Models of Mentoring Programs

Traditional definitions of mentoring involve a dyadic relationship between a seasoned expert and a less experienced protege.  Typically, dyads are created by assignment, or as a result of informal arrangement.   Because mentoring often entails psycho-social relationships, creating formal mentoring dyads by assignment may be sustainable and successful when both the mentor and mentee have a degree of choice in selecting each other.   Departments may also consider the scholarly basis for making these formal assignments, with clarity of the function of the mentoring relationship in terms of scholarly guidance.  Other mentoring activities, such as the creation of specific annual goals, meeting schedules and deliverables, measures of progress, and frequency of mentoring meetings is the joint work of mentors and mentees under the broader umbrella of the program’s goals.

Related to the idea that no one individual can fulfill all the mentoring needs of a junior faculty member is the idea that a junior faculty member could or should develop a network of mentors.  The benefits of a mentor network can safeguard against deficiencies in mentoring through formal channels.  

Mentoring networks usually consist of faculty at multiple career levels, or faculty who provide different mentoring functions.  The network may or may not have formal mentoring meetings.  It is ideal for junior faculty to receive multiple mentors (internal and external)  with varying skill sets and areas of expertise.   Mentoring Networks can be particularly useful for faculty from groups that are underrepresented in medicine. For instance, a faculty member may have one or two mentors in their area of scholarship and then another mentor or two with whom they can seek (and also receive) support related to other dimensions that impact their experience, quality of life or career progression. 

Lastly,  Department Chairs and Division Chiefs play a critical role in mentoring faculty and providing honest assessments; regular meetings with faculty members at different ranks also help leaders understand faculty concerns.

Another option is a group mentoring format with or  without input from senior or mid-career faculty. These can be initiated by the early-career faculty or departmental leaders. For instance, a group of early-career faculty may meet to share with each other the challenges and successes on their career path and seek counsel from their peer colleagues. The group determines the size of the peer-group, the frequency of meetings, and format and content of the meetings. The group can be a time-limited group or a longer-term group that meets both career and psychosocial needs. A senior faculty member can be invited to present on a topic of interest to the group or to give advice on challenges faced by the group. Peer groups can focus on sharing career goals, progress, and challenges. They can hold each other accountable to these goals.  

Additionally, department or  division leadership, in consultation with their assistant professors, may decide that having a senior faculty member convene a mentoring group would be the best method to meet the mentorship needs in their unit. Care should be taken in the selection of the group leader as it needs to be someone who the faculty trust and who they believe will give advice based on their best interest and not simply based on departmental priorities or needs. The group leaders could also be a “near peer,” for instance someone who has been just recently promoted to associate professor. In this situation, the experience of the new faculty would be more proximal to the experience of the group leader. These groups can be formed in a time-limited fashion and address a specific topic such as efficiency in clinical practice or preparing a dossier for promotion. They can also be set up to be ongoing and address the concerns of the members on a rolling basis. The frequency and number of sessions can be decided by the group leader if the goal is to present information in a “just-in-time” or can be determined by the mentees based on their needs. Roles of senior faculty members or near-peer group leaders can include: facilitation of the group meeting, reviewing goals and progress, directing scholars to internal and external resources such as other faculty with specific expertise, and being available for consultation if early-career faculty are struggling.