Mentoring in Clinical Geropsychology

1. Mentoring in Clinical Geropsychology American Psychological Association Annual Meeting Washington, DC August 4, 2011 Amy Fiske, PhD Associate Professor of Psychology Director of Undergraduate Training West Virginia University

2. Source: Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics (2010)

3. Clinical Geropsychologists Needed • In APA survey (n = 1227; Qualls et al., 2002) • 3% identified older adults as main target of their practice • 69% provided some services to older adults • overall median hours per week was between 2 and 3 hours • amount of service provided falls short of projected need • The pipeline for the geriatric mental health researchers is also “endangered” (Bartels et al., 2010)

4. How Mentoring Can Help • Attracting new students to the field • Enhancing training outcomes • Higher level of satisfaction with training • Greater productivity • Higher level of professional success Source: reviewed by Zimmerman et al., 2011

5. Symposium Presentations • Mentoring within Doctoral Training Programs – Amy Fiske, PhD • Mentoring Geropsychology Interns and Fellows – Michele J. Karel, PhD • Postdoctoral Fellows and Junior Faculty – Patricia A. Arean, PhD

6. Mentoring within Doctoral Training Programs

7. Definition: Mentor • “A person who acts as guide and adviser to another person, esp. one who is younger and less experienced. Later, more generally: a person who offers support and guidance to another; an experienced and trusted counsellor or friend; a patron, a sponsor.” (Oxford English Dictionary, downloaded August 2011)

8. Definition: in Graduate Training • Mentoring is a personal relationship in which a more experienced faculty member acts as a guide, role model, teacher, and sponsor of a less experienced graduate student. A mentor provides the protégéwith knowledge, advice, challenge, counsel, and support in the protégé's pursuit of becoming a full member of a particular profession. Mentorships are reciprocal and mutual by design, and the ultimate goal of the relationship is development of a strong professional identity and clear professional competence on the part of the protégé. (Johnson, 2003, p. 130)

9. “Eighty percent of success is showing up.” - Life and Death, Woody Allen

10. A Word about Undergraduates • Mentoring undergraduates can inspire, encourage and set onto path to study geropsychology • Possible opportunities to mentor: • teaching • advising • research experience(McNair scholars) • field experiences • A little attention goes a long way!

11. What Doctoral Students Need • Attitudes, knowledge and skills required for work with older adults • But also… • What do I want to do? • Balance of research, clinical, teaching, service? • Psychology department, VA, psychiatry dept?

12. How are Graduate Students Mentored? • Grad students generally admitted to work with a particular faculty mentor. • Also receive mentoring from other faculty members and the director of clinical training. • Other mentoring arrangements include: • pairing new students with more advanced “big siblings” • meetings to address professional development topics • various forums for students to present their research formally and receive feedback (e.g., mock job talks, mock research conferences, etc.) • annual reunions with program alumnae and interactions with visiting scholars. Source: Mentoring Committee review, thanks to Forrest Scogin

13. WVU Psychology • Professional Development Seminar • Plan of Study • Deadlines for major milestones • Yearly evaluation • self-rating of competencies • progress toward milestones • Multiple research mentors encouraged • Multiple clinical teams required • Junior Colleague model

14. Examples of Opportunities Mentors Can Provide in Doctoral Training • Introductions • Writing projects (e.g., chapters) • Writing reviews • Speaking engagements • Teaching • Grant writing • Mentoring more junior students

15. A Few Thoughts • Get to know each student’s special strengths, needs, interests • May need to remind them that they don’t need to reflect your interests exactly • Be open to learning from your protégés • Boost confidence • Compliment sandwich • Countering the imposter syndrome • Change approach to match student’s developmental level • If you like your job, let your students know • If you share frustrations, also share successes • “Best job in the world.”