1

Lisa Stevenson
Mentoring Activity
July 25, 2016
The Role Mentoring in Medical Dosimetry
A mentor can be defined as an advisor that allows opportunities for a mentee to gain
responsibility, trust, and gradually increase proficiency in an effort to become independent and
knowledgeable in their field.1 Mentoring is an important part of the training process for many
professional fields. For example, students aspiring to be teachers are required to perform student
teaching under the watchful eye of experienced teachers. Medical doctors are required to
undergo at least 4 years of residency that consists of working closely with seasoned physicians
before being allowed to function independently. Radiation therapy students are required to
complete clinic hours as well as treatment competencies with registered radiation therapists.
Dosimetry is no different. Medical dosimetry is an occupation in which a dosimetrist typically
works independently with minimal supervision and carries a great deal of responsibility for
patient safety and treatment effectiveness. This is not a skill that can be acquired independently
or strictly in a classroom setting. (K Smith, CMD, Oral Communication, July 2015)
The mentor and mentee relationship is a shared responsibility entered into willingly by
both parties. A mentor must choose to make themselves available regularly to the mentee to
answer questions, review their work, provide feedback, and ask questions that provoke critical
thinking for the mentee. (K Smith, CMD, Oral Communication, July 2015) This approach must
also be balanced with freedom and the opportunity for the mentee to experiment with ideas and
follow them through to the end to learn by trial and error. (E Kedroske, CMD, Oral
Communication, July 2015) The mentor must also be patient, experienced in their field, and lead
by example.1
The mentee has the responsibility of actively engaging in their training process and also
displaying good communication skills. A mentee must be open to constructive criticism and
learn to meet the ethical as well as the technical requirements of the field.2 A mentee is
responsible for taking part in setting goals for their educational purposes and then striving to

meet them with the support of their mentor. A mentee must also be open, honest, and transparent
with their work and questions so that the mentor can supply adequate guidance.
I am lucky enough to have two very involved mentors in my facility and they have each
selflessly created the time to contribute to my learning over the last few years. We work in the
same office and are within 5 feet of each other all day so I have constant access to them when I
have a question or need them to critique my treatment plans. My first few months in dosimetry
were more of a job shadowing experience. Rather than working on any plans independently, I
sat at Eric or Kendalls desk and took notes while they planned and provided instruction. After a
period of observation, they began asking me questions to make sure I understood important
planning concepts. The next phase of my training shifted to Eric or Kendall observing me plan
simple cases while I explained my thought process. These plans increased in complexity and
once I had done a number of these cases, I earned my own planning computer. I now plan my
cases independently from start to finish. I ask minimal questions and am expected to try
everything in my knowledge bank to create an optimal plan. Once I finish a plan, one of my
mentors review it with me and either approve it or give me feedback and an opportunity to try
and implement their suggestions.
After interviewing them both for this paper, I was surprised to see how closely they had
tailored my OTJ learning experience to their own journeys. Both were therapists who were taken
on by a seasoned dosimetrist who worked closely with them to teach them planning and then
slowly shifted more responsibility onto them as they displayed increasing levels of proficiency.
After gaining independence as competent dosimetrists, they both still keep in contact with their
mentors which have become valued peers. This continued communication speaks to the
relationship that can be built through effective mentoring.
During my years as a therapist, I had the opportunity to mentor many students as well as
new therapists who were still learning and also trying to adapt to a new center. Although it took
more time out of my day and added the responsibility of double checking someone elses work
constantly, it was very rewarding. I was very happy to be able to give back to my field and teach
new students in the same way others had taken time to help me develop. This is a cycle that has
gone on for many years and is essential to continue to produce adequately trained medical
professionals.

3
References:
1. 1. Lenards N. Mentoring. [SoftChalk]. LaCrosse, WI: UW-L Medical Dosimetry
Program; 2015.
2. Heart, W. Seven Ways To Be An Effective Mentor. Forbes. Retrieved from:
http://www.forbes.com/2010/06/30/mentor-coach-executive-training-leadershipmanaging-ccl.html Accessed July 30, 2015

Appendix A
Lisa Stevenson
Mentoring Interview with Eric Kedroske (Transcript)
July 29, 2015
Q. What is your definition of a mentor? How does this differ from a teacher?
A. A teacher, especially in the college level, explains a concept to a student but doesnt have a
relationship with the student beyond the class. A mentor is someone with experience in an area
that spends time with their pupil to build a relationship, increase their knowledge, and shape their
thought processes. A mentor in dosimetry should teach their student about the workplace, the
field in general, current techniques of doing things, and also past experiences and techniques.
Q. What skills does a good mentor possess?
A. A mentor must have experience and knowledge of their field. They must be patient and give
their student time to try new things that maybe they already know wont work out so that the
student can see the end result. Live and learn. A mentor must also have a good relationship and
be available to the student on a regular basis.
Q. Did you have mentors that shaped you into who you are today?
A. Yes, there was a dosimetrist named John at the site I did my OTJ. I knew him already
because I was a therapist there and had a desire to learn dosimetry. John agreed to teach me how
to plan and let me help him with many plans until he finally allowed me to try some on my own.
He was always available to check my work or answer questions. We are still close today, 20
years later, and often call each other to compare notes on new equipment or techniques.
Q. How important is a mentor in the dosimetry field?
A. Essential. This field is very vast and there is more than one right way to do most plans so
hearing alternative points of view and what has worked for others in the past is very helpful. Also
every facility you go to is different and has a different flow so having someone take you under
their wing while you learn a new environment really helps the transition.

APPENDIX B
Lisa Stevenson
Mentoring Interview with Kendall Smith (Transcript)
July 29, 2015
Q. What is your definition of a mentor? How does it differ from a teacher?
A. A mentor is an expert in their field and has or does currently work in the field. A teacher
knows a lot about one subject but may not have an overall understanding of the field as a whole.
Also a mentor spends more time with you than a teacher and has more impact on the dosimetrist
you become. A mentor helps their student think outside the box and increases their students
understanding by sharing their experience.
Q. What skills do good mentors possess?
A. A good mentor must be able to be objective and constructive when evaluating a students
work. They must have the expertise to ask their student the right questions to help their student
think through a problem on their own without just giving them answers. A mentor must also
willingly be open to sharing their time with the student and follow up on questions later to ensure
the student was able to work through the issue.
Q. Did you have mentors that shaped you into who you are today?
A. Eric was my mentor. He let me come into dosimetry when I was a therapist wanting to break
into the field and allowed me to practice dummy cases on the planning computer. He would
check my work when I was done and offer constructive ways to improve them. Once a
dosimetry position opened and I was selected to do OTJ, Eric and I already had a pretty good
relationship and so the process continued. After I gained a good foundation, I found my own
ways of doing things and now we bounce ideas off of each other on tough cases.
Q. How important is it to have a mentor in the dosimetry field?
A. I think having a mentor will make or break your chances of becoming a good dosimetrist.
You can take classes, but planning experience with someone who knows what they are doing

cant be taught in one classroom. Also it takes a long time to become a dosimetrist who is fully
capable of planning on their own.