title: Mentorship in anesthesia: a survey of perspectives among Canadian anesthesia residents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Mentorship is important for professional and academic growth; however, the role of mentorship in anesthesia is still being defined. We surveyed Canadian anesthesia residents to explore their perceptions of mentorship relationships.
  
  
  METHODS
  We administered a 20-item cross-sectional survey to program directors and anesthesia residents in all Canadian departments of anesthesia. Program directors were asked about their mentorship programs, and residents were asked about their perceptions of benefits and barriers to effective mentoring.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixteen of 17 (94%) program directors and 189 of 585 (32%) anesthesia residents responded to our survey. While 143 of 180 (79%) residents agreed that mentorship was beneficial to overall success as an anesthesiologist, only 11 of 16 (69%) program directors reported formal mentorship as part of their residency program, and only 119 of 189 (63%) residents reported access to a mentor. Barriers reported by residents included insufficient time with mentors, lack of formalized meeting times and objectives, mentor-mentee incompatibility (personal or professional), and lack of resident choice in mentor selection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study confirms that, despite positive perceptions among residents, mentorship remains underutilized in anesthesia programs. We identify barriers to effective mentorship, including the need to consider resident choice as a means to improve formal anesthesia mentorship programs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, HSC-2V6, Hamilton, ON, Canada. suzan.ergun@medportal.ca.
authors.forename: Suzan
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9045-6500
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ergun
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, HSC-2V6, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Jason W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Busse
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, HSC-2V6, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002170:Canada; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008611:Mentors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires