Assignment 13: Partner in Your Education

To me, a partner in education is someone who will challenge you and support you in your growth in knowledge and development as a student. My mentor, Chris, is my partner in education because he takes pride in educating me in his field of work because he values my success. Chris sends me home with homework each week pertaining to his career in Orthotics and Prosthetics. The homework usually has to do with a patient we worked with that day or one that I will be observing the next week I come back. Chris wants me to be prepared for the patients I see so I will understand more of what is going on in their appointment and, in return, learn more. He also encourages me to ask questions if I don't understand something he is talking about or why he is treating a patient the way he is.

I spend a rotation in Orthotics and Prosthetics, a field which I was barely familiar with before the internship. I didn't know how much hands on work went into the career. I get to watch my mentor custom trim braces for the patients, and I think the work is very interesting.

My mentors are busy with appointments and documenting so I try to spend my time there helping them. I usually clean up after appointments or taking the initiative to go and observe other appointments when they are busy making notes on previous patients.