Teamwork and Collaboration with Dr. Carrie Thompson

Carrie Thompson, MD, is a Consultant in the Division of Hematology, an Associate Professor of Medicine, and the Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. Thompson completed her medical school from St. Louis University School of Medicine and residency in internal medicine from the Mayo Clinic where she continued her fellowship in hematology-oncology. Her clinical practice focuses on hematologic cancers with a special focus on lymphomas, and aligns with her research interest in studying quality of life and long-term issues in lymphoma survivors. She's passionate about education and mentorship, and has been awarded Teacher of the Year and Excellence in Teaching awards at Mayo. Dr. Thompson is also a Fellow of the Academy of Educational Excellence at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. There is a reason why Mayo Clinic has been so successful for over 100 years. Today, Dr. Carrie Thompson shares why: It comes down to collaboration. She reminds us that medicine isn’t a one-on-one relationship between the doctor and the patient. It takes teamwork, respect, and communication to provide the best care for patients. Dr. Thompson also shares what she finds most fulfilling about mentoring: It’s helping her mentees find success beyond just the research paper they are writing. She uses her past experience—and what she’s learned from her former mentors—to carry the torch. And although there will be many U-turns, right turns, and left turns throughout our career, Dr. Thompson encourages us to take one step at a time. And to keep our mind open to opportunities—we never know what’s just around the corner. Pearls of Wisdom: 1. Patient-centric organizations are successful because of collaboration and teamwork. It is remembering that the patient and doctor is not a one-on-one relationship. It takes a team. 2. Medicine is a long career with many different opportunities. Don’t try to do everything at once. Take one step at a time and you will be amazed at what you’re able to achieve in the long haul. 3. Live in the present. Try not to put your personal life on hold waiting for a certain time to pass. As we move forward, each new phase in our careers will present new challenges. 4. Mentors can’t read our minds. The key to building rich relationships with our mentors is spending time self-reflecting and identifying areas that we need to grow in.