Importance of a Good Mentor

When selecting jobs, volunteer work, research, clinical shadowing, or any professional activity for the matter, remember that a good mentor means more than prestige or pay. As a young person trying to learn the ways of any profession, we have much to learn from the wisdom of an person already established in that field.


After graduating from college in June, I had three job offers.

1. Western Blot Queen at a small biotech company. PROS: High pay. Close to home. Young, fun, coworkers. CONS: Repetitive benchwork. Boring suburban location.
   
   
   
2. Research assistant for a stroke program. PROS: Patient contact (morning rounds with neurologists). Working here shows continuity and commitment because I had already been volunteering with another branch of the research team. Very respected principle investigator (PI). CONS: Waking up at the butt crack of dawn, long-ish hours, low low pay.
   
   
   
3. Research assistant for a smoking cessation program. PROS: Work directly under a what seemed to be a "fatherly" PI. Learn PET scanning. Good hours. CONS: Less patient contact. Lots of sitting on my ass computer work. Isolating.
   

After losing a night of sleep over this, I went with Job #3. Starting with the interview, Dr. Kiley (name changed) sat me down personally and asked me about my academic and career interests. He also talked extensively about job duties and even requested references. His thoroughness and the personal attention he gave me from day 1 impressed me very positively. I've been working there for half a year now. I know without doubt that I've made the correct choice. I learned a lot and had a lot of support that would help me in my future career.

Three months into my employment here, I finished the last part of a long standing project that was the subject of a manuscript under review. Dr. Kiley volunteered to add me as a co-author. He even added as a co-author a graduate student who charged an outrageous rate for consultant work. His generosity amazed me. Some students don't get published after years of slaving away in research labs. Here I am, with my first publication after 6 months.

Today, when I told him I got an interview to UCLA (where he is an assistant professor), he began to tell me of previous experiences he has had with the admissions office, previous research assistants who have interviewed there, and how he tried to help them out. He also offered to call in for me or write on my behalf.

In between I've worked with PET and MRI scans, statistical analyses, IRB paperwork, and grant applications. Dr. Kiley has guided me, a person with no previous experiences to produce final products that I am proud of. I came of out this experience more organized, more articulate, and more confident in my abilities.