A recent post in the John Locke Journal, the blog of the John Locke Society of Greater Kansas City, addressed mentorship as it relates to medical student and resident development  Good mentors, the author notes, have a “balanced distribution” that allows them to guide residents not just in education or career development but in personal development as well.

Citing the Herrmann Whole Brain® Model, the post notes that the scientific curriculum of medicine is focused primarily on A and B quadrant thinking. If a good mentor guides “the development of the whole person,” the lack of C and D strengths among typical physician specialists can make it difficult for them to truly mentor a resident.

Although their education and training is heavily A and B quadrant focused, physicians who apply Whole Brain® Thinking to their communications and problem solving efforts are able to more effectively advise and interact not just with students but with allied health professionals and patients as well. The Whole Brain® Model can provide a useful framework for developing a more whole mentoring style – one that can lead to better prepared residents and higher quality care. Herrmann International is currently working with a number of leading health care organizations to help them realize this Whole Brain® Advantage.