In a message dated 97-05-15 03:26:44 EDT, you write: << I'm sure there are others like me who would want to make sure the mentor got something out of it, too. But it occurs to me that my pediatrician has students with him all the time. He's on staff at a teaching hospital, but don't physicians mentor students to some degree- with no expectation of compensation? Or am I wrong? What are the patterns in other professions? >> Tricia, The student is paying for training in the form of tuition at the school/university that he/she attends. As you said, your pediatrician is on staff and has a very definite arrangement with the school and he DOES has benefits. Most doctors have privileges at specific hospitals, and arrangements with schools that affiliate with them. In order to have the "privilege" to admit patients to that hospital -- where by the way the doctor makes a LOT of money for visiting and treating patients, the doctor has certain responsibilies. He has to serve on committees, rotate through other responsibilities for the hospital and school, and probably may fullfill some of his obligations by training students. In my case, I am not affiliated with a hospital or LC school. I do not receive any compensation for training a wannabe LC nor have any recipricol arrangements that benefit me financially or professionally. The "students" that want to learn from me want me to train them for free. I also have no assurance of what amount of education or preparation the student LC will come with, (from zero to very experienced) so my training has to be very flexible and individualized. I want to provide traineeships for budding LCs, and I have always loved teaching, but it takes a lot of time and energy. Others who have done it will tell you that it actually cuts what you can get done dramatically when you have a student simply "shadowing" you. If you want to provide more, a real structured program assuring competency in certain skills, that takes even more time. I know of LC trainee programs that have had to stop for a while because it is so stressfu to the staff. Your doctor may or may not get an actual check for training students, but he does reap lots benefits within his profession and his business. We deserve the same for our time and efforts. When actual schools for LCs become common then the affiliations and reciprocal arrangements may make it adventageous for experienced LCs to do this without direct payment from the trainee. I could forsee being paid throught the school for this type of training though. Jane Bradshaw RN, BSN, IBCLC Lynchburg, VA