A Review of Mentoring in Academic Medicine.
Many believe that mentoring is essential for new and developing faculty physicians to achieve their professional and personal goals, yet there are both positive and potential negative aspects of mentoring. Research reports on the process have few quantifiable objective outcomes, use mostly single-center study populations, lack controls and use mostly qualitative techniques. Absence of a standardized definition of mentorship has allowed widespread application of the term to other forms of protégé support. Several models have been developed, with other generalized descriptors used to differentiate the important qualities of mentoring relationships. Published evidence suggests some characteristic attitudes and personal qualities, knowledge, skills and behaviors are common among successful mentors. Identification and validation of better efficacy metrics, and use of these to design new programs to train effective mentors, are needed.
Department of Internal Medicine, Quillen College of Medicine of East Tennessee University, Johnson City, Tennessee; Department of Medical Education, Quillen College of Medicine of East Tennessee University, Johnson City, Tennessee. Electronic address: geraci@etsu.edu.
Stephen A
SA
Geraci
Department of Medicine, The University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi.
S Calvin
SC
Thigpen
D005180:Faculty, Medical; D006801:Humans; D000071252:Mentoring; D008611:Mentors; D017146:Models, Organizational; D010551:Personality; D010820:Physicians; D012106:Research
Academic medicine; Academic physicians; Attitudes and behaviors; Mentoring; Qualities