I’ve just been to see a health practitioner for an annual check up. My practitioner has cared for our family for over 15 years now and so knows us well. One of my adult children is studying to become a practitioner in this field.
Our practitioner generously offers work experience to my son whenever he is at home on university holidays. Not only is he able to observe her work, once patient consent has been granted, but she challenges him with questions, ideas and theories during the consultation. He has an excellent knowledge of a range of specialist products used in this field and she draws on this to assist in her treatment plans.
As a self employed business owner time is money so there is a business cost to her in having a student sit in. There is also a personal cost to her in terms of her having to think about involving and challenging him while at the same time providing a professional service as a qualified specialist to her patients.
It is a fine example of mentoring and one that will benefit both the field they have chosen to work in but more especially my son’s future and the people he treats. Her generosity will not hit the media headlines and her mentoring may not be seen as anything more than what “should” happen in health professions. So it could be deemed ordinary practice but the goodness is far reaching.
ordinarygoodness 