Thread by @medicalaxioms

How to mentor medical students and residents who are POC even if you are just a plain old white person.

A tweeorial. 1/a bunch

About 10 years ago, someone at the med school reached out to me and asked if I would help mentor a resident who was having trouble. I said sure. 2/

I had had this resident on my service and they had said I seemed helpful and they could work with me. 3/

So I did what I always do in this situation. Met him at a Starbucks, shared my life story in 3 minutes. Listened to his story for 3 minutes. Explained how I was here to help. Let him decide if he wanted my help. Exchanged numbers. 4/

After a few days I texted him and said, “what do you think?” He said, “ok.” 5/

I tried to check in about once a week. We met up about once a month. We talked about what was wrong. Who was giving him a hard time. He told me stories about attendings dismissing him, talking to him and and other resident about “your people.” 6/

He told me about all number of micro and macro aggressions. We got to know each other better. We were cut from the same cloth in general. Both had been bullied as kids. Both learned to fight and defend ourselves. 7/

Now at this point I want to pause a moment to explain something. I am just a boring old white guy. I have zero special credentials to mentor medical learners from underrepresented minorities. I’ve never take a class. I’m no expert.

I just started with willingness. 8/

I learned A TON from this resident. I learned how differently the medical education system looks and works for POC than for plain old white people like me.

I was supposed to mentor him. He mentored me too. He would point out by biases. My racist views. My hurtful language. 9/

Over time, I let him choose where we would meet up. We moved from Starbucks to the bowling alley. Then a billiards hall. Turns out we have both misspent our childhoods playing pool, in different places. He only won about half the games. 10/

I taught him stuff that my parents taught me. How to get what you want. What are the unspoken rules of white culture. How to get what you want without giving up who you are. How white folks disagree with each other. 11/

At the beginning, I didn’t know how I could be of any use. I had no experience helping a person of color navigate medical education.

Turns out willingness, humility, and curiosity can go a long way. Everybody starts as a novice. It’s scary to be a beginner. 12/

I learned more as time went on. Like their aren’t enough BIPOC faculty to mentor all the BIPOC medical learners. The ones that are out there are often way over-burdened because everyone says “oh you’re Black will you mentor this Black medical student?” 13/

I also learned that in our society, it’s good to have a white friend.

When it was time to look for jobs, this resident asked me if I knew people here and there. I knew people all over from connections from childhood, college, medical school, residency, practice. 14/

Connections are super handy. They are hard to come by when you are the first person in your family to go in to medicine. 15/

He needed letter of recommendation, connections, guidance. I had zero common experience as a POC in a racist country, but I had those things. So I gave those. 16/

The result was good. He is off on his career and doing well. So back at the school, somebody else said, “Oh we heard you are good at mentoring minority medical students. We have someone who is looking for some help. Are you available?”

So I did it again. 17/

At some point, I stopped waiting for the call. I realized I could take over the process from my own teams. I began to apply my skills I was learning to the residents that I worked with. 18/

I’ve learned you can’t be afraid to get lost. Make mistakes. Learn and grow. Be a beginner.

You can be really helpful. It can be very therapeutic to let a person tell a white person the story of the injustice they have felt at the hands of white people. 19/

My recipe is simple.

- reach out
- be curious about the life story
- connect
- offer assistance
- don’t push
- let mentorship and connection flourish
- put your connections to use
- go as far as you are asked and a little bit more 20/

It’s hard to be an expert—a doctor who has done all the educationa and training—and start over as a complete newcomer and novice.

You’ll be alright though. You are only a hapless newbie the first time. 21/

Everybody is different. I can’t say I was the best mentor to these people I have helped through the years. I wasn’t the only one. I usually direct people to build mentor-like relationships with at least a couple of people. Each playing a different role. 22/

I can say I’ve been told I helped. Tangible, real help.

I have plain old white friends who have not done this kind of mentorship. Usually they were
- afraid of doing it wrong
- afraid of being a beginner
- assumed they had nothing to offer
- assumed they didn’t belong 23/

I tell them, don’t be afraid. Step on in. Be ready to make mistakes. Lead with the heart. Adjust as you go. 24/

The most common things I hear when I reach out are:
- Why are you taking to me?
- Why are you taking an interest?
- who told you to do this?
- No plain old white attendings ever asked about my experience of racism in education and training.

That’s kinda sad. 😔😔😔
25/

So, plain old White people like me, you can help. Beyond taking a knee and vowing to “crush racism.”

You can take that general radar of mentorship you use to scan learners for protégés and turn it towards the students and residents who are (POC, BIPOC, Black, minority, etc) 26/

Prepare yourself for rejection. You will get turned down. People will question your motives. It’s okay. Try again. 27/

You’ll find your position, connections, and understanding of the inner workings of the system can really help someone who is (or at least feels like they are) coming into it as an outsider. 28/

You are going to burn time. Emotional energy. Confidence. Real stuff that has real value.

Why would you do it?

Because it’s worth it. 29/