Building a Team with Dr. Jed Gonzalo

Jed Gonzalo, MD, is a Professor in the Department of Medicine and the Department of Public Health Sciences. He is the Associate Dean of Health Systems Education at Penn State College of Medicine. Dr. Gonzalo completed his medical school from Penn State, and his residency in Internal Medicine from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. He completed his fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dr. Gonzalo joined as faculty at Penn State where he is extensively involved in curriculum design and health systems science with a specific emphasis on implementing bedside rounds to improve patient-centered outcomes. He is the recipient of the Herbert W. Nickens Faculty Fellowship Award from the AAMC, and the National Award for Scholarship in Medical Education from the Society of General Internal Medicine. Ask yourself: How do you feel when you walk into a hospital? Do you love what you do? Today, Dr. Jed Gonzalo reminds us what it means to truly love what you do—and that a sincere appreciation for providing patient care is what will energize you throughout your career. We’ll also learn about what it means to build a team of mentors—and one mentor alone cannot fulfill all of our needs. Lastly, he reminds us that mentors want to help us. Don’t worry about having it all figured out at once—but do make the first step, and connect with your mentors. Pearls of Wisdom: 1. Notice the people who have been in this field for a long time, and recognize that they endure it because they sincerely love their job. Ask yourself what it is about your job that you love, and ask if there’s a way to enhance that further. 2. It’s not about having one or two mentors that “do it all”. It’s about finding mentors that facilitate you in building your own network of mentors, based on your various needs. 3. You don’t have to have everything figured out before you see a mentor. Strong mentors will meet you where you’re at, and help you find your path.