Program directors’ views of the importance and prevalence of mentoring in internal medicine residencies

Abstract

Program directors establish priorities for residency programs. Their views of mentoring likely influence the tone about and availability of mentoring programs. This survey to all internal medicine program directors assessed attitudes toward mentoring, existence of formal mentoring programs, and features of the mentoring programs. The response was 60%. The majority (>60%) favored mentoring. Forty-nine percent of the residencies had structured mentoring programs. Programs differed in frequency of meetings, use of evaluations, and presence of curriculum. Overall, although program directors' attitudes are favorable and at least half have formal mentoring programs, the programs are largely unstructured, loosely monitored, and underevaluated.

Mentoring Nurse Practitioners in a Hospital Setting

“…Mentoring has been found to improve retention, reduce stress, and facilitate the acquisition of skills and knowledge for nurses, NP students, and physicians (Buddenberg-Fischer & Herta, 2006;Castiglioni, Bellini, & Shea, 2004;Faron & Poeltler, 2007;Halfer, et al, 2008;Persaud, 2008;Tsai et al, 2006). Unfortunately this concept is poorly understood and inadequately studied in the advanced nursing practice context.…”

“…Goals are achieved through supportive, encouraging, and nonjudgmental relationships in which information and knowledge is shared (Beecroft, Santner, Lacy, Kuzman, & Dorey, 2006;Block et al, 2005;Cashin & Potter, 2006;Dancer, 2003;Dyer, 2008;Halfer, et al, 2008;Grossman, 2007;Latham, Hogan, & Ringl, 2008;Persaud, 2008). Mentors may fulfill the role of counselors, consultants, role models, tutors, coaches, guides, and sometimes friends to help mentees improve their clinical competency, provide emotional support, and guide their professional development (Castiglioni et al, 2004;Tsai et al, 2006).…”

The Higher Education Qualifications Framework and the changing environment of LIS education and training in South Africa: some observations

“…In a keynote paper delivered at a recent symposium Underwood (2009) likened mentoring to a 'bridge' that can enable students to safely cross the 'chasm' between non-knowledge to professionalism. According to Castiglioni, Bellini and Shea (2004), mentoring studies in family medicine, general surgery, pediatrics, and physical medicine and rehabilitation residency programs show mentoring as important for personal growth, definition of career goals, research productivity, and pursuit of academics.…”

Mentoring during anesthesia residency training: challenges and opportunities

“…5 Parallel observations in internal medicine have been reported by Castiglioni et al In their survey of internal medicine program directors published in 2004, these authors found that, whereas over 60% of program directors favoured mentoring, only 49% of internal medicine residencies have mentoring programs, and overall, mentoring programs are largely unstructured, loosely monitored, and underevaluated. 8 High-quality hypothesis-driven research programs that address important clinical questions are important to the growth of all medical specialties. The traditional five-year postgraduate training period (soon to be four years at the University of Ottawa) presents a unique opportunity for residents possibly considering a clinician-researcher or clinician-investigator career path to be mentored in fundamental aspects of research.…”

“…Dans leur sondage des directeurs de programme de médecine interne publié en 2004, ces auteurs ont découvert que, bien que 60 % des directeurs de programme aient été en faveur du mentorat, seuls 49 % des programmes de résidence en médecine interne disposaient de programmes de mentorat et que, globalement, les programmes de mentorat manquaient de structure, de supervision et d'évaluation. 8 Des programmes de recherche fondée sur des hypothèses de haute qualité et qui traitent de questions cliniques fondamentales sont essentiels à la croissance de toutes les spécialités médicales. La période traditionnelle de formation postdoctorale de cinq ans (bientôt de quatre ans à l'Université d'Ottawa) constitue une occasion unique pour les résidents envisageant peut-être une carrière de clinicien-chercheur ou de clinicien-investigateur d'être guidés par un mentor en ce qui touche aux aspects fondamentaux de la recherche.…”