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Wheeeee: I'm BACK! (i never left, actually, im just slow and easily distracted).

In this episode (of this gifset series, obv not this episode of the show bc this is already: Good Teaching Incident Number 2 from 1x02 (with more to come) but yes TODAY! Today we discuss: How to get your new trainees to open up and share their insecurities with you - then how to tackle them, a masterpiece by Frank Langdon.

This scene ACTUALLY begins with: Mel missing the loop on/fumbling a bit over one of her sutures, which is what prompts Langdon to give her that little nudge reminding her she's doing great and can take her time, but I declined to GIF it because: the poor patient's poor face was rather difficult to avoid and A Bit Much if this crosses ur dash over ur morning cornflakes.

But I like the note that he's: obviously paying attention. It's easy when you have a trainee doing something that (for Langdon) is p mundane (suturing takes sooooo looongggg. I've observed surgeries before. All the fun hack n slash stuff takes up, AT MOST, 20% of the time. The other 80% is spent: suturing and wondering what you'll have for lunch.) so he could comfortably have checked-out by this point, and it's obvious he hasn't because he notes her wobbles and is there to gently course correct.

He also reminds her: hey, we've got time/there's no rush and no pressure her - so when he gives her that opening to talk to him if she wants with that 'you okay?' he's already established that they're not on a time-crunch atm and, if there was a vent to be had: now's the time.

Thus: much-needed venting is had. Which he encourages after that first 'toe in the water' statement of Mel's of her getting frustrated if she can't do something/if it looks like she can't do something - which he responds to by going 'bitch, me too!' Excellent. No but really: this IS good, it's nice to have a mentor who's willing to not be Perfect/to let YOU know they're not perfect - especially when they're doing that to show that they feel you.

Whiiiich allows Mel to have a longer rant/vent bc 'no, sir, u dont understand, my frustration is a big messy emotional monster that stomps around causing #problems' (ah, the things I could say re Mel's emotions/emotional regulation issues but. Now is now is not the time). Because it IS the time to discuss how Langdon judges very nicely here how/when to interrupt and where the line is between letting Mel vent vs letting her snowball/spiral.

He cuts her off at the right point, methinks. She's managed to get out/establish to him what the issue is/what's stressing her out and causing her some focus issues - letting her keep going after the 'big red flag' comment is just going to enable her to start tossing out more self-undermining hypotheticals which: isn't productive.

I also like HOW he calms her down/grounds her/reassures her here (later in the series we shall look at: how he does this for other characters/how that shows that he slightly adjusts his teaching methods/style depending on WHO he's teaching, 10/10, very good) but this really is as simple, direct, no-frills, no-fluff, no-fuss as it can get: "that procedure was perfect. You're doing great. #LangdonOut."

Mel has an anxiety brain that tends towards spiralling/catastrophising/stumbling across a perfectly good molehill and going 'I bet I could turn that into a goddamn mountain with zero effort'. What you DON'T need with that kind of brain is to: feed it. You can't leave the fucker any cracks to dig its fingers into! No wiggle room allowed! Short, direct, to the point and simple is: ideal.

"You just did a perfect crike." is real hard to argue with. Even for a rat-bastard anxiety brain. Like it's either a yes or a no, there isn't really much to 'well he said that technique was good - but he only mentioned that one specifically so maybe that means the ones he DIDN'T mention weren't that good?' (i also have: a rat-bastard anxiety brain, i know how this shit works lmfao) - and he is the expert so if he says it, well, I mean it would just be RUDE/disrespectful to try and deny that. And Mel's brain has anxiety but it also has: manners.

I love you get to see her reaction, too, like you see that little smile/her being grounded and more confident after that - like yes we are getting to SEE that a good mentor is important/v helpful, actually. And I love that her reaction also tells you that: he wasn't bullshitting her. She DID do that procedure perfectly (because if she hadn't/she knew there had been parts she'd fucked up but he's offering empty praise, that creates a whole new set of: Problems).