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Why a Mentoring Program?
- Leadership Development
- Career Development
- Professional Development
- Enhance Recruitment and Retention Efforts
- Growth in Physical Therapy Practice, Education, and Research
- Model Professionalism
According to many experts, career success often requires the
assistance of people willing to support and encourage another's career
development--a mentor. In fact, the Department of Labor has identified
the lack of mentoring as one of the "organizational or attitudinal
barriers" preventing career advancement for working professionals,
especially women.
APTA believes that encouraging mentoring relationships could have
implications for the entire physical therapy profession, both women and
men. For example, mentoring relationships may help to bolster
recruitment and retention efforts, and could also provide an effective
strategy for continued professional development and growth in physical
therapy practice, education, and research (see the article
"Mentoring").
In response to these issues, as well as member requests, Women's
Initiatives developed a program exclusively for APTA members called
"Members Mentoring Members." The program's purpose is to link
experienced physical therapy professionals with fellow members who have
similar interests but lack experience, and the program provides a
wonderful opportunity for members to share their wisdom and expertise.
The mentoring process also allows members to give back to their
profession and their Association, while at the same time encouraging
proteges to participate in their Association and more fully realize
their potential.
About the Mentoring Program
The American Physical Therapy Association is pleased to provide the
"Members Mentoring Members" program. This program, available only to
APTA members, was developed to assist our members in meeting their
career development and networking goals. The "Members Mentoring Members"
program, open to all APTA members, was developed and is
administered by APTA's Women’s Initiatives.
How the Program Works
Since the inception of the mentoring program, APTA has been recruiting
mentors from throughout the Association's membership. Those interested
in becoming mentors complete a personal statement and application form,
and submit it to Women's Initiatives.The application information is
compiled into a database, which subsequently produces the profiles for
the directory.
The "Members Mentoring Members" directory lists mentors and provides
contact information, practice area, mentor's self-selected areas of
expertise, and, in most listings, a personal statement submitted by the
mentor. This assists proteges in finding mentors who are a good match
for their professional interests and career goals.
The "Members Mentoring Members" program does not match mentors and
proteges, but rather provides comprehensive information which allows
potential proteges to contact prospective mentors directly. For an
excellent discussion on the nature of mentoring relationships and the
roles and responsibilities of both mentors and proteges, it is
recommended that "Members Mentoring Members" participants read the
article on mentoring included online. This informative article will
assist both mentors and proteges in establishing goals and articulating
expectations regarding the mentoring relationship. Keep in mind that
mentoring is a voluntary process; mentors and proteges have the right to
decline a match, and either party is free to terminate the relationship
at any time.
The program's database of volunteer mentors is updated continually,
and revised hard copy directories are published periodically. The online
directory is available on a members-only basis at www.apta.org. Copies
of the "Members Mentoring Members" directory are free to APTA members
and may be obtained by contacting Women's Initiatives at 800-999-2782,
ext. 8596. Remember, however, the most up-to-date information is
available online!
| Woman, women, physical therapy, mentoring, Members Mentoring Members |
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