At various times during her years of medical training and early career, Anne Suskind, MD, MCS, FACS, FPMRS, benefited from what she considers excellent mentors - professors and physicians who provided both role modeling for the young doctor and tools to become successful. “These mentors made all the difference for me,” says Suskind, who serves as both an Associate Professor of Urology; Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences and Chief, Neurourology, Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery. And now she wants to pay the mentoring forward.
Earlier this year Dr. Suskind helped develop a new mentoring initiative, as part of her new role as Director of Faculty Development in the Department of Urology, to do just that. The program’s goals are to help new faculty make a successful transition into the department and also become the types of academic urologists they want to become. “The idea is that we will create mentorship teams that can help our new faculty members find the connections and resources they need to hit the ground running,” Suskind, who will direct the program, says. Dr. Suskind will also work personally with each new faculty member to support them on their paths
Those resources could be professional (such as training in career advancement or building a research program) or personal (such as support with time management or insight into work-life balance). “People come into the department with different interests, needs, and goals,” Dr. Suskind says. “We want to support them and help them make the connections they need throughout the university so they can succeed on their own paths.” And that, in Suskind’s view, “is the ultimate gratification.”
A profound supporter of this program, Raj Pruthi, MD, MHA, FACS and Professor in the Urology Department notes, "We have a long and successful history of mentoring new faculty. We are very excited to have Dr. Suskind formalize paths for career development, strengthen our commitment to uncovering disparities, and broaden our resources to include training outside our department. She will be a passionate leader for this initiative."