Making the Most of Mentors: A Guide for Mentees

Abstract

Effective mentorship is likely one of the most important determinants of success in academic medicine and research. Many papers focus on mentoring from the mentor's perspective, but few give guidance to mentees forging these critically important relationships. The authors apply "managing up," a corporate concept, to academic medical settings both to promote effective, successful mentoring and to make a mentor's job easier. Managing up requires the mentee to take responsibility for his or her part in the collaborative alliance and to be the leader of the relationship by guiding and facilitating the mentor's efforts to create a satisfying and productive relationship for both parties. The authors review the initiation and cultivation of a mentoring relationship from the perspective of a mentee at any stage (student through junior faculty), and they propose specific strategies for mentee success.

Implantation d'un système de conseillers pédagogiques dans un milieu de formation en médecine familiale : une recherche-action

“…Il apparaît que le mentor est une personne d'expérience guidant et supportant un novice dans son développement professionnel au cours d'une relation qui dure habituellement quelques années. La relation mentor-protégé est explicite au sens où les deux parties s'engagent volontairement dans cette relation privilégiée [10][11][12][13][14] . Il y a donc un choix explicite et délibéré qui s'effectue.…”

Effective “On-Boarding”: Transitioning from Trainee to Faculty

“…Make sure to consider all the various domains involved in your work such as work-life balance, networking, establishing goals, relationship building, institutional understanding, research, teaching and clinical skills. 24,26 Pick your mentors carefully…”

“…However, in most cases, you will need to take an active role in guiding the mentoring relationship. 24,26 A recent article written from the perspective of the mentee offers the following key points on using your mentor(s) effectively-another form of ''managing up. '' 24 Prepare for the mentoring relationship You will have more fruitful discussions with your mentor if you have reflected on and defined your goals and challenges.…”

“…24,25 Mentoring can also prove invaluable for onboarding. If you are lucky, your mentor will act as your champion by facilitating your introduction to your new institution and your progress at the early stages of your career.…”

“…'' 24 Prepare for the mentoring relationship You will have more fruitful discussions with your mentor if you have reflected on and defined your goals and challenges. 24 Take the perspective you gained in ''managing oneself'' and ''looking in the rearview mirror and to the horizon'' to identify areas in which you need mentoring. Make sure to consider all the various domains involved in your work such as work-life balance, networking, establishing goals, relationship building, institutional understanding, research, teaching and clinical skills.…”