Making Mentorship Approachable with Dr. Harvir Singh Gambhir

Harvir Singh Gambhir, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and the Associate Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at SUNY Upstate Medical University. Dr. Gambhir completed his medical school and residency in internal medicine from India.  He then came to the US and pursued residency in Internal Medicine from SUNY Upstate, where he also served as the Chief Resident, and joined as a faculty member thereafter. Dr. Gambhir has inspired learners at all levels with his dedication to both their intellectual growth and personal well-being. Recognized for his contributions to medicine, he was recently awarded the 2020 Gold Standard Award at the Upstate University. According to Dr. Harvir Singh Gambhir, there are two keys to a successful mentorship: An approachable mentor, and an approachable mentee. Today, we’ll learn about bridging the gap of communication between teacher and student in effort to create more frequent—and more meaningful relationships. Dr. Gambhir also believes that openness to feedback is imperative, as is continuous discipline, and getting outside our comfort zone in order to grow. Pearls of Wisdom: 1. The two most important steps to creating a strong mentor-mentee relationship is in being approachable as a mentor and being fearless in approaching the mentor - as a mentee. 2. As a mentee, never hesitate to ask a question - be it clinical or non-clinical. By definition, the mentee's role is to seek answers to one's questions and learn from. 3. Situational awareness and making an effort to make the patient feel comfortable is one of the most important things when it comes to building a trustful relationship with our patients.