Some specific items that can be covered during these meetings may include more routine career development issues such as which professional societies to join, what journal publications are needed and when (eg avoid 'chapters' early on), how to balance independence while being part of a successful team (especially in the growing translational field), how important it is to develop collegial relationships with not only with faculty but also with other health care staff and administrators that can be pivotal in one's success.

The mentoring meetings is the time to ask about how one supports one's salary going forward, especially after the 3-year support for new faculty comes to an end (this needs to be addressed no later than year 1.5). This is also an opportunity to discuss how best to balance the intense requirements of a professional academic career with a healthy personal life and also somewhere individuals can turn to ask informed questions about considering other job options without feeling they are sabotaging themselves at their home institution.

  • Mentees should plan on meeting with their assigned mentor at least twice a year, as well as on a 'prn' basis.
  • These are private, confidential meetings. No personal notes or details will be kept by the division or mentor. Only records of when meetings are actually held, to ensure compliance, are kept on file. These records will be filed with the division's academic personnel coordinator.
  • The mentors act as provisional guidance counselors for general career development as well as emphasizing the importance of balance in overall life goals.
  • When appropriate, and only with the mentee's consent, the mentor may make additional inquiries on the mentee's behalf for additional information.
  • The mentor will serve as the go-between for other faculty members to register their concerns (educational, technical, interactive, etc) that they feel requires direct discussion with the mentee. Every effort will be made to encourage those faculty to first raise the issue with the mentee and then use the mentor forum to discuss things further.
  • Mentees have the option to request a change in assigned mentor (via the program director). In those situations, the prior mentor will be encouraged to discuss things with the new mentor.
  • The mentees are expected to provide a brief summary of their mentoring discussions to the division chair during their annual career planning conference.

Outcomes

  • Improved patient outcomes by enhancing knowledge and strengthening professionalism.
  • Increased physician satisfaction resulting in more resilient next-generation academic researchers who are resistant to burnout resulting in a longer and continued practice.
  • Reduction in psychological stress and strain
  • Increase in self-confidence and self-perceptions related to academic successes
  • Improved communication, trust and interpersonal relations with peers and supervisors
  • Increased and focused motivation/involvement in career commitments and aspirations
  • Development of skills, competence and career recognition
  • Ensuring mentees are prepared, in advance for their fourth-year appraisal
  • Assist mentees to prepare for packet for promotion to associate professorship 6 months prior to the due date

Mentor responsibilities

Successful mentoring requires frankness, openness and trust. The skill, impartiality and objectivity of the mentor and the safety of the mentoring relationship are pivotal.

It is the responsibility of the mentor to:

  • Work with mentee to create a safe and productive working alliance in mentee's best interests
  • Hear, understand and encourage clear expression of mentee's needs, concerns, aspirations and opportunities for improvement
  • Ask searching questions and provide reflective feedback
  • Introduce frameworks to provide structure to mentee's insights, changes and progress
  • Enhance the mentee's learning from everyday experiences
  • Model effective strategies for problem solving, planning, and professional development
  • Encourage mentee to take self-responsibility for making progress
  • Help mentee recognize their own values and development path, act within them and get back on track if you they have diverted
  • Encourage self-evaluation and celebration of progress
  • Respect confidences.

Mentee responsibilities

Responsibility for creating and managing the working alliance is shared by both parties. Mentees must have a willingness to assume responsibility for their own career growth and development.

As a mentee, it is their responsibility to:

  • Prepare for the mentoring session
  • Collaborate with the mentor to create an effective working alliance
  • Provide the mentor with accurate and complete information about personal details and situations.
  • Be open to giving feedback about the sessions, to ensure they work for them
  • Be open to new learning
  • Carry out commitments made and keep track of their own goals and progress

Process

  • The division's academic personnel will notify the program's director when new junior faculty have been recruited
  • The director will send an introductory email welcoming junior faculty with an overview of the program and a request to meet with them for one hour
  • They will be asked to forward their CV and a brief paragraph of their 1-5 year career aspirations prior to meeting.
  • The division's academic personnel will complete a "Divisional Mentoring Academic Status Form" summarizing the faculty member's current status within the mivision and forward to the program director
  • During their initial meeting, mentee will receive a "DDD Career Development Mentoring Program" welcome packet containing forms that will be utilized during official mentoring meetings and suggested journal articles.
  • They will discuss current status and address career-related issues specific to the junior faculty's career trajectory.
  • Program director will provide recommendations regarding best fits for mentor-mentee pairing and send request to mentor individual to senior faculty member of choice
  • The mentee will to take responsibility to meet with their mentor.
    • Quarterly meetings should be sufficient with a division minimum of twice a year.
    • Typical issues may include how does the merit and promotion process work and who is involved, what committees one should be on and how much committee work should one expect
  • Junior faculty will again be notified during the fall quarter to meet with program director prior to the mentee's annual "Career Planning Conference" with division chief
  • Program director will provide quarterly written reports to division chief and will provide summary reports to DDD Management Committee meetings as requested.