Making mentoring more impactful for URiM students

Abstract

Mentorship has been proven to be a valuable vehicle to fight the disparity of diverse representation in medicine. Given the numerous findings that a more diverse medical profession leads to better patient outcomes, we believe fostering mentorship of URiM medical students is in the best interest for patients and the field of medicine. In our manuscript, we illustrated tenets of mentorship that result in effective mentoring of URiM students by any physician regardless of race, ethnicity, or background. This piece reflects upon our personal experiences with structured mentorship programs, results of similar programs at other universities, and ties in a broader conversation of the value of institutional support of mentorship programs. Given the urgency to increase diversity and, ultimately, belonging in not only medical education but also our physician workforce, this piece is highly relevant. This piece is intended to inspire and increase more opportunities for more incoming URiM students to be mentored at the start of their medical journey.