Preparing for an Academic Career: The Significance of Mentoring

INTRODUCTION: Mentorship is essential for students considering a future in academic medicine. Mentoring is recognized as one of the most important factors in determining career success through enhancing trainees' goals and productivity. An effective mentoring relationship can drive trainees' goals to fruition by providing support so that opportunistic risk can be taken and failures can be reevaluated into learning experiences. Mentorship has such importance that it was deemed mandatory in education by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Moreover, mentoring can play a significant role in helping to diversify the academic medicine workforce. METHODS: This 60-minute workshop utilizes a didactic PowerPoint presentation and small-group role-play exercise to introduce participants to the importance of mentoring in the development of academic medicine careers and to provide instruction on establishing effective meetings with prospective mentors. Faculty facilitated the workshop at nine regional academic medicine conferences held across the country. RESULTS: Eighty-seven diverse participants completed an evaluation form. In comparing pre- and postworkshop responses, there was a statistically significant increase in confidence to “Find a mentor for a career in academic medicine” (2.29 vs. 3.26, p < .001) and “Have a successful relationship with an academic medicine mentor” (2.52 vs. 3.38, p < .001). Moreover, more than 85% agreed or strongly agreed that the workshop's learning objectives were met. DISCUSSION: Trainees from diverse backgrounds gained crucial insight into the importance of mentorship and techniques on how to establish and maintain mentors while pursuing an academic medicine career.