From Mentee to Mentorship Ambassador: Meet Lexi Pflanzer

Mentorship has been one of the most meaningful parts of my medical school journey so far. Beyond helping with academics, mentorship offers connection, perspective, and a reminder that you don’t have to navigate the challenges of medical school on your own. For me, mentorship has played an important role in shaping my transition into medicine and helping me adjust to a new program.

Having completed a pharmacy degree, I was beyond excited to begin this new journey of hands-on learning, furthering my education, and meeting peers and mentors who would help shape my growth along the way. I knew stepping into this new field would come with its own set of challenges and demands. Early in my first year I came to appreciate how valuable mentorship would be in helping me navigate this transition and feel a sense of belonging in a brand-new environment.

Additionally, coming into medicine without family members in this specific field often meant I had to navigate the new pace, culture, and hidden curriculum on my own. In those moments, mentorship became invaluable. As a first-year student, I relied on my mentors for reassurance and direction. I am thankful for their guidance on balancing the pressures of academics, their reminders that self-doubt is a normal part of the process, and their encouragement to get involved in extracurricular opportunities that aligned with my passions. Their advice and lived experience not only helped me adjust but also showed me the importance of having trusted people to turn to during times of doubt.

The encouragement of my mentors has played a large role in my involvement in opportunities beyond the classroom. Getting involved in the Making the Links Program, various student groups and the Dean’s Research Program has allowed me to build even more meaningful relationships with my peers. These experiences have allowed for both personal and professional growth while also providing valuable perspectives on different areas of medicine and the aspects of practice I hope to focus on as a future physician.

Now, as a Regina mentorship ambassador and mentor to a first-year student, I have been able to step into the other side of that relationship. The same mentorship that helped me feel supported and empowered is now something I hope to extend to others. I have seen firsthand how a welcoming and supportive environment can change the way students experience their first year, and I want to help ensure no one feels they are navigating this journey alone.

Through my experiences as a mentee and more recently as a mentor, I have learnt that mentorship in medicine is not just about guidance, it is about creating meaningful connections. It involves building trust, fostering safe environments, and creating spaces where people feel seen, heard and supported. My experiences as both a mentee and a mentor have shaped not only how I navigate medical school but has also shaped the kind of physician I hope to become, someone who leads with empathy, uplifts others, and never overlooks the power of community in healthcare and beyond.

Lexi Pflanzer is a second-year medical student in Regina and one of the 2025-26 mentorship ambassadors with the Office of Career Advising & Mentorship.