Mentoring Program
ASHT's Mentoring Program is a free, volunteer-based program designed to virtually partner a therapist new to hand and upper extremity rehabilitation with a seasoned or more experienced hand therapist. The goal of the program is to assist the novice therapist in furthering his/her hand and upper extremity rehabiliation knowledge base.
What is mentoring?
Mentoring is a developmental partnership between two or more individuals who share interest in the profession of hand and upper extremity rehabilitation. The collaborative and reciprocal relationship entered by the participants promotes mutual professional growth and development in order to share the benefits of accumulated experience and new technologies. While the mentor acts as an advocate to encourage clinical application of learning and critical thinking in new situations, the mentee identifies personal therapy goals and areas for skill development through self reflection. An environment of mutual respect between therapists, professional development opportunities, and advancements in the specialty of hand and upper extremity therapy are all direct products of effective and efficient mentoring.
How does mentoring work?
The meaningful nature of mentoring -- a video by Nancy Cannon, OTR, CHT
A sample mentoring relationship -- a videoscribe by Dianna Lunsford, OTD, M.Ed., OTR/L, CHT
How do I access HTCC mentoring material?
Mentoring Handbook
Mentoring Agreement
For Mentors: Three levels of mentorship for CE credit
For Mentees: Self-Assessment Tool
Where do I find a Level 2 Student Manual?
ASHT Manual for Clinical Educators
What is a hand therapist? / How to begin a career in hand and upper extremity therapy
Resource Flyer
How do I sign up for the Mentoring Program?
In order to participate in the virtual Mentoring Program, prospective mentors and mentees must fill out the request form shown below. The information gathered from these forms will be used to help the Mentoring Program liaison pair mentees with mentors. Mentors and mentees may then reach out to one another to determine if the mentoring relationship is acceptable to both parties. If not, mentor and/or mentee may request a different pairing.
Mentor Form - For Prospective Mentors
Mentee Form - For Prospective Mentees
How do I participate in the Mentoring e-Community?
Once signed up for the Mentoring Program it is recommended that you opt-in to the Mentoring e-Community. ASHT members must log in to participate in the e-Communit. Here you can reach out to other mentoring pairs, learn about mentoring tips, and receive notifications for virtual and in-person Mentoring Program gatherings. Mentoring committee members may also post helpful materials in the e-Community or facilitate structured discussions relating to the mentoring relationship. Mentors/mentees may remove their posts at any time or they may request a post be removed by emailing education@asht.org.
The American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT) is an organization of hand and upper extremity rehabilitation professionals dedicated to advancing the field of hand and upper extremity therapy by promoting education, advocacy, research and clinical standards. Mentoring plays an important part in the advancement of the specialty of hand and upper extremity therapy, therefore, ASHT encourages mentoring between the novice and advanced practitioner and provides the following resources to assist with the mentoring process. These resources are provided for general educational purposes and should not be considered as authoritative medical or legal guidance or a substitute for consultation with qualified professionals. ASHT makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, with respect to this information and specifically disclaims all warranties to the fullest extent permitted by law. Note: Before sharing patient information, make yourself aware of any HIPPA or other privacy restrictions that may apply to you and your patient.
