Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/254272
E LE C TR O N I C H E A LTH R E CO R DS , voice recognition software, tablet computer charts, "bring your own device," patient portals. The practice of medicine has rapidly begun shifting from pen and paper to screens and styluses. For a physician entering his or her second or third decade of medicine, adapting to the changing environment can be challenging. Enter 'Reverse Mentoring' Mentoring has historically involved an older, wiser physician passing along knowledge and training to a younger, inexperienced colleague. However, that model is changing. With the growing emphasis on health information technology, younger physi- cians — many of them using a computer or other electronic device from very early ages — are positioned to help usher their less tech-savvy colleagues into the digital age. Writing for Forbes magazine, Lisa Quast says while this model of mentoring helps older employees learn the ropes of social media and Internet usage, it's more of a symbiotic relationship. Yes, older physicians may acquire technical skills, but the relationship also "brings different employee generations together." This quality of reverse mentoring enhances colleagues' ability to relate to each other, builds an atmosphere of teamwork and fosters an environment in which young physicians learn best practices from seasoned medical professionals. As beneficial as reverse mentoring can be, it also has potential pitfalls. According to a February 2012 article in American Medical News, this relationship should be embarked on with sensitivity and caution. Younger physicians engaging in reverse mentoring should be respectful, mindful of older physicians' resistance to new technology and adaptable to how their mentees learn best. ■ Mentoring for THE MILLENNIUM MENTORING IS NO LONGER CHARACTERIZED SOLELY BY THE PASSING OF KNOWLEDGE FROM OLDER TO YOUNGER. M D N E W S . CO M ■ MD NEWS Greater Boston | 1 3