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Welcome to The Medicine Mentors interview series. Our mission is to create a platform for top physician mentors to share key insights, traits and best practices based on their experiences to guide medical students and residents.

To learn more please visit us at www.themedicinementors.com

Nov 11, 2020

Raquel Belforti, DO, MS is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at University of Massachusetts Medical School-Baystate, and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. She also serves as the Associate Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program and Medicine Clerkship Director. Dr. Belforti completed her medical school from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine, and her residency from Baystate Medical Center, where she was also appointed as the Chief Resident. Dr. Belforti has  a Masters in Medical Education and been leading educational curricula for students, residents and faculty at Baystate. Recognized for her outstanding contributions as a clinical educator, she has been awarded a number of awards, including the L. Randol Barker Award at Johns Hopkins and the Education Achievement Award for the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine Population-Based Urban and Community Health Track (PURCH) curriculum.

The next time you enter a patient’s room, pause at the door to become mindful. This is the advice Dr. Raquel Belforti shares with us today about the best way to approach patient care. Being able to be a part of the patient’s world is a gift, and we can honor that by taking the time to listen to them mindfully. As physicians, our job is to establish trust and connection quickly—because the patient is putting their life in our hands. The best thing we can do is take the time to be present, and ask the patient not just about their diagnosis—but about their story. Dr. Belforti explains that it’s not so much the medical knowledge, but the role modeling, where she feels she’ll leave her biggest impact as a mentor. And the best place to make that impact is at the bedside.

Pearls of Wisdom:

1. Stop yourself at the patient’s door and be mindful of the role you’re going to play in that patient’s life. Then, take the time to sit and listen to the patient.
2. A career in medicine requires us to be at our best at all times. If there is something that is preventing us from doing that, we need to actively speak up and gather support from others—which is a sign of strength, not weakness.
3. Build a mentorship map: Have a mentor for each category of your professional and personal life in that map, and seek advice based on the role they fit into.
4. Take advantage of opportunities that come your way. But first, ask yourself first if you can commit 100% to it, if you can give it your all.