Developing a mentorship program for clinical researchers.
BACKGROUND
In academic health centers, the number of physician investigators and the number of research studies headed by clinicians has been declining. The U.S. Institute of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health suggest improved mentoring is important to reversing these trends.


METHODS
This is a case study review of the role of mentors in developing and sustaining clinical investigators at the Cleveland Clinic.


RESULTS
Issues influencing mentoring relationships at the Cleveland Clinic include whether mentoring contracts are formally or informally related and are agreed on; whether there are scheduled meetings for mentors and protégés; whether there are clearly articulated benchmarks and manageable steps; and whether there is a code of mentorship.


CONCLUSIONS
Interactive group formats can lead to development of a code of mentorship and increased awareness of faculty regarding clinical investigation.
Blixen
Carol E
CE
Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Section on Health Outcomes Research and Clinical Epidemiology, and joint appointment, Department of Bioethics, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. blixenc@ccf.org
Papp
Klara K
KK
Hull
Alan L
AL
Rudick
Richard A
RA
Bramstedt
Katrina A
KA
D035843:Biomedical Research; D006801:Humans; D008611:Mentors; D009820:Ohio; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D016730:Program Development; D012108:Research Personnel / Q000193:education*