medical Society member since 1997

“Your work is worth something, don't be afraid to expect and ask for payment.”
Kenneth Certa, MD
Psychiatrist, Philadelphia, Pa.
Pennsylvania Medical Society member since 1985

“Starting practice I had the advantage of a department chair who liked to have an informal sit down with his senior residents. He went through some basic principles of practice such as ability, affability, and accessibility. He would also hit on some unique financial issues about practice. He also encouraged us to be confident in our decision making. This also left the door open for curbstone consults when we out on our own.”
Peter Lund, MD
Urologist, Erie, Pa.
2007-’08 President, Pennsylvania Medical Society
Pennsylvania Medical Society member since 1988

“If it's not documented, it wasn't done.”
Ralph Schmeltz, MD
Endocrinologist, Washington, Pa.
Pennsylvania Medical Society member since 1973

“Time taken from family and personal pursuits of various kinds cannot be replaced, and at the end of the day, too often is recognized as simply lost.”
A. Loren Amacher, MD
Neurological Surgeon, Lewisburg, Pa.
Pennsylvania Medical Society member since 1987

Add your mentoring tip

Have a mentoring tip? Send an email to stat@pamedsoc.org and we'll add it to this page.