Mentorship: Be Awesome at Being You

A Letter To New Physiotherapists

Within every profession there exist certain elements that can disrupt our job satisfaction and growth. Whether its the culture, management, schedule, compensation or the commute there will always be something that isn’t one hundred percent perfect. Now, if you won the job lottery and everything is exactly how you want it - LFG. Keep the good times rolling. The hard work, perseverance and dedication to your craft has finally paid off. Being able to show up to work in the morning with a big smile on your face and it still being there when your head hits the pillow at night is a magical feeling. Unfortunately, for the new physiotherapists who are starting their careers, feelings of awesomeness can be somewhat elusive. This is totally normal.

Beginning your career as a physiotherapist is no different than mastering any other skill. There is no secret strategy, no fancy formula or glamorous gimmick. Your growth will consist of deliberate practice, goal setting, a lot of self-reflection and embracing who you are as a person.  You will experience moments of elation because you crushed a diagnosis, helped someone through a treatment plan or simply made a meaningful connection. There will also be moments of frustration, self-doubt, questioning therapeutic decisions and even if you made the right career choice. Again, but a little bit louder for those in the back: this is one-hundred percent okay. 

I want to be crystal clear: embracing who you are as a person and moulding your identity as a physiotherapist through yourself is your biggest strength. This allows you to stay true to yourself and values without the creation of a complete new identity. Additionally, an easy trap to fall into is the desire to behave similarly to successful people. How we each express kindness, compassion and empathy is curated by ourselves over years and is unique to who we are. These simple traits are integral to being a great physiotherapist, but can be manifested in so many different ways. So, what you can do is take the little bits of awesome you learn from mentors to create a foundation for skill mastery and growth. 

Which leads to our last talking point: mentorship. Clinical mentorship and specifically in-house mentorship should be an integral determinant of your job search. There is no course or program available that provides greater professional value and growth than personal mentorship and leadership. Your mentor should empower you and be a cheerleader for your success in addition to providing awesome clinical knowledge and practice advice. Furthermore, an awesome mentor will help you block out the noise and not require taking expensive courses (I mean you just paid for school). And honestly? The physiotherapy profession has some pretty awesome people out there who are crushing the game right now for the right reasons. 

The next few months will likely be a whirlwind as you begin to establish your clinical practice. The positive and negative emotions that you will experience are all valid and it’s important than you fully embrace them. The important thing is that you have a support system in place to help guide you through these experiences. Being a physiotherapist is a heck of a rewarding career with a little determination, practice, guidance and a lot of self love.