From Mentee to Mentor: Beginning the Supervisory Role in Psychiatry

This week I had the experience of beginning a supervision journey with a newly minted consultant psychiatrist. Stepping into a formal supervisory role marks an important milestone in a psychiatrist’s career. After years of benefitting from thoughtful guidance, I now have the responsibility of supervising a new RANZCP fellow as they begin life as a consultant.

I have supervised psychiatrists for a number of years, but I was determined this time to become quite introspective and deliberate about how I would approach this role, given we plan to continue this relationship for quite some time. 

It was also something I did deliberately because I was keen to focus on what it meant to be asked to take on this role, and the importance of what I signed up for.  I wanted to be mindful of what I wanted to impart, consciously moving away from telling it “warts and all” with the potential of stifling early career enthusiasm and passion. Essentially I wanted to lean into my memories of what it was like to experience taking on a senior clinical role, noticing the impact we can make on a patient's life, especially those who are suffering. 

I also wanted to really reflect on what it was like to step from the role of mentee to mentor.

Clinical supervision in psychiatry remains one of the most distinctive aspects of our specialty. It creates protected space for deliberate thinking which is something that can easily be lost in the pace of everyday clinical work. And I wanted part of that deliberate thinking to focus on one particular question;

What kind of psychiatrist do you intend to be? 

A new consultant enters teams that may have experienced recent changes in leadership, clinical direction, or service pressures. The natural instinct is often to please, to smooth over uncertainty, and to adapt quickly to local expectations. At the same time, early‑career consultants commonly experience a degree of self‑doubt or imposter syndrome. Balancing the desire to be accepted with the need to establish a clear professional identity is challenging. And this was something I wanted this new consultant to be very clear about. 

I wanted them to explore their deeper intentions and motivations to practice as a psychiatrist, because I believe that it is when these are challenged or threatened that disappointment and resentment can fester. By exploring their intentions through analysing their values, identifying strengths, and developing a leadership style grounded in authenticity rather than reactivity, the outcome would be the development of strong foundations that can withstand difficulties that may come their way. 

Some psychiatrists value autonomy over collaborative decision making. Some prefer a mix of clinical and academic work to keep them refreshed and engaged. Some wish to give back to the public health system where they trained, others prefer to set up private practices and move into the world of small business. By taking a deeper dive into why and then shaping careers around that is a more sustainable way to find longevity and satisfaction. 

I take seriously the responsibility of shaping this early phase of practice. I know from my own experiences that good quality supervision directly influences the care a psychiatrist can go on to offer patients and their families, while supporting the development of clinicians who remain reflective rather than reactive and grounded in their principles and values. 

Overall, I’ve discovered that this shift from mentee to mentor has helped me find a renewed appreciation for the collaborative culture of psychiatry. Supervision underlines the value of pausing, thinking, and examining the professional identity that underpins our decisions.

I am really looking forward to discovering how this journey will unfold over time, and I’m grateful of the opportunity to remember why I chose psychiatry as my speciality in the first place.