title: Mentoring in Clinical-Translational Research: A Study of Participants in Master's Degree Programs.
abstract: Research projects in translational science are increasingly complex and require interdisciplinary collaborations. In the context of training translational researchers, this suggests that multiple mentors may be needed in different content areas. This study explored mentoring structure as it relates to perceived mentoring effectiveness and other characteristics of master's-level trainees in clinical-translational research training programs. A cross-sectional online survey of recent graduates of clinical research master's program was conducted. Of 73 surveys distributed, 56.2% (n = 41) complete responses were analyzed. Trainees were overwhelmingly positive about participation in their master's programs and the impact it had on their professional development. Overall the majority (≥75%) of trainees perceived they had effective mentoring in terms of developing skills needed for conducting clinical-translational research. Fewer trainees perceived effective mentoring in career development and work-life balance. In all 15 areas of mentoring effectiveness assessed, higher rates of perceived mentor effectiveness was seen among trainees with ≥2 mentors compared to those with solo mentoring (SM). In addition, trainees with ≥2 mentors perceived having effective mentoring in more mentoring aspects (median: 14.0; IQR: 12.0-15.0) than trainees with SM (median: 10.5; IQR: 8.0-14.5). Results from this survey suggest having ≥2 mentors may be beneficial in fulfilling trainee expectations for mentoring in clinical-translational training.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Aileen P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: McGinn
authors.affiliation: Practice of Medical Education, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Linda S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pharmacology and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baez
authors.affiliation: Health Policy and Administration, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Jack
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zwanziger
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Karl E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, and Vice Chair of Faculty, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Ellen W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Seely
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Ellie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schoenbaum
mesh_terms: D002321:Career Choice; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004500:Education, Graduate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008611:Mentors; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods*; D014495:Universities
keywords: clinical research; mentoring; translational research