title: Mentoring in general surgery in Switzerland.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mentorship has been found as a key factor for a successful and satisfying career in academic medicine and surgery. The present study was conducted to describe the current situation of mentoring in the surgical community in Switzerland and to evaluate sex differences regarding the impact of mentoring on career success and professional satisfaction.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was designed as an anonymous national survey to all members of the Swiss Surgical Society in 2011 (820 ordinary and 49 junior members). It was a 25-item questionnaire addressing mentor-mentee relationships and their impact on the professional front.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 869 mailed surveys, 512 responses were received (response rate: 58.9%). Mentor-mentee relationships were reported by 344 respondents (68.1%) and structured mentoring programs were noted in 23 respondents (6.7%). Compared to individuals without mentors, male mentees exhibited significantly higher subjective career advancement (5.4±1.2 vs. 5.0±1.3; p=0.03) and career development (3.3±1.9 vs. 2.5±1.7; p<0.01) scores, but the differences for female mentees were not statistically significant (4.7±1.1 vs. 4.3±1.2, p=0.16; 2.5±1.6 vs. 1.9±1.4, p=0.26; respectively). The pursuit of an academic career was not influenced by the presence of a mentor-mentee relationship for female (p=0.14) or male participants (p=0.22).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mentor-mentee relationships are important for the career advancement of male surgeons. The reason for the lack of an impact on the careers of female surgeons is difficult to ascertain. However, mentoring also provides lifelong learning and personal development. Thus, specific attention should be paid to the development of more structured mentoring programs for both sexes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; kaderli@hispeed.ch.
authors.forename: Reto M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Kaderli
authors.affiliation: Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.|Department of Surgery, Kantonsspital Frauenfeld, Spital Thurgau AG, Frauenfeld, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jennifer M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Klasen
authors.affiliation: Federal Department of Defense, Swiss Armed Forces, Bern, Switzerland.|Private University in the Principality of Liechtenstein, Triesen, Liechtenstein.
authors.forename: Adrian P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Businger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002321:Career Choice; D005180:Faculty, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008611:Mentors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012737:Sex Factors; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000193:education*; D013557:Switzerland
keywords: Switzerland; career advancement; general surgery; mentoring; survey
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