Mentoring and support
2022 Mentoring Program
The Flinders NT Regional Training Hub is seeking expressions of interest from Darwin based medical clinicians from all levels of post graduate experience, to join our 2022 pilot mentoring program as a mentor, mentee, or both.
The content of the program was co-developed with local practitioners and the Pam McLean Centre, a leader in clinical communication skills training. It encourages an informal, flexible approach featuring professional development workshops in combination with more traditional mentoring networking opportunities where participants can learn from each other and create mutually beneficial organic relationships.
The benefits for all participants will include:
- content that is focused on the needs of NT clinicians and of our unique geographical and population context
- creation of social and professional networks
- encouragement of self-driven learning, facilitation of broad transfer of knowledge, and the delivery of relevant and timely skill development
- opportunities to attend professional development workshops focussing on advanced communication skills, leadership, change management, resilience, and goal setting
- assistance with career pathway planning
- knowing how to approach and to get the most out of a mentoring relationship
- an increase of self-confidence and self-awareness within professional relationships
Mentors will:
- build upon their current leadership skills
- learn skills relevant to the fostering of mentoring relationships and the creation of safe learning spaces
- cultivate self-satisfaction obtained from contributing to the progression and wellbeing of others
- have an opportunity to self-reflect, share skills and experiences
- have the ability to share their knowledge in structured and unstructured environments
- have an avenue to share their passions
- have an opportunity to examine what type of legacy that they would like to leave
Relationship roles that will be explored and fostered throughout the program will include those of:
- mentorship
- guide/preceptor
- collaborator
- role model
Participants will have priority access to 6 professional development workshops, mentoring resources and an online community. The online community of practice will provide a forum for participants to share experiences, resources, or approaches utilised, and to seek advice on any challenges or successes that they are having within their mentoring relationships.
Please note that it is expected for participants to attend the first session (or to view a post session recording) prior to attending any further workshops. For you to get the most out of the program, it is expected that you attend all the sessions, but we understand that there can be exceptional circumstances that may prevent you from doing so. Each workshop will run from 4.30pm until 8.30pm at the Flinders University Royal Darwin Hospital Campus, with catering provided.
The workshops offered will include:
- Introduction to the workshop and overview of program
- Getting to know the group
- Information and activities around mentoring
- Mentor, mentee roles
- When do we need/desire mentors?
- Reflections on mentor/mentee experiences
- How will your personal and professional experiences influence mentoring relationships?
- Preparing for mentoring
- Building the relationship
- Mentoring contracts or agreements
- Goals setting
- Facilitated by Timmy Duggan from the AILC-Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre
- Focus on mentoring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- This comprehensive program is designed for Indigenous Australians and non-Indigenous people who wish to further develop leadership knowledge, skills and networks
- It is also suitable for non-Indigenous Australians who wish to work more effectively with Indigenous people within the workplace and/or Indigenous communities.
- This unique program uses a practical approach to the complexities of mentoring in a cross-cultural context.
o What is diversity mentoring?
o How is cultural diversity included in the mentoring process?
o What are the ethical considerations?
o How do we develop successful diversity mentoring relationships?
- This course is delivered using a three-tiered approach:
o Technical overview of the topic and related research
o Practical application of principles in the review of case studies, examples from participants and interactive activities
o Reflection and analysis
- Exploration of different relationships-i.e., supervising, managing, coaching, mentoring, teaching, collaborator, guide/preceptor, role models
- Issues that can arise within these roles and how to deal with them
- Potential content (to be finalised) on how to:
o negotiate goals,
o understanding the difference between the relationships,
o role confusion (i.e., educational supervisor/assessor/examiner/line manager as mentor)
o extending relationships
o ending a relationships
o mentor bias
o lack of active listening
o confidentiality
- Designed to ensure best cultural fit and drawing on local expertise
- Delivered by the Pam McLean Centre
- This advanced workshop will address common and challenging communication skill scenarios that are encountered in doctor-patient interactions. You will put theory into practice and will be given the skills to negotiate various situations including:
o Patient Breaking Bad News
o Collegiate conflict and management
- Written and directed by playwright, David Williams and performed by the Pam McLean Centre
- Based on hours of in-depth interviews with doctors and nurses about their experiences of training and working in hospitals, Grace Under Pressure is a surprising, intimate, and deeply moving theatre experience that reveals these hidden stories of health professionals in their own words.
- Ranging from darkly funny to utterly heartbreaking, the stories within Grace Under Pressure will leave no audience member unaffected. Beautifully staged and disarmingly performed, Grace Under Pressure is a truly unique theatre experience.
Includes a creative narrative workshop.
For more information on the mentoring program, please email fnt.rth@flinders.edu.au or complete your expression of interest form below:
Mentoring Resources
Flinders University Student Health and Wellness — Self Health Library
- Useful referrals
- Online (cognitive behavioural therapy programs)
- Digital resources for your mental health
- Helpful services in the community
- Phone and chat services
- Finding good mobile apps
Doctors Health NT
Support and resources available to doctors in the Northern Territory.
Mental Health Guide — When the cowpat hits the windmill
National Rural Health Student Network.
Flinders University Student Health and Wellness — Self Health Library
- An introduction to mental fitness
- Put Off Procrastinating Workbook
- Brief self-compassion guide
- Self-care Mega Guide: Self-care is anything you do to look after your mental, physical, social, spiritual, or environmental health.
- How to prepare yourself psychologically for work
- Evidence-based study and exam preparation
- Which areas of my life could I work on?
- Be your own counsellor
- Public speaking anxiety
- Personal rules and beliefs
- Building new habits
- A guide to self-improvement
Flinders University Student Health and Wellness — Self Health Library
- Yoga mega guide
- Yoga for calm
- Yoga to energise
- Yoga for restful sleep
Flinders University Student Health and Wellness — Self Health Library
- My coping plan: a guide written by you, for your future self, to let you know what to do if times get tough.
- Self-care during difficult times: Difficult times will happen to all of us. Loss, illness, crises. When they do, it is important to try to keep basic self-care in place, so you have the energy and focus necessary to make it through. In this document, our counsellors highlight a range of important self-care activities to consider in the middle of difficult times.
Choosing a speciality — Auckland Health Board
Which medical specialty would suit you? — The Medic Portal
How to choose a medical speciality — The Student Doctor Network
Red Door Counselling and Consultancy
Independent counselling, coaching, and mentoring. Support for Interns, Junior Doctors, and International Medical Graduates.
Contact: Amanda Cawthorne-Crosby.
Introduction to Diversity Mentoring
This course is designed for Indigenous Australians and non-Indigenous Australians who wish to further develop leadership knowledge, skills, and networks; and non-Indigenous Australians who wish to work effectively with Indigenous people in the workplace and/or Indigenous communities.
Topics covered:
- What is diversity mentoring?
- How is cultural diversity included in the mentoring process?
- What are the ethical considerations?
- How do we develop successful diversity mentoring relationships?
LINKS Mentoring Program: Rural and Remote Health Professionals
CRANAplus LINKS Mentoring program offers rural and remote health professionals an opportunity of mutually rich learning and development beneficial for both the mentee and mentors.
LINKS program is voluntary for individuals to register as either a mentee and mentor. LINKS is a structured program with an online module and mentoring contract agreement. In addition, it is flexible and accommodates individuals’ specific learning needs in a supportive and nurturing manner.
The LINKS program is aimed at:
- Students from all health disciplines
- Recently qualified health professionals
- Health professionals who are new to rural and remote workforce
- Experienced health professionals who wish to mentor.
The Medical Education Unit at the Central Australian Health Service delivers a mentoring program for Interns. Please contact the Medical Education Unit for further information.
There is no current formal mentoring program within the Top End Health Service. Please contact the Flinders NT Regional Training Hub or the Medical Education Unit for Departmental specific contacts.
A range of TED talks on how to be a good mentor
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
Insala - Top 10 Tips For Being a Good Mentee
TED: Are you mentorable?
A field guide for post-docs: How to be a good MENTOR and MENTEE
Bursaries and sponsorships
The Flinders NT Regional Training Hub (FNT RTH) as a part of its mentoring program, offers a limited number of sponsorships for NTMP students, NT Medical Interns and Pre-Vocational Doctors interested in general practice and medical specialist careers to attend specialist college conferences, scientific meetings and activities that enhance their training and workforce opportunities to live and train within the NT.
The Flinders NT Regional Training Hub Rural and Remote Incentive Bursary Expression of Interest (EOI) is now open until close of business on November 20th, 2022. Please read the 2023 Bursary Scheme Guidelines and complete either the Internship and Pre-vocational EOI or the Medical Student EOI.
Other organisations current bursary and funding opportunities:
Contact us to find out more about our program or to arrange a mentoring session.
Sturt Rd, Bedford Park
South Australia 5042
South Australia | Northern Territory
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CRICOS Provider: 00114A TEQSA Provider ID: PRV12097 TEQSA category: Australian University