I've followed this thread with interest because mentoring [or precepting] is
a big part of how doctors in training learn their skills and how established
docs pass on the knowledge they have gained over the years. Those of you
that know me also know that I have a special interest in how doctors learn
(correctly or otherwise) about breastfeeding. Docs that are being mentored
and trained today are in much better shape in terms of correct
[scientifically supported evidence-based] breastfeeding information.
Many of them will have had at least some medical school exposure to
breastfeeding as well as training how to read the literature - from the
statistics, to the design, to who funded the study - unlike their
counterparts from years past who learned most of their breastfeeding info
from two sources: personal experience and the formula companies. [This is
where the die-hard
"formula is as good as breastmilk" legend came from.]

I currently have a 3rd year medical student precepting with me (I do office
based primary care pediatrics -private practice- suburbs) and I will agree
with previous posts - it takes extra time - it keeps you current - it's very
rewarding to see someone learn. I'm not sure what her previous exposure to
breastfeeding has been (she's single, no kids) but it took her about two
weeks to "see" what the studies had told us about the health outcomes in
exclusively breastfed kids vs. formula fed kids.
I showed her how to look thru the record for sick visits and
hospitalizations and we could predict pretty well who was breastfed and who
wasn't. The breastfed kids often come back to me for a weight check
(sometimes two if there's difficulty) - I see them a day or two after
discharge for their newborn exam. But after that thru the winter even, there
was generally one minor or no sick visits at all. The formula fed kids
average 3 or 4 visits over the winter, but nobody thinks that's odd. I've
pointed that out to her because what docs see over and over is "the norm"
and the norm in our area is for docs is to see more formula fed baby visits
than breastfed baby visits because the breastfed babies come primarily for
well checks.

Gail S. Hertz, MD, IBCLC   York,PA - where this weeks "norm" is poison ivy
and tick bites.
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