Mar 3, 2023

Mentorship Matters March 2023: Being a Mentor - What's in it for me?

Culture & Inclusion

(From left to right) Sir William Osler (1849-1919), often described as the Father of Modern Medicine, revolutionized medical education, bringing trainees outside of the lecture halls, and into patient rooms. (Right) Harvey Cushing (1869 – 1939), the pioneer and father of neurosurgery, and the first person to describe Cushing’s Disease.

(From left to right) Sir William Osler often described as the Father of Modern Medicine, revolutionized medical education, bringing trainees outside of the lecture halls, and into patient rooms. (Right) Harvey Cushing (1869 – 1939), the pioneer and father

What is the link between these two famous men? Theirs is the first documented physician mentorship!¹ With similar passion and motivation, each left a unique mark on the future of medicine. Osler laid the foundation for bedside teaching, while Cushing embodied the same fervor in teaching surgical practice. In Cushing’s eulogy of Osler he stated, ‘‘no one can realize the extent to which the man influenced my own life”. Indeed, Cushing wrote a 3-volume biography of Osler for which he was awarded the 1926 Pulitzer Prize.

Just as Sir William Osler shaped the career of Henry Cushing, we too can take pride in developing the next generation of doctors, and our influence on their careers can be a legacy we feed forward to generations to come.

What are some other benefits of mentorship? Check out our new resource.

¹Duffy TP. The Osler-Cushing covenant. Perspect Biol Med. 2005; 48:592–602.