Alums give back by mentoring students
Being followed around at work, explaining everything you do, getting your colleagues to pitch in–is letting a DMU student job-shadow you worth it?
“I would do it again in a heartbeat,” says Lisa Rechkemmer, D.P.M.’92, FACFAS, a podiatric physician with two offices in the Chicago area. “It was energizing both for me and my staff.”
It also benefited Kathryn Jenewein, the second-year DMU podiatric student who shadowed Rechkemmer. “I saw so much variety among patients,” she says. “After my first year with all that studying, the job-shadow experience made me excited about podiatry again.”
Visiting the two offices a couple of days a week, Jenewein observed procedures and the practice’s advanced technology for fitting orthotics. Rechkemmer reviewed patients’ pre- and post-treatment X-rays with her to deepen her understanding. “It was great she took the time to get out those pre-surgery radiographs for me,” Jenewein says.
She also enjoyed interacting with staff and patients who “obviously thought very highly of Dr. Rechkemmer.” The feeling was mutual.
“Patients loved seeing a young person just getting into medicine,” Rechkemmer says.
For the physician, the experience reminded her of the challenges of medical school while she helped Jenewein “see what lies ahead.”
“I encourage alumni to mentor students, because it’s a great way to reconnect with DMU,” she says. “It really doesn’t take much time out of your day. And what you get back is so much more than the time you put into it.”
Want to make a meaningful difference to a future fellow DMU grad and member of your profession? Your perspective and personal contact with a DMU student will be a valuable experience that will enhance his/her education at DMU. Students will look to their mentors to advise them on clinical rotations, post-graduate training or practice opportunities.
A mentor may be contacted depending on the student’s interest in location and/or specialty.
Become a mentor today by visiting www.dmu.edu/alumni or contacting the alumni relations office at 515-271-1463.