PHYSICIAN MENTORS
One-page mentor application is here

After receiving feedback from both students and prospective mentors about the mentor application process, the Physician Mentor application is now a simple one-page form.

“The application was discouraging potential mentors and the push-back was detracting from a program that is so beneficial to students,” says Paula Diamante, M.D., Director of Faculty Affairs. “We streamlined the process to eliminate any barriers for students and their mentors.”

“Several of the prospective mentors declined to take on the role after taking a look at the documentation requirements,” says Dr. Meshach Kirubakaran, Dean for Australia.

The original application was intended to ensure that the physician mentors met certain professional qualifications. Chris Dudley, Director of Administration, adds that the University also has a responsibility to protect its students and make sure mentors are representing themselves truthfully.

Third party validation

 Rather than ask the prospective mentors to provide documentation about their professional standing, Drs. Meshach and Diamante revised the application to ask for third party validation and certificates that are acceptable in the physicians’ respective regions. The North American application requires active licensure and DEA number. The Australian application asks for AHPRA registration and the New Zealand application asks for MCNZ registration.

“In the United States, if a physician can provide active licensure, hospital privileges, and a DEA number, that means that someone else has done all our work for us. And it is a very extensive amount of work!” says Dr. Diamante.

Omar Gonzalez, who plans to begin his system-based modules in September, had the opportunity to use both applications, because he began the search just as the Physician Mentor materials were being updated.

“Initially, I found significant resistance from most potential mentors as to how in-depth and intrusive the application process was,” says Omar. “This new application process is significantly easier.”

The new packet includes an introductory letter from Dr. Meshach for Australasian mentor applicants and from Dr. Diamante for North American applicants. Other changes include abbreviated Briefing Notes (now a two-page summary), a more detailed clinical assessment form, and a template for mentor invoices.

Here is the recommended two-step process for securing a Physician Mentor:

 STEP 1: Send prospective mentor the introductory letter, the Program Summary, and the application.

STEP 2: Once the application is received and the mentor is approved, complete the Mentor Agreement, send to your mentor, and ask that it be returned with his/her signature. Now, you may also send the Assessment Form and the sample invoice they may use as a template. The invoice AND assessment are required at the end of each module before processing payment.

For a complete packet, contact joe.korac@oum.edu.ws (ANZ) or lyan.borges@oum.edu.ws (NA).