Although you may be done with your formal medical training, do you strive to continually fine-tune your skills and develop professionally? If so, you likely have a growth mindset. This characteristic can serve you well in your medical career and equip you to be more open-minded, handle challenges, and achieve better patient outcomes.

Adopting and building a growth mindset can significantly impact ability and achievement. Holding this mindset also enables you to meet setbacks head-on and see mistakes as teachable moments. As you further your employment prospects and search for ways to make a difference in other people’s lives, you can do several things to nurture your growth mindset.

What Is a Growth Mindset?

If you have a growth mindset, you likely believe that with hard work, tenacity, and passion, you can develop your talents, skills, and intellect for the rest of your working life. A growth mindset increases neuroplasticity, your brain’s ability to function and respond to external stimuli at any age. A medical professional with a growth mindset welcomes challenges and believes that virtually every problem has a solution, even if it takes tremendous time and effort.

In contrast, a closed mindset views ability and intelligence as innate and unchanging. An unfortunate implication of the closed mindset is that it can drive someone to believe they can do little or nothing to grow or improve their skill sets professionally.

The life of a medical provider is full of high pressure, stress, and so many unknowns. A growth mindset in healthcare is in increasing demand, especially as doctors, nurses, therapists, and staff are still recovering from the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Serving your patients in the best way possible, making medical strides, or even just getting through a rough day requires a solid growth mindset. This way of thinking helps you learn from your mistakes, be the provider your patients need, and prepare for new challenges that emerge.

Benefits of Having a Growth Mindset in Healthcare

A growth mindset is a valuable resource that can supplement your occupational expertise and experience. Here is what the power of a growth mindset can do for you personally and professionally.

You can adapt to change

A healthcare setting represents a landscape that is in constant flux. As a medical provider, staying at the top of your game requires adapting to ever-evolving technology and methods. You also must respond to constantly changing protocols to deliver quality care. A growth mindset makes it easier to adapt to these changes, help your patients understand what is happening, and work cooperatively with other team members.

It increases patient safety

According to Professor Jill Stein, a medical educator at the University of Melbourne Medical School, a fixed mindset can promote many factors that reduce patient safety. These include competitiveness among colleagues and the desire to cover up errors.

On the contrary, a growth mindset encourages you to bring errors and mishaps into the open, allowing you and others to learn from them. Discussing mistakes or problems within a team can ultimately lead to better health outcomes and put the focus on the patient, not protecting egos or placing blame.

It improves your outlook on life

Believing you can continuously improve and grow can positively impact your work and patient interactions. It also gives you a more positive outlook and boosts your confidence. Even during tough times, a growth mindset can help you stay motivated. Instead of thinking, “I can’t do this,” you can tell yourself, “I can learn how to do this.”

How to Develop a Growth Mindset as a Medical Professional

Developing a growth mindset does not just happen overnight; it is a journey. Focus on taking daily steps to adjust your attitude and approach situations more open-mindedly. If you understand the core philosophies of a growth mindset, you can take the following steps.

See everyone and everything as a learning opportunity

The patient is your most important concern, and providing the best care requires you to constantly fill your gaps in knowledge and understanding. If you solve a complex problem, see what insights you can glean from the situation. When you mess up, learn from your mistake instead of feeling bad about it.

Consider setting learning goals to advance your professional development. Finding ways to improve a process or master a skill faster might lead to higher patient satisfaction scores or faster medical results.

Take the initiative

After you have been on a team or in a new position for a while, you hopefully have gotten familiar with how things are typically done. Instead of waiting for instructions or an assignment, now is the time to take the initiative. For example, take up a much-needed role no one volunteers for. Suggest a way to shave a few minutes off a standard procedure. Taking the initiative can lead to self-discovery and, even more impressively, better ways of doing things.

Welcome constructive feedback

It can be challenging to receive criticism, especially when trying to prove yourself in a high-pressure environment. However, when it comes from a trustworthy colleague or supervisor, constructive feedback can be crucial to your success in the medical field. Adopting a growth mindset makes you more likely to view feedback as contributing to your improvement and career advancement.

Are you looking for a medical career that continually challenges you? Go to ChenMed Careers and find an opportunity where you can embrace a growth mindset. Also, subscribe to the ChenMed Talent Community for our monthly Talent Talk newsletter.

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