title: A Strategic Approach to Implementation of Medical Mentorship Programs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mentors influence medical trainees' experiences through career enhancement and psychosocial support, yet some trainees never receive benefits from involved mentors.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our goals were to examine the effectiveness of 2 interventions aimed at increasing the number of mentors in training programs, and to assess group differences in mentor effectiveness, the relationship between trainees' satisfaction with their programs given the presence of mentors, and the relationship between the number of trainees with mentors and postgraduate year (PGY).
  
  
  METHODS
  In group 1, a physician adviser funded by the graduate medical education department implemented mentorships in 6 residency programs, while group 2 involved a training program with funded physician mentoring time. The remaining 89 training programs served as controls. Chi-square tests were used to determine differences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Survey responses from group 1, group 2, and controls were 47 of 84 (56%), 34 of 78 (44%), and 471 of 981 (48%, P = .38), respectively. The percentages of trainees reporting a mentor in group 1, group 2, and the control group were 89%, 97%, and 79%, respectively (P = .01). There were no differences in mentor effectiveness between groups. Mentored trainees were more likely to be satisfied with their programs (P = .01) and to report that faculty supported their professional aspirations (P = .001). Across all programs, fewer first-year trainees (59%) identified a mentor compared to PGY-2 through PGY-8 trainees (84%, P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A supported mentorship program is an effective way to create an educational environment that maximizes trainees' perceptions of mentorship and satisfaction with their training programs.
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Caruso
authors.forename: Diane H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Steinberg
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Piro
authors.forename: Kimberly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Blankenburg
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rassbach
authors.forename: Juan L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Marquez
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Katznelson
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dohn
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000379:methods*; D005180:Faculty, Medical; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000379:methods*; D008611:Mentors; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires