Mentoring in Medical School

Gail L. Rose, Ph.D.

The University of Vermont

 

I.    Introduction [slide 1]

 

As medical students, one of the most important decisions youll make is who becomes your clinical and/or research mentor

 

      A. An important way to gain: [slide 2]

1.     A guide for career development. Can also be personal

2.     Explicit knowledge: facts, concepts

3.     Implicit professionalism, ethics, and values; art of medicine not learned from texts

4.     A role model

5.     Often: emotional support, encouragement

 

      B.  A mutually beneficial and multi-level relationship

 

      C.  No one will teach you how to:

1.     Select a mentor

2.     Make the most of your mentoring relationship

3.     Become a mentor

 

      D.  This lecture will cover: [slide 3]

1.     The definition of a mentoring relationship

2.     How to be a good mentor

3.     How to be a good mentee

4.     Alternate forms of mentoring

 

 

II.  The mentoring relationship

 

A.   Definition: A relationship between less experienced and older or more experienced persons intended to benefit development 2 4 [slide 4]18,25,26

 

1.   Explicit, bilateral, and often long-term 2,18,26,29

 

2.   Focus: professional expertise and political know-how 32

 

3.   Mentor is a role model and is more than a role model 2,4,18,33

 

      B.  Mentors vs. role models   [slide 5]

 

1.   Role model: observed and imitated

 

2.   Similarities: 4,29

a.   Knowledge and skill acquisition facilitated by another person

b.   Important aspects of medical education

 

3.   Differences: 4,18,29

a.   Role models may not know audience (e.g., Michael Jordan -- second click); mentors know their mentees (e.g., Tuesdays with Morrie -- third click)

b.     Passive vs. interactive learning

 

 

III. How to be a good mentor 20,26  [slide 6]

 

A.  Know yourself

 

1.     Your style and capabilities. Top 10 mentor characteristics from grad student prespective 33 [slide 7]

 

a.   Gives honest feedback

 

b.   Communicates openly, clearly, effectively

 

c.   Experienced

 

d.   Treats mentee like an adult; involves mentee in decisions

 

e.   Demonstrates specific techniques

 

f.    Available to discuss academic challenges

 

g.   Respectful of others

 

h.   Sees mentees potential

 

i.    Ethical

 

j.    Reliable; follows through on commitments

 

2.   Your limitations 1 [slide 8]

 

a.   How patient are you with the learning process of another?

 

b.   How willing are you to promote anothers career and introduce him/her to your colleagues?

 

c.   How much time do you have available for a mentee?

 

d.   How similar/different are the mentees interests, goals, values, background, &/or socio-demographic attributes to your own?

 

B.  Know your mentee. Good mentors know mentees unique attributes; challenges.

 

1.   Stage of educational development. Strategies change as students progress [slide 9]11,17,20,30

 

a.   Focus

i.    Beginner: specific, skills-based instruction; acquiring/mastering techniques, practical skills, concrete tasks [e.g., taking bp; Qs to ask in pt. interview]

ii.   Advanced: conceptual exchange; abstract ideas, theories [Example: CST vs. community rft]

 

b.     Time frame

i.    Beginner: short-term goals; tasks completeable in a prescribed period within a course, semester or clinical rotation

ii.   Advanced: long-term planning; focus on ultimate training &/or career direction

 

c.     Role of mentor

i.    Beginner: detailed feedback; Specific positive and negative feedback on entire task [Insert example: interviewing]

ii.   Advanced: mentor as consultant, sounding board; someone to whom the mentee brings ideas for discussion

 

d.     Source of Direction

i.    Beginner: directive, concrete; mentor assigns tasks and timelines

ii.     Advanced: student-directed; mentor guides and supports but does not direct

 

e.   Tailoring. Effective mentors tailor approach to trainees stage of development; weaning process helps mentees become independent, confident

 

2.   Demographic variables  [slide 10]

 

a.   Perceived similarity predicts initial attraction not long-term success 19

 

b.   Acknowledge differences 

 

c.   Accept education from mentees about their different perspectives 19,37 

 

a.     Specific demographic attributes

 

i.      Gender 30

 

a)   Women have different training experiences than men; may impact mentoring relationships 30

i)    Fewer same-sex options

ii)   More likely to experience harassment

iii)  Less often encouraged to assert power in training situations 27

 

b)   Most studies show no sex difference in incidence of mentoring or mentoring preferences. 15,33,38  Exceptions:

i)    Women show slight preference for:

(a)  Personal attributes: trustworthiness; integrity, humanism 16,33

(b) Lifestyle & values: work/family balance 16

ii)   Men show slight preference for power, status, & influence 13,16

 

ii.   Age.  Older/mature/returning students less likely to desire and participate in mentoring relationships 28,33,38

 

iii.  Race/ethnicity/culture

 

a)   Minorities historically have less access to mentors 9

 

b)   Fewer same-race options for minorities 5

 

c)   Minority students face social and institutional barriers not experienced by non-minorities 31

 

d)   Culture is a strong determinant of behaviors, values, & communication.  Examples:

i)       deference to authority

ii)      expressions of power

iii)     individualism/collectivism

iv)     conflict management

v)      assertiveness

vi)     frankness

vii)    self-promotion

viii)   importance of personal relationships 10

 

e)   Culturally sensitive mentors help minority students integrate racial heritage with professional identity 8,37

 

C.  Know the parameters of your relationship 20 [slide 11]

 

1.   Mentees goals.  Consider entire spectrum, e.g. [lecturer may customize list]:

 

a.   Become a successful MD

 

b.   Find a good residency

 

c.   Graduate medical school with honors

 

d.   Determine a suitable specialty

 

e.   Find relevant academic & extracurricular activities

 

f.    Improve time management

 

g.     Learn interviewing skills

 

2.   Structure of relationship

 

a.   Informal: Classic mentoring relationship 30 

 

i.    Develops organically from mutual interests, admiration, or goals among individuals already known to each other 

 

ii.   Typically includes discussion of personal values & interests [Nice place to insert an example] E.g. Tuesdays with Morrie

 

iii.  Assumed to be superior to arranged mentoring 7

 

iv.  Occurs infrequently (~30% of students have an informal mentor) 7

 

v.   Often excludes underrepresented or traditionally marginalized groups

 

b.   Formal: Relationship facilitated by an intentional mentoring program; designed to capitalize on anecdotal benefit of informal mentoring 28

 

i.    Members assigned or matched by mentoring program administrator, often with some consideration of each persons preferences, attributes, goals

 

ii.   Typically focused on a specific goal.  [lecturer may insert example] E.g., Womens Mentoring Project at U Vermont

 

a)   Designed by female medical students

 

b)   Focus: increase 1:1 contact btw students & female researchers and faculty to discuss and promote gender issues in field of medicine 14

 

iii.  Qualitatively different from informal relationships 21,24

 

      a) May be more task-oriented than informal relationships

     

      b) May take longer to build trust and productive working relationship

 

iv.  Provides access to mentors for students from underrepresented groups

 

3.   Evaluation of mentee by mentor. 

 

a.   Some relationships involve evaluation (e.g., course grade)

 

b.     Knowledge of evaluative component may inhibit trust.  Mentees resist showing weaknesses 7

 

4.   Meetings

 

a.   Frequency: Regular interactions critical to establishment of relationship, particularly formal ones. Frequency depends on focus of relationship 6,34 

 

b.     Length: Some recommend hour-long, uninterrupted sessions; 26 depends on goals & frequency.  Pair can decide

 

      D.  Mentor needs to maintain the relationship: Dos  [slide 12]

 

1.   Be available

 

2.   Convey respect and confidence in the mentee 11

 

3.   Maintain focus on mentee 35

 

4.   Ask questions vs. give advice; mentee verbalizes conceptions 22

 

5.   Track mentees progress 35

 

6.   Identify strengths

 

7.   Give feedback 20

 

8.   Periodically re-assess relationship

 

9.     Avoid problems that may inhibit mentee development. [slide 13] Dont:

 

a.   Promote the mentors agenda instead of the mentees 4 

 

b.   View mentee as free labor

 

c.   Take credit for mentees accomplishments

 

d.   Seek a clone who mimics mentors career path, philosophy, opinions39

 

E.   Review: How to be a good mentor [slide 14]

 

      1.   Know yourself (self-reflection)

 

      2.   Know your mentee

 

      3.   Know parameters of relationship

 

      4.   Maintain the relationship

 

      5.   Overall goal: Hold the focus for the mentees career growth potential

 

 

IV. How to be a good mentee [slide 15]

 

A.  Know yourself 4,19  [slide 16]

 

1.   Your professional goals: short- and long-term

 

2.   Your desires and preferences for the relationship. Ideal v. acceptable v. unacceptable. [slide 17]

 

a.   Demographics.  Ideal gender, age, cultural background of mentor

 

b.   Location; availability.  Ideal frequency & duration of meetings; physical proximity

 

c.   Personality.  E.g., Introvert vs. extrovert; sense of humor; detailed, methodical vs. big-picture visionary; even-keeled vs. intense, etc.

 

d.   Professional interests. Ideal mentors career focus.  How similar to your own?

 

e.   Professional skills. Ideal skill sets mentor should possess and transmit

 

f.    Stage of career.  Ideal extent of mentor advancement.  How far ahead of your own?

 

g.   Mentoring style. [slide 18] Mentee preferences fall into 3 categories: 33