Finding The Right PT Mentor 

Was it just me or do we all experience the cutthroat competition around us when we graduate? Everybody around us appears so ambitious, so competitive to have the most successful career. While there is nothing wrong with wanting a successful career, the rat race for the next best thing can create a haze. Everything may feel confusing from choosing courses after physiotherapy to deciding where to go for higher education abroad. So in this article today we will be talking about finding the right PT mentor who will guide you in a seemingly confusing professional journey. 

Why do you need a PT mentor?

Many of us don’t really put a lot of thought into finding mentors. Most of us choose our mentors by default. They are either our seniors, professors, or early employers. This was definitely true for me. When I started, I looked up to my first employer. To be honest I learned a lot from him. From PT skills to business skills. 

The point I am trying to make is that consciously or subconsciously we choose our role models. That is okay if you are happy with the progress you are making and where you are in your professional life. However, if you want to push through your limitations, learn specialized skills and achieve stupendous professional and personal growth, you may need to find a mentor yourself. 

What is a mentor?

A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.

~ Oprah Winfrey

A mentor is a person with advanced knowledge whom you may choose to teach and inspire you, either in your personal life, your career, or both. When I speak about a PT mentor, he/ she can be any person you wish to learn from. What you want from your mentor can vary from clinical skills, soft skills, non-clinical skills, or career guidance. So any person you wish to learn a specific skill from can become your mentor, that is of course when both parties agree!

The first step

The first step to finding a PT mentor is to figure out what you need assistance with. At this point, you might have just a couple of things pop into your head. However, for some of you, it can be more than that. Either way, start writing down what comes to your head. Writing it down brings more clarity. 

Some of the things I needed guidance in the past are learning a particular treatment technique, starting a blog, and building systems for productivity ( Well, I still struggle with this one, lol). I remember clearly when I just graduated I was confused about what to do next in my career. Surely I could have benefited hugely if I had someone to guide me in figuring out what to do next in my physiotherapy career. 

What to look for in a PT mentor?

Expertise/ Niche 

When you want help with a specific topic you need someone who specializes in that. Remember the master of everything is an expert of none! You want an expert who stands out from all other fields. For example, students are willing to pay substantial money to McKenzie Institute International or the Neurodevelopmental treatment association because of their expertise in the niche topic.  

Finding an expert with a specific niche is crucial to obtaining the highest quality experience. Another example is PT Career Paths, the website you are using to read this article right now. My niche is a Physiotherapy Career. I invest my time in learning about and figuring out various career paths for physiotherapists. That is 100% the focus of  PT Career Paths. You will never find me spending time speaking here about different treatment techniques or biomechanics. 

The questions you need to ask yourself when finding a mentor are: Do you look up to this person? Does their work speak about their expertise? Do you think they will be able to teach you what you need to learn? 

Trust

The mentor is not someone who walks ahead of you to show how they did it. The mentor walks alongside you to show you what you can do. A mentor is someone who provides value and helps to bring change in the areas of your life where you need more support. In order for someone to help you achieve that transformation, trust needs to be established. 

I think trust is the biggest factor you need to consider. Is your mentor trustworthy? If you are always doubting your mentor, you will not be able to learn from them. Even if they have the most wonderful things to teach, if you don’t trust them, things are not going to work. 

Some of the trustworthy traits in a mentor are owning their truth, admitting they do not have all the answers, and accepting mistakes. I believe striving to be human is a lot more important than striving to be perfect. When you strive to be human, you allow yourself to be a work in progress. 

Strong network

Not all mentors are older than you. You may want to consider how strong their network is despite their age and expertise. A good mentor has spent years developing relationships with people. You can benefit from their network in ways you haven’t thought possible. That way you get to expand your network and build relationships. 

However, this is not one-sided. The good rule of thumb is that when it comes to networking or any other relationships in life, think about what you can give before you think about what you can take. 

Summary

So to summarize, you may need a mentor if you want to elevate yourself professionally and/or personally. Before you start looking for a mentor, figure out what it is that you need help with. Once you have that figured out, look for people who are experts in that niche, who are trustworthy, and who value relationships.