Guest Editorial: To Mentor or Not to Mentor—That Is the Question

A while back I was presenting at an EMS conference and overheard an interesting conversation in the hotel bar. The conversation was occurring at a table that was less than a foot from me, and it was a bit loud and alcohol-infused.

It centered around the primary complainer’s department wanting senior and midlevel administrative personnel to participate in a new mentoring program. I was shocked to hear the five people at the table all agree that mentoring was a “pain in the ass” and they didn’t get paid enough to “waste time babysitting wannabes and morons.” 

This got me thinking about the mentors I’ve had over my 45-year career. I realized I have had several highly effective mentors, but I have also had at least one who was a brutal lesson in what not to become. 

The overheard bar conversation made me realize the decision to be a mentor cannot be mandated and, if accepted, cannot be taken lightly. It also got me questioning whether I was doing enough to pay forward the mentoring I have received during my career.

With the desire to increase that payment forward and honor the mentors who helped me, I posted an invitation on LinkedIn to open a conversation with any EMS provider who was working on improving their career and would like to talk with someone who has fought similar battles, succeeded on many levels, and failed on a few, while surviving and growing from the experience. 

I received several inquiries and have had (and continue to have) some deep and rewarding conversations with a variety of paramedical professionals who are striving to improve their careers and goal achievement. I thank them for the opportunity to be a small part of their professional development.

With this very positive experience on my mind, I would like to encourage my seasoned paramedical colleagues to seek out the opportunity to mentor an up-and-comer or newbie. I promise the experience will be interesting, invigorating, and quite possibly enlightening.

Why should you want to be a mentor? Well, have you ever heard yourself say, “When I am in charge, things will be different,” or “I won’t make the same mistakes as he did,” or “Damn, if I were the king of EMS…”? I know you have! 

You have grown as a professional (maybe with the help of a mentor) and are endeavoring to do the right thing for your EMS system and our profession. As a mentor you will have the opportunity to help educate, support, and grow the next generation of paramedical professionals. Even more important, you can support a positive succession process for your EMS system and maybe the paramedical profession as a whole.

No pressure! Just the truth! You have the knowledge and experience to be a mentor, but will you step up and take the responsibility? It’s your decision. To paraphrase Morpheus, “Will it be the red pill or the blue pill?”

John Todaro, BA, NRP, RN, TNS, NCEE, CHSE, CHSOS, is the director/principal consultant at Eagle Emergency Education Consultants in Land o’ Lakes, Fla. He is a member of the EMS World editorial advisory board.