What is a Physical Therapy Mentor?

Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.
~John Crosby

A sports physical therapy mentor is a trusted advisor you turn to for help and guidance. Different types of mentors serve different needs; this makes sense . . . after all, you wouldn’t ask a business expert for help with your continuing education options or turn to a pediatric PT for guidance on your choice of residency.

The goal of hiring a sports physical therapy mentor is to benefit from their expertise. A mentor can help with personal and professional development, career choices, and can act as a sounding board as you talk through your ideas.

Good physical therapy mentors guide the conversation, helping you to arrive at insights on your own instead of just telling you what to do. They should also listen to what you’re saying and provide timely, relevant feedback.

Specific things you might discuss with a mentor include:

• Continuing education courses
• Patient questions
• Steps to specialize (or sub-specialize)
• Establish practice and learning patterns
• Case study reviews
• Networking opportunities
• Salary negotiation and strategy
• Interview tips
• Goal setting and planning
• New business opportunities (e.g., start a private practice)
• How to teach a course or deliver a lecture

This is your opportunity to learn from someone who has “been there,” someone who has made mistakes (and learned from them), someone who has had a broad range of experiences, someone who has had multiple mentors, someone who likes to teach. Being open to the direction and guidance a mentor provides is very important . . . so choose your mentor wisely.