What tools can I use to ensure good communication with my mentor(s) and preceptors throughout the year?

Yodit Teklu, Pharm.D.

PGY1 Pharmacy Resident

UC San Diego Health

San Diego, California

The key to any successful relationship, whether personal (i.e., with friends, spouse, children, etc.) or professional (i.e., with coworkers, supervisor, etc.), is effective communication. This concept is also true for the relationships you will have with your mentor(s) and preceptors throughout your residency year. It is very important to set shared goals for effective communication at the start of your training year. After orientation, even though your entire schedule may not be finalized for the year, you should know who your adviser/mentor is, as well as any longitudinal experience preceptors. Now is the time to determine optimal ways for communicating with each other for the course of the year.

First, determine how you and your preceptors will communicate most effectively throughout the year. Different communication methods or mediums include, but are not limited to, e-mail, text, instant messages, and telephone. Even though these methods will continue to expand, given human expectations for instant communication in every aspect of life, do not forget the art of face-to-face communication. Specifically, when you have a delicate matter to discuss (i.e., conflict, frustration, etc.), it is always best to discuss the matter face to face. Be sure your preceptors are aware of the potential gravity of the matter so that they can accommodate you with both their time and their attention. Make sure you do the same if the roles are reversed. Considering the current COVID-19 pandemic, face-to-face communication may not need to be (and, in some cases, should not be) in person. Tools such as FaceTime, Skype, Cisco Webex, Microsoft Teams, GoToMeeting, and Zoom allow for face-to-face virtual meetings. If in-person communication is necessary, face mask and social distancing guidelines should be followed. The delivery method (how) should be selected according to the medium most effective for conveying the message.

Second, determine the frequency of communication/meetings with your mentor(s) and preceptors. For example, for a 1-month rotation, you and your preceptor should set shared goals at the beginning of the month, with a discussion of your progress toward these goals at the halfway point of the rotation (to provide formative feedback) and at the end of the rotation (to provide summative feedback). Of course, your meetings may occur more often if either of you deems it necessary. For a longitudinal experience such as a research project, the frequency of your communication may vary greatly depending on the time of year. For example, while preparing the institutional review board materials, you as the trainee and your preceptor may need to meet weekly, if not more often, to ensure important deadlines are met. During the data collection phase, once you are comfortable with the process, the meetings may only be needed monthly. For a longitudinal experience such as ambulatory care, quarterly feedback will probably be sufficient, given that you and the preceptor are working closely from week to week, allowing for ongoing formative feedback. As a trainee, you should meet with your adviser or program director at least quarterly.

Next, make sure the content of your shared communication, whether by e-mail or face to face, is clear to both of you as well as presented and described in enough detail to be understood. The type of content communicated will vary greatly depending on the context of your communication. Throughout your training, items such as professional goals, work-life balance, successes, failures, and general questions will be the content of most of your shared communication. When you, as the trainee, would like to discuss a potential conflict or frustration, be sure to come to the meeting with a potential solution. Also, you and your preceptors will often discuss your strengths as well as areas for improvement. Be open to and reflect on this feedback. If necessary, request additional meetings with preceptors to discuss specific plans for improvement.

Finally, whether preceptor or trainee, continue to hone your communication skills. For example, you cannot just hear what the other person is saying. You must demonstrate effective listening skills by listening carefully, asking questions for clarity, and paraphrasing to confirm that the receiver shares your meaning. This type of effective listening is especially helpful when discussing matters of conflict. Also, consider nonverbal communication skills, such as gestures, body language, facial expressions (which may be difficult to decipher behind face masks), and tone of voice, when interacting with your mentor(s) and preceptors.

These are just a few of the tools you may use to communicate more effectively during your residency year. As the trainee, you should meet with your mentor(s) and preceptors early in the year or at the start of the particular learning experience to make sure the expectations for effective communication are clear for you both. As the year progresses, you will learn which communication strategies work best for you and in what situation. This is just one of the many invaluable experiences you will gain during your training.

Julie A. Murphy, Pharm.D., FCCP, FASHP, BCPS

Associate Professor

University of Toledo College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Toledo, Ohio