Mentors/study buddies

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I'm looking for mentors or study buddies to form a study group, after years of studying working in private practice can be isolating. Although I am not an acedemic myself I wish to my continue education and developement by working on case studies, reserarch papers and CPD research together. The aim being to also improve mine and others Inter Professional Development and hopefully improve our own practices and professional skills.

If anyone already knows of a group that exists I would be greatful for the link

Judith Sullivan
judysullivan2004@yahoo.co.uk

 

Judith
where abouts are you?

 

Hi Zaffie I live in a very small village called Cheddington, Beds, although I do not think the vicinity a problem as we could email or have shared folders as in windows live (needs working on).

jude

 

Can i recommend http://www.davidmhol.proboards29.com/ for the purpose? Its a UK forum / educational community. We've just had our first free biomechanics conference / get together and it was a great success.

On there you will find people of the caliber of dave smith, Martin Harvey and Bill Liggins who will be happy to share their expertise and knowledge as well as lots of other people looking to get involved in ongoing CPD. Its a friendly and unnassuming group and all are welcome.

There does not presently exist a "buddy/mentor" system, perhaps there should be. My advice would be to hang around on there for a bit to familierise yourself with who is around and maybe approach somebody if you want a more direct relationship. Then again why limit yourself to just one?

Zaffie. I'm intrigued. Where in kent are you based. Its not a big county, i wonder if i know you, or of you.

At a guess, are you a "smillie" person?

Regards
Robert

 

Alternatively, you could just use this forum! I don't get it:bash:

 

This one is good too! In fact, i'd say its the best.

However, and i say this with all respect, some people find this environment a little intimidating. It is a rare priviledge to be able to communicate with some of the finest podiatrists in the world, and one i greatly enjoy. I recommend it to anyone who will listen. However it can be hard to follow some of the top level stuff if you are not used to it and i've spoken to people who are reluctant to ask what they fear may be a silly question. Some prefer something a bit more local, smaller and a bit less academicly oriented.

Horses for courses. I like both.

Respectfully

Robert

 

Robert:

The problem with this analysis is that none of the podiatrists who contribute heavily to this forum think of themselves as the "finest podiatrists in the world". They are all just a bunch of individuals discussing things that they share an interest in, while hoping to learn something new in the process. There is nothing wrong with stupid questions. I asked plenty of them during my early years. However, if you do not venture forth with questions when you are at an intellectual roadblock, how are you to ever gain knowledge?!:drinks

 

I could not agree more. And you should know i've asked many, many a dumb question. You've answered half of them! Like i say i would recommend this forum to anyone with all the effusiveness i can muster.

However, with respect, the laudible humility and willingness to share knowledge of most everyone on this forum is not the issue, its the perception of the "supplicant" which makes some reluctant to "venture forth with questions" here. I know this to be the case from speaking to people who, inspite of my enthusiastic encouragement, lack the confidence to join in on these boards.

I well remember my shock when you first replied to one of my posts. Those you say "do not think of themselves as the finest ... in the world" enjoy a certain celebrity to some of us humble folk.



Basically my view is that people should seek knowledge wherever they can find it. Any relevant debate / discussion or even argument is positive if it makes you think about what you do and perhaps spend a few hours a week improving your knowledge. If you like it here as many, including myself, do then more power to you. If you want somewhere else to play, thats good too.

Respectfully

Robert

 

Robert:

In general, those that do not venture forth with questions in pursuit of knowledge only have themselves to blame for their lack of a deeper understanding of a subject. This is especially true considering the incredible resource which the internet now offers to all of us.

I greatly respect those individuals who do "step out on a limb" and ask the questions that everyone is thinking of, but are too afraid to ask themselves for fear of embarrassment. Why do I have more respect for these individuals who ask all the questions? Because they remind me of myself in my younger days. No one that I knew of asked more questions of their professors about biomechanics than I did.

 

I agree completely. I once had a truly excellant teacher who told me that a question was NEVER stupid because it was HIS responsibility to make sure we knew the answers, so he needed our help to do his job. By seeming grateful for the oppertunity to teach he trained us to learn. Not exactly the same situation because you have no responsibility for us but it taught me a good lesson.

And as you say if you don't know something there will be plenty of others who ALSO don't know it.

There is no shame in ignorance. That is simply the first step on the path to knowledge, we all start there.

Why does this not surprise me?

Thanks for everything:drinks

Regards
Robert

 

The only thing that seems to be going on there is a flame war with ThatFootSite :butcher:

 

In the thread on Should CPD/CME be compulsory? I argued that this is the exact kind of activity that leads to a better improvement in patient outcomes and should be most rewarded by the regulatory authorities. There is a good publication in the physiotherapy literature (which I can not find at the moment) that shows one of the best ways to improve patient outcomes is to 'buddy up' and have interpractice visits

 

Hi William,

I agree that on viewing it may appear that 'That Foot Site.' does indeed receive a mention in many posts. This I find has little bearing on the reason many individuals post information on David Hollands UK forum.

A number of the members of Davids forum met recently at Martin Harveys Tamworth clinic for a weekend of informal discussion & to share ideas.

I believe I asked on Davids site some time ago after Craig advertised the Oz boot camp could us UK pods do something similar.

Not being able to join in the Australian boot camp I believed trying our own would be a good experience.

I do not believe I am on my own in realising what a worthwhile experience the weekend was.

I am grateful to be allowed to be a member of both this & Davids forum.

I cannot provide a worthwhile opinion on TFS as I do not personally find the site to be of any educational value. Only my opinion but in a free country we 'vote with our feet.'

I thoroughly enjoy reading, learning & on occasion, posting on both this & the UK site.

I look forward to the future success of both sites.

Kind regards,

 

Hi,

The advantage of a "local" forum is the immediacy with which we can address local matters.

All of our regular posters post here too (me included).

The fact that some of us can get together for a CPD weekend - pool our knowledge and resources, not charge anyone anything (and have a "sherbert" after the day's lectures:drinks) speaks volumes about how useful a local forum is.

Cheers,

david

 

Although a buddy system would seem to be a good idea would there be any problems in finding buddies that would be both supportive and challenging in any locality? How would this work? I love this forum (found in my first year of study) and have been reading threads avidly since (graduated 2007) even though I don't post often I can find answers to questions somewhere on this site and if I am unable to do this quickly and do post a 'dumb' question someone will direct me to the right place (invaluable!).
Have just registered for david holland's forum so will look forward to conversing there as well.
Thanks to all the help people have given me, unknowingly, in my first faultering steps as a PP in the UK!
Wendy