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WOMEN IN
MEDICINE

Pathologist Dr. David Henkes mentors St. Mary’s medical student Bettina Babu as they view slides together.

paving paths for healthcare
Careers through Mentoring

By Carly Friedman, PhD and Lori Boies, PhD

As healthcare professionals know, the path from being an under- Spending time with a health professional in his or her daily rou-
graduate student to practicing in the field of interest is not easy and tine reveals to students what being a healthcare professional truly
the guidance mentors can offer is invaluable. To be successful, stu- entails. Students are often exposed to patient care in a range of dif-
dents need to be confident that they are choosing a career that ferent settings and fields, which can allow them to explore their ca-
matches their strengths and interests. Therefore, they need to be reer options and choose one that is truly best suited for them. Also,
aware of the true nature of healthcare careers, including paperwork, shadowing is the only way for students to experience interactions
running a business, long hours, and patient care. It is also crucial with patients from the healthcare professional’s perspective. This can
that students are personally invested and highly motivated in their instill in students a respect for patient care that serves as motivation
education. Shadowing a health professional can aide students in through the years of schooling.
both of these areas.
St. Mary’s University is committed to ensuring that interested and

20 San Antonio Medicine • October 2016