title: The mentoring needs of trainees in family practice.
abstract: This qualitative study examined medical students' and family practice residents' ideas, perceptions, and experiences of being mentored and their expectations of the mentoring experience. Eight focus groups and 16 individual interviews were used to collect data from 49 medical students  and 29 family practice residents. Interviews and focus groups were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. The analysis was iterative and interpretive, using both individual and team analyses. The analysis of the data revealed two central but related themes. The first theme reflected participants'  overall experiences with mentors composed of three distinct elements: mentor roles (e.g. coach, advisor) and attributes (e.g. openness and approachability), interactions with mentors, and early exposure to family practice mentors (e.g. observing patient encounters). The second theme explicated  the trainees' specific learning needs to be addressed by mentors that were categorised into three distinct yet overlapping levels: 1 practice level (i.e. guidance regarding the logistics of practice management) 2 system level (i.e. knowledge about the medical community as well as community  resources) 3 personal level (i.e. guidance in balancing personal and professional responsibilities). Having the option of selecting multiple mentors to address unique aspects of the mentees' personal and professional development is critical in respecting the evolutionary nature and fluidity  of the mentoring experience.
authors: Department of Family Medicine, University of Western Ontario, Canada. jbbrown@uwo.ca
authors: Judith Belle
authors: JB
authors: Brown
authors: Cathy
authors: C
authors: Thorpe
authors: Jann
authors: J
authors: Paquette-Warren
authors: Moira
authors: M
authors: Stewart
authors: Jan
authors: J
authors: Kasperski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D008611:Mentors; D008875:Middle Aged; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*