Abstract
Mentoring is a relationship between mentors and mentees focused on the career success and advancement of mentees. It is crucial to review and evaluate the mentoring system in place in any given institution to identify potential issues. This study aimed to ascertain the perception of mentors and mentees towards mentoring system at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC). This cross-sectional study involved 382 UKMMC medical students from Year-2 to Year-5, and 35 UKMMC lecturers. Data were collected by sending validated questionnaires through Google Forms to all 819 students via the Facebook groups of UKM medical students. The questionnaires for mentors were distributed to all 78 lecturers through their respective emails. Both mentors and mentees showed positive perceptions towards the mentoring system with a total score of 110/144 (76%) and 51/64 (80%), respectively. Year-2 and Year-3 mentees showed higher perception compared to Year-4. Mentees supervised under pre-clinical mentors and female mentors had higher perceptions compared to clinical mentors and male mentors. Respondents reported suggestions for improving the content and structure of the mentoring system, the need for additional training of mentors (especially on how to approach the mentees), retaining the same mentors and mentees pairing throughout the mentees’ education, and reviewing the assessment method. The study findings may help further in improving the mentoring system of UKMMC. Mentoring is a challenging task. Medical schools must assign mentoring due importance in regular training for all levels of mentors by welltrained trainers. The implementation of awards and incentives for institutional mentors may motivate them further.
Highlights
This study aims to evaluate the perceptions of mentors and mentees towards the mentoring system at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC)
The results showed that gender and university of mentee did not have any significant effects on perceptions of all Components II, III and IV of the mentoring system
Both mentees and mentors in this study reported positive perceptions of the mentoring system of UKMMC with scores of 110.24/144 (77%) and 51.11/64 (80%), respectively
Summary
The original concept of mentorship can be traced back to a story in Greek mythology in which Odysseus, preparing for a journey to the Trojan War, left his son Telemachus under the supervision of Mentor, his trusted friend. Mentor was accountable for Telemachus’ education as well as moulding his character and developing his wisdom and commitment to his purpose [1]. Stemming from this legend, the term “mentor” began to be used to describe a trusted, senior advisor who guides a more junior person. The Standing Committee on Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education (SCOPME) has defined mentorship as “a process whereby an experienced, highly regarded, an empathic person (the mentor) guides another individual (the mentee) in the development and examination of their ideas, learning and personal and professional development” [2]. In the past, mentoring within medicine was an informal process occurring spontaneously between junior doctors and their seniors. Mentors need to understand their role and have the knowledge and skills to help mentees professionally [7]
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