A newly graduated clinician once stood in my office, shoulders slumped and fighting back tears after a challenging surgery. It wasn’t the technical challenge she had faced—we have all encountered those—but rather, her belief that she should have known everything already. This moment solidified something I’ve observed frequently in veterinary medicine: the pressure we put on ourselves and each other to be perfect, to know it all, and to never falter.
Perfectionism affects both sides of the mentorship equation. As mentors, we often feel we must have all the answers. As mentees, we frequently believe we should be further along in our journey; however, I’ve discovered through years of veterinary mentorship that the deepest relationships aren’t built on perfection. They’re built on authenticity, vulnerability, and mutual growth.
Setting Up for Success
The graduate mentioned above went on to become a confident surgeon—not because she never made another mistake, but because she learned to view each challenge as a stepping stone rather than a stumbling block. Perhaps most importantly, she now mentors others with the same grace and understanding she received.
The most successful mentor–mentee relationships are about progress, partnership, and the shared joy of growing together in this remarkable profession.
Creating a Framework for Success
Successful mentorship relationships are built on 3 core principles.
Intentionality: Both parties must actively commit to the mentorship relationship and set clear expectations for communication frequency, meeting schedules, and learning goals.
Consistency: Regular check-ins and feedback sessions are needed to create a rhythm of growth and support.
Collaboration: The relationship should feel like a partnership, with both the mentor and mentee contributing to the learning journey.
The Power of Partial Expertise
No single person needs to be everything to everyone. Many experienced clinicians hesitate to mentor because they don't feel expert enough in every area. Similarly, I have seen new graduates searching endlessly for the perfect mentor, who can guide them through every aspect of their career.
Here is what I tell both groups: embrace the power of partial expertise. As a mentor, you do not need to be a surgical wizard, business genius, and communication expert rolled into one. Your specific experiences, even in just one area, can profoundly impact a mentee’s journey. For mentees, this means building a network of mentors, rather than seeking a single guide.
I once worked with a mentor–mentee pair who transformed their relationship by simply being honest about expectations and limitations. The mentor acknowledged their strength in soft-tissue surgery but admitted to feeling less confident about exotic animal medicine. The mentee shared their specific desire to improve client communication skills. Clarity allowed them to focus their energy where it would have the most impact and freed both parties from unspoken expectations that might have otherwise created tension or disappointment.
Building Psychological Safety Through Feedback
Perhaps the most crucial element of successful mentorship is creating an environment in which both parties feel safe to be vulnerable, starting with how feedback is given and received. I’ve developed a simple framework called The Three Cs of Constructive Feedback.
Curiosity: Approach situations with genuine interest rather than judgment.
Context: Provide feedback within the broader picture of growth and development.
Collaboration: Frame feedback as a partnership toward improvement rather than a top–down directive.
When mentors and mentees both embrace these principles, mistakes become learning opportunities, questions become catalysts for growth, and relationships evolve into a true partnership.
Cultivating Joy in the Journey
Mentorship relationships must become strongholds of hope and joy to combat burnout and compassion fatigue. Mentorship can foster connection and become a lifeline of support and understanding. The most successful mentor–mentee pairs celebrate the art of veterinary medicine together.
Challenges should not be ignored. Instead, difficulties can be acknowledged while happy moments are also shared and celebrated: a puppy’s successful recovery from canine parvovirus, a senior cat’s unexpected rally, or a client’s tearful thank-you note. Shared celebrations create resilience and remind both parties why they chose this profession. Similarly, sharing moments when things go terribly wrong, when patients are lost, and when mistakes seem insurmountable is equally important to build trust and resilience in knowing that we face similar struggles and emerge stronger.
The Art of Growing Together
Approximately 70% of new clinicians seek to leave their first job within the first few years of practice.1 Behind each departure lies a story of unmet needs, miscommunications, and missed opportunities; however, there is hope—these numbers do not point to a failure of individuals but to a system that needs reimagining.
The power of mentorship lies not in perfection, but in shared vulnerability and authentic connection. Traditional mentorship models often place the entire burden on the mentor, creating what I call the wisdom dispenser myth, the idea that experienced clinicians should simply pour knowledge into waiting vessels. This approach can exhaust mentors and create dependency in mentees.
On Clinician’s Brief: The Podcast, Dani Rabwin, DVM, discusses how clinicians that already feel too busy can still provide their own brand of mentorship—not just skills training—for new clinicians.
Self-Directed Growth
Successful mentorship requires active participation from both parties (see Practical Steps for Growth), particularly from the mentee. Using the 4 R’s Framework (ie, Reflection, Recommendation, Resources, and Referral), new clinicians can take ownership of their learning journey.2 Applying this approach to a typical clinical challenge can look like:
Reflecting on specific areas of discomfort
Seeking targeted recommendations from a mentor
Accessing recommended resources
Connecting with specialists who can provide additional insights
Practical Steps for Growth
For mentees
Take ownership of your learning by identifying specific needs and goals.
Use the 4 R’s Framework to structure growth.
Maintain a learning journal to track progress and insights.
Ask for the support you need.
For mentors
Share your struggles and successes.
Create safe spaces for questions and uncertainty.
Guide rather than direct.
Remember that your experience, even in just one area, has value.
The Path Forward
The future of veterinary medicine depends on our ability as clinicians to support new graduates through their critical first years of practice. This doesn't mean holding their hands—it means teaching them to walk confidently on their own while providing a safety net of understanding and support. The key lies in shifting from a hierarchical teaching relationship to a collaborative learning journey where both parties grow together. Building this future requires more than just good intentions. It demands intentional action, consistent effort, and genuine collaboration; however, the rewards—for our profession, our patients, and ourselves—make it worth every step of the journey. In supporting others’ growth, we often find ourselves growing as well. Together, we can create a profession where new graduates don’t just survive their first year—they thrive in it.