Adopting a Growth Mindset with Dr. John Ratelle

John Ratelle, MD, is an Attending Physician in Hospital Medicine at Mayo Clinic and the Associate Program Director in the Internal Medicine Residency Program, where he focuses on systems-based practice. Dr. Ratelle has been extensively involved in resident education and mentorship from being a chief resident of his residency program to pursuing research in medical education, quality improvement and patient safety, and interprofessional teamwork. He has been recognized for Excellence in Clinical Teaching through many awards including Teacher of the Year in 2019 and the Laureate Award at Mayo. Dr. Ratelle is a member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society. No one wants to be the person in the room that just doesn’t “get it”. But, if we’re able to embrace our weaknesses—and use feedback as an impetus for growth and change—now we are in the growth mindset. Dr. John Ratelle encourages us to be willing to try, even if we fail. Today, we learn ‘to lean in’ and embrace those activities that we shy away from. And have the willingness to be vulnerable and admit our limitations with our mentors. This will set the stage for exponential growth as physicians—and as human beings.   Pearls of Wisdom: 1. Develop a growth mindset. Be open to failure and use it as a stimulus for change. 2. Identify your area of weakness. Ask yourself tough questions “What is the hardest part of my day? What don’t I look forward to? And what's my action plan for it?” 3. Be open and honest with your mentors. Know that this is something they will generally appreciate and embrace.