title: A framework to establish a mentoring programme in surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mentoring programmes help to facilitate the process of continuous professional development in surgery, providing an organizational structure around a mentor-mentee relationship which helps to develop the mentee. The lack of guidelines outlining how to set up such mentoring programmes, the fragmented inter-relationships of existing schemes and the lack of a unified strategy for their implementation are obstacles to the creation of such initiatives within many surgical departments.
  
  
  METHODS
  We draw upon previous research, the experiences of certain authors and our own reflections to identify the key features of a surgical mentoring programme.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We propose a ten step process which aims to encourage the development of formalised mentoring programmes in surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This outline may improve the delivery and effectiveness of mentoring programmes, which may ultimately enhance surgical training and hence quality of patient care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, 10th Floor QEQM Building, St Mary's Hospital, London, W2 1NY, UK.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kirresh
authors.forename: Vanash M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Oliver J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.forename: Mariam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Hutan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ashrafian
authors.forename: Alex M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Almoudaris
authors.forename: Ara
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Darzi
authors.forename: Thanos
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Athanasiou
mesh_terms: D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008611:Mentors; D017145:Models, Educational