Experienced Faculty Research Articles

Perceptions of Lactation Experience Among Neurology Faculty and Impact of Lactation Time on Academic Achievement at U.S. Academic Medical Centers.

Objective: To investigate the perceptions of lactation experiences of neurology faculty and the impact of lactation time on academic achievement. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study utilizing a survey administered across 19 academic neurology centers in the United States. Respondents self-identified as having children and answered questions about lactation at work. Demographic information; academic achievement including publications, guest speakerships, awards, leadership roles, and funding; and perception of lactation experience were analyzed. Results: Among 162 respondents, 83% took lactation time at work. Thirty-seven percent reported lack of employer support for lactation, 46% were dissatisfied with their lactation experience, 59% did not receive compensation for lactation time, 62% did not have blocked clinical time, 73% reported relative value units were not adjusted to accommodate lactation, and 43% reported lack of access to private lactation space. Women spent on average 9.5 months lactating per child and desired 2.4 further months of lactation. There was no difference in all measures of self-reported academic achievement between women who did and did not take lactation time when measured across all career stages. Conclusions: Although a majority of respondents took lactation time at work, perceptions of employer support for lactation were low, and expectations for work productivity were not adjusted to accommodate lactation time. Taking lactation time at work did not decrease self-reported academic achievement. System-level best practices designed to support lactating faculty should be developed to guide academic institutions.

Exploring Faculty Members’ Experiences with Virtual Classroom Platforms and Their Perceived Usability during the COVID-19

This two-phase mixed-method study examined faculty experiences with Virtual Communication Platforms (VCPs) and their usability in distance education during the COVID-19 epidemic. A stratified random sample of 913 faculty members from 167 universities was selected to participate in an online questionnaire that included the System Usability Scale, demographic information, and open-ended questions. Twenty-five of the faculty members who had completed the online questionnaire were then interviewed in semi-structured interviews. The quantitative analysis results indicate that Zoom was the most favored platform, obtaining a ‘Good’ usability score together with Google Meet and Adobe Connect. In contrast, Perculus and Microsoft Teams were evaluated as having ‘Poor’ usability. Results also revealed the significant effect of gender on Perculus, distance education experience on Zoom, and age and academic status on Zoom and Google Meet usability perceptions. Furthermore, the qualitative analysis results revealed usability challenges (e.g., technical challenges, functionality issues, usability concerns), positive aspects (e.g., usability and effectiveness, support and issue resolution, performance and accessibility), and suggestions for improvement (e.g., instruction and support, exploration and optimization, format and assessment enhancement). The study offers valuable insights for institutions to make informed decisions about adopting VCP, investing in targeted training programs, and ultimately fostering a more effective and inclusive distance education environment.

The Perceptions and Experiences of Medical Faculty on the Undergraduate Mentoring System

The Perceptions and Experiences of Medical Faculty on the Undergraduate Mentoring System

Informatization of Educational Management in Private Colleges of Guangdong Province: Challenges, Investments, and Infrastructure Improvements

This study explores the state of informatization in educational management within private colleges in Guangdong Province, using H College as a case study. Despite recent advancements, the informatization process faces significant challenges, including misconceptions about digital management, insufficient investment, a lack of digital sharing mechanisms, and suboptimal user experiences for both students and faculty. Through a comprehensive analysis of educational indicators, investment patterns, and the current status of digital resources, this paper highlights the critical need for a strategic approach to educational management informatization. The findings underscore the importance of fostering a service-oriented framework that prioritizes the needs of teachers and students while advocating for increased investment in infrastructure and digital platforms. Ultimately, the research aims to contribute to the ongoing efforts to modernize educational governance in private higher education institutions, ensuring they can effectively meet the demands of the evolving educational landscape.

Hear our Stories: A Call to Action for Indigenizing Information Educational Spaces

This panel will present a case study of the lived experiences of Native North American Indigenous (NNAI) students and faculty at the University of Washington’s Information School (UW iSchool). NNAI students, both a racialized and politicized group (Brayboy, 2005), are the most underrepresented and underserved within higher educational institutions (Fish & Syed, 2018; Shield, 2004), representing both faculty and students. Overall, less than 0.3% of Native Americans represent the field of information science (Poole et al., 2021). The numbers of NNAI Peoples in information science fields are the most underrepresented of any racialized group (Ball & Lar-Son, 2021; Kim, 2023). Currently, the UW iSchool supports a community of six NNAI PhD students and three NNAI faculty members. Through their personal narratives the UW iSchool Native students and faculty panel will share strengths, strategies, and resources for navigating the multifaceted challenges they have encountered during their academic journeys. The experiences of NNAI academics have revolved around the historical injustices and institutional biases which contribute to disproportionately higher dropout rates, lower graduation and retention rates, and limited access to culturally relevant resources (Braine & Segundo, (2015). Although it is imperative to identify and address these challenges to uphold principles of justice and promote equitable educational opportunities, this panel will take on a strength-based approach to highlight the successes of the NNAI students and faculty. Our panel session will be moderated by Dr. Miranda Belarde-Lewis and will start with an overview of our topic, an introduction to the panelists and a briefing on the UW iSchool. The iSchool is interdisciplinary in nature which is also reflected by the diversity of research specializations within our panel. Due to having a large number of presenters, each individual will have five minutes to share their story. First, two out of the three faculty members will share their pathway from being a former PhD student at the iSchool to a current faculty member today. These faculty witnessed and participated in the initial development of Indigenous research groups and initiatives at the iSchool which provided support, resources, and mentorship opportunities for the NNAI community. Examples of these will be showcased in the panel examples such as iNative, the Indigenous Information Research Group (IIRG) and the Native North American Indigenous Knowledge (NNAIK) Initiative which address the information challenges within NNAI communities in support of tribal sovereignty and Indigenous empowerment. These faculty members will discuss how they were supported and mentored during their PhD journeys and how they are passing the baton onto the next generation of future Native faculty and researchers. Second, four of the six students will share their journey of transitioning from a master’s student in one of the programs at the iSchool to becoming a PhD student. These individuals will share their personal experience of mentorship and support received from the faculty members. The students will discuss the challenges they had to overcome during their transition. Third, the last two students and one faculty member will discuss their experience coming from interdisciplinary backgrounds and how their experience has been supported within a field that incorporates other fields. Their experiences of being part of a Directed Research Knowledge Family will be discussed. At its core, the yearlong DRG Knowledge Family revolved around an Indigenous Health Equity research team. This group prioritized Indigenous research methodologies and approaches. This panel will provide a platform and space for NNAI academics to amplify their voices and perspectives to share strategies to promote equitable educational experiences for the NNAI experience in diverse areas of the field. Through the fostering of dialogue and sharing encouraging personal experiences and stories encountered at the UW iSchool, the aim is to develop solutions in order to create an inclusive and supportive space for NNAI academics to thrive. Cultural identity and tribal sovereignty are central to the academic success and well-being of NNAI academics (Isaacs et al., 2020). Therefore, the panel will discuss the importance of culturally relevant education and community engagement initiatives. Through the incorporation of authentic and relevant Indigenous perspectives into the curriculum, the fostering of mentorship opportunities and the support for cultural revitalization efforts, academic institutions can create more inclusive learning environments which accurately represent the cultural identities of NNAI students and embrace their sense of belonging. Through discussions using Dr. Littletree’s “kitchen table methodology, participants will share best practices, have networking opportunities, and give guidance for other information schools to develop action plans in order to help foster a supportive educational environment for Indigenous scholarship. By leveraging collective expertise, resources, and advocacy efforts, we can drive meaningful change and advance support for NNAI students in academia and beyond, in person and in virtual settings. Together, we attend to a critical call to justice and ensure that the NNAI community receives the respect, dignity, and opportunities they deserve in pursuit of their education.

Physiotherapy student’s perception of facilitators and barriers to their academic performance: An exploratory study

Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Academic performance is defined as the extent to which student accomplishes their educational goals as a result of exposure to learning. Identifying the facilitators and barriers influencing the performance of physiotherapy (PT) students will help in enhancing the learning experience of the learners. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A convenient sample of 1118 under-graduate PT students were recruited from PT colleges of a state health-science university. A semi-structured questionnaire consisting of four domains, namely institution, faculty, family/environment, and personal factors was developed after a thorough literature search and focused group discussion. The final validated questionnaire was administered to the participants. Descriptive statistics were summarized as frequencies and percentages. RESULTS: Out of 1800 students approached, 1118 participated in the study showing a response rate of 62.11%. The mean age of the participants was 20.87 ± 1.35 years. 83.81% (n = 937) participants were females and 16.19% (n = 181) were males. The most commonly reported facilitators were provision of study leaves for examinations (n = 1101, 98.48%), self-determination to become a skilled practitioner (n = 1100, 98.39%), good clinical exposure (n = 1098, 98.21%), availability of experienced faculty members (n = 1095, 97.94%), and positive atmosphere at home (n = 1089, 97.41%). Whereas personal/family health problems (n = 987, 88.28%), peer pressure (n = 944, 84.44%), exam-related anxiety (n = 891, 79.70%), and social commitments in family (n = 881, 78.80%) were the commonly reported barriers of academic performance. CONCLUSION: Our research concludes that PT students’ perceptions of their academic performance are multifaceted and influenced by both personal and environmental factors inclusive of support from academic institution and their family.

Community College Libraries and Professional Development

The inception of this research inquiry showcases the PI’s past academic library and current LIS faculty experiences, which focuses on the need to provide continuous learning opportunities for community college library employees. With that in mind, the PI will distribute an online invitation to various lists of community college library employees to participate in this study. In this mixed-methods study. The online survey will have two portions: Likert-scale questions and open-ended inquiries to assess participants' preferences and perceptions of professional development at their respective institutions. The platform used to obtain the respondents' data will be Qualtrics. Each research method will be assessed for commonalities and differences. Any data triangulation will be presented and disclosed in a future peer-reviewed publication. Gaining a better understanding of community college library employees concerning professional development can assist current leaders and provide additional research opportunities.

Team-based learning in health professions education: an umbrella review

BackgroundTeam-Based Learning (TBL) has garnered considerable attention in education research. To consolidate the existing evidence, we conducted an umbrella review with four objectives: (a) to identify TBL review characteristics, (b) to synthesize findings from previous reviews regarding TBL effectiveness and outcomes, (c) to determine which student groups benefit most, and (d) to identify the most and least researched elements.MethodsThe Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology was followed: [1] Search strategy and literature search [2] Screening and Study Selection [3] Assessment of methodological quality [4] Data collection, and [5] Data summary. We utilized Endnote, Excel, and MAXQDA for efficient project management and analyzing data.ResultsAnalyzing twenty-three reviews spanning from 2013 to 2024, we found a peak in TBL research in 2022 including more than 312 unique primary studies involving more than 63,987 participants. Notably, the United States and China accounted for over 61% of the total primary articles focused on students from medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and dentistry. Evidence supports the superiority of TBL in enhancing cognitive outcomes. However, findings related to retention are mixed. Insufficient evidence exists to draw robust conclusions when comparing TBL with other active learning methods. TBL demonstrates favorable outcomes in terms of clinical performance and engagement. Non-technical skills show mixed results. Notably, TBL positively impacts self-study, learning ability, decision-making, and emotional intelligence. Faculty experiences reveal an initial increase in workload, but generally hold positive attitude. Faculty development remain limited in duration and scope. Freshmen, academically weaker students, undergraduates, Chinese female students, and nursing students appear to benefit most from TBL. Team formation and size are the most frequently studied elements.ConclusionTBL holds promise for improving learning outcomes, but ongoing investigation is essential to maximize its impact in diverse educational contexts. This umbrella review underscores the need for further research in specific areas i.e. effective pre-class learning methods and faculty workload.

Navigating challenges and cultivating connections: Faculty experiences teaching RN-BSN students

BackgroundSuccess in completing an RN to BSN program largely depends on program quality, flexibility, and accessibility, as well as faculty ability to help students navigate several complex factors. Research specific to the RN-BSN student experience suggests that faculty teaching in RN-BSN programs must be respectful of diverse learners' needs, mindful to avoid bias and reduce stigma, and capable in creating equitable learning spaces. Faculty must also make content relevant to support immediate use by students in the workplace. Yet, little is known about faculty's actual experiences teaching RN-BSN students. PurposeThe study purpose was to describe nurse faculty experiences teaching RN-BSN students. MethodsA qualitative descriptive design, informed by naturalistic inquiry was used to address the study purpose. FindingsRN-BSN faculty (N = 15) from across the United States participated in semi-structured interviews. Faculty preparation to teach RN-BSN students varied widely. Three themes, one with two sub-themes, emerged from the participant data. ConclusionsFaculty teaching in RN-BSN programs needs adequate preparation and resources aimed at supporting student learning. Recommendations include suggested policies, practices, and resources to support faculty teaching RN-BSN students.

Online teaching experience of the healthcare faculty during the pandemic: A cross sectional analysis.

COVID-19 pandemic had disrupted the teaching in most of the educational institutes worldwide. It has tested the readiness of educational institutes in their ability to deal with crisis. This study aimed to determine the perception of health sciences faculty toward online education during the period of pandemic in Pakistan. This cross-sectional research determined the perception using online survey which had been taken from the study conducted by Almahasees et al. Questions related to faculty's perception regarding IT skills, online classes taking more effort than on-campus learning, online platforms having adequate tools to facilitate teaching. Data was analyzed using SPSS. Statistical tests comprised of descriptive statistics and Kruskal-Walli's test. From a total of 318 participants, there were 234 females and 84 males. A statistically significant association was identified between field of specialization and competency to teach online (p = 0.022). Faculty stated that more efforts were required to teach online (p < 0.001). Most of the tutors reported virtual sessions helped improved the interaction with their students (p < 0.001). Most of the time faculty had to prompt students to complete their assignments on time (p < 0.001). Many of the faculty members disagreed that delivering virtual sessions from home was quite ineffective (p = 0.221) and reported experiencing distractions (p < 0.001). This study showed that online learning proved less effective than face-to-face learning. The main drawback of distance learning was the lack of teacher-student interaction. Online learning promotes student-centered learning and could be applied in situations of crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Navigating techno-stress: A qualitative exploration of university faculty's experiences and perspectives in the Peruvian context amidst the return to classes and the post-COVID-19 era

Background: Technology serves as a potent tool that enhances the quality of teaching and learning experiences. However, when educators lack proficiency in utilizing technology, it leads to obstacles in providing effective education, resulting in emotions of frustration, diminished self-assurance, and uncertainty regarding their teaching abilities. This study aims to investigate the experiences of university faculty members in relation to the impact of technology on their mental well-being. Methods: For this qualitative study, ten professionals engaged in university-level teaching, encompassing research domains, were selected for interviews. Inclusion criteria were based on teaching experience, tenure, specific courses or subjects taught, and active involvement during the research phase. The guiding question for the study was framed as follows: "What are the experiences and perceptions of university faculty members concerning techno-stress?" Additionally, the study identified four subcategories: work overload, social and emotional interaction, adaption to new technologies, and expectations and teaching quality. Results: Techno-stress is a composite of emotional and physical reactions triggered by the improper use of technology. Faculty members’ encounters with techno-stress have substantial implications for their quality of life. The subcategories shed light on different aspects of the faculty’s experiences, including the burden of excessive workload, the influence of social and emotional interactions, the process of adapting to evolving technologies, and the connection between expectations and the quality of their teaching. Conclusions: This research underscores the significance of technology in higher education, highlighting its potential to positively impact teaching and learning. Nevertheless, faculty members’ struggles with techno-stress indicate a pressing need for effective training and support. Establishing limits on connectivity with technology and others emerges as a crucial step in maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Ultimately, addressing techno-stress and providing appropriate guidance are essential for safeguarding the well-being of university faculty members and, consequently, enhancing the overall educational experience.

Faculty consensus on competitiveness for the new competency-based emergency medicine standardized letter of evaluation.

Emergency medicine (EM) has introduced a new, competency-based standardized letter of evaluation (SLOE) template. While a previous version of the SLOE has been shown to promote a high degree of faculty consensus regarding competitiveness, this has not been shown for the new SLOE template. The objective was to evaluate faculty consensus on competitiveness for the new EM SLOE 2.0. Fifty mock SLOE 2.0 letters using the new template were drafted and sent to a group of experienced EM educators. The 50 letters were ranked by the experienced faculty as well as a point-based prediction model and a regression model and the results were compared. Faculty consensus on competitiveness remained strong when using the new SLOE 2.0 format. The points-based prediction model and regression model both demonstrated a high level of agreement with faculty consensus rankings for the SLOE 2.0. Introduction of the new, competency-based SLOE 2.0 format did not have a deleterious effect on faculty consensus rankings of competitiveness.

Disciplinary Differences and Scholarly Literature: Faculty Experiences with Discovery, Browsing, and Formats

Disciplinary Differences and Scholarly Literature: Faculty Experiences with Discovery, Browsing, and Formats

Online and Face-to-Face Education Quality Evaluation in the repercussions of the "Covid-19" pandemic according to the point of view of the faculty of Education members at Kuwait University

This study targets the quality of online and face-to-face education in the repercussions of the (Covid-19) pandemic from the point of view of the faculty of Education members at Kuwait University. The descriptive analytical method was adopted. A total of 90 faculty members of Kuwait University were recruited. The results reveal that the quality of education was higher in face-to-face learning in comparison with online learning. However, no statistically significant difference was found between the online and face-to-face evaluation methods according to the perceptions of the faculty members. The study encapsulates recommendations to increase the number of courses to train the faculty members and enhance their skills related to online education, and to redesign the educational curricula and pedagogical strategies to achieve educational outcomes. The findings of the study are helpful to improvise the quality of online learning and teaching and learning experiences of faculty and students of Kuwait University.

Effect of Construction Management Instructors’ Degree and Industry Experience on Construction Management Graduate Job Readiness

ABSTRACT This study investigates the impact of faculty education and industry experience on the work readiness of Construction Management (CM) graduates within their first three years’ post-graduation. This research hypothesized that the educational background and industry experience of CM faculty significantly influence graduates’ preparedness for the construction industry. Employing a mixed-methods approach, this study surveyed 465 full-time faculty members across 30 ACCE-accredited CM programs, evaluating their degrees and relevant industry experience. Recent graduates and industry leaders were surveyed to assess perceived readiness to work. The demographic findings revealed only 7% of faculty hold doctoral degrees in CM and 47% lack work experience in the field. The results also indicated that there is a linear relationship between programs with higher levels of industry experienced faculty and doctoral degrees in CM with enhanced career preparedness. The study proposes the Construction Faculty Qualifications (CFQ) Score, a metric combining academic and industry experience to evaluate and improve faculty qualifications comprehensively. The CFQ Score aims to drive accreditation requirements toward a more balanced combination of academic achievement and practical experience. This research underscores the necessity for CM-specific educational backgrounds and significant industry experience to enhance the quality and effectiveness of CM education.

Bringing back the core concepts of physiology in an advanced medical school senior elective.

Integrating physiology core concepts into the clinical years of medical education has been challenging despite efforts. This article describes a fourth-year medical school elective, Advanced Physiology in Critical Care Medicine, that focused on integrating physiology core concepts in a case-based learning approach. The elective used interdisciplinary faculty in a virtual forum. Senior students were asked to generate mechanism of disease (MOD) maps, highlight the physiology core concepts associated with paper cases of critically ill patients, and discuss with faculty the relevance of the underlying basic science. The weekly footprint consisted of a student-led session presenting MOD maps for three cases, which examined aspects of core physiology concepts, and, later in the same week, student presentation of order sets for the management of the cases. Students ended the 4-wk elective with a mini-grand rounds presentation on a topic of their choice incorporating the core concept paradigm. Student perception data and faculty reflections of the elective course are included. Student data and faculty observations suggest that students appreciate and can apply physiological core concepts to patient care. Faculty experience in the course suggests that this senior elective helped them better approach all preclinical teaching with the Core Concepts framework in mind.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This article presents an innovative approach to integration of physiology core concepts with clinical management using cases of critically ill patients in an online senior elective for medical students. It uses a multidisciplinary faculty conducting a course primarily using case-based learning led by student presentations and discussions of concept maps and order sets.

Experiences of Disabled and Neurodivergent Faculty in Higher Education: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract Internationally, disabled and neurodivergent faculty members’ experiences in higher education often differ from the experiences of neurotypical and nondisabled faculty. This literature review discusses key themes including the experiences of disabled faculty with inequity and stigma, and the various ways in which disabled and neurodivergent faculty respond to these barriers, including hiding, fighting, advocating, self-accommodating, and challenging norms. Further research is needed to bridge the gap between disabled and neurodivergent faculty members’ experiences and the changes that higher education institutions could make in order to improve inclusion of neurodivergent and disabled faculty.

Preparing Early Education Leaders: An Analysis of UCEA Principal Preparation Programs

Purpose: Recently, a confluence of factors has focused elementary school leaders on early education. One factor is that nearly 60 percent of all public elementary schools in the U.S. today have a Pre-K program in the building. Yet, prior research reveals that leaders are often not prepared to effectively lead early education programs. This study assesses the current state of early education leadership preparation among UCEA-affiliated programs. Method: Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach, our study draws on survey data from 232 principal preparation faculty members at UCEA-affiliated programs, follow-up interviews with 20 purposively sampled survey respondents, and content analysis of 113 program web pages. Findings: We found that preparation programs currently afford little attention to early education leadership coursework and content, despite faculty expressing it as an important goal. Only four percent of faculty from the survey reported that their program required a course focused on child development and/or early education—a finding corroborated by the website analysis. Last, our interviews reveal reasons for the limited engagement with early education leadership, including time constraints, limited faculty experience, and licensure and accreditation requirements. Implications: Policymakers aiming to improve early education leadership may revise principal certification requirements that could prompt revisions in principal preparation programs. Principal preparation programs, similarly, could revise their programming to intentionally expose principal candidates to key topics in early education leadership. A bi-directional and concerted reform effort is likely needed to meaningfully advance change in this area.

Experiences of Faculty in Nursing Colleges: A Descriptive Phenomenology Study

The future of patient care is being paved by nurse educators, who mentor, teach, and inspire the next generation of novice nurses. Without them, aspiring nurses wouldn't be prepared to handle the constantly shifting needs of the modern, dynamic healthcare system. Nursing faculty needs to be knowledgeable and competent in evidence-based practice, informatics, quality improvement, inter-professional teamwork, and patient-centred care that are delivered with a focus on a culture of safety. As nursing faculties perform multidimensional work with balancing their home environment can create chaos in their life. Hence this aspect lit a spark within us to conduct a qualitative study on Nursing facultiesof southern region of Tamilnadu to analyse their work experiences. Further the study was led by in-depth face to face interview by using semi structured questionnaires. The data saturation was attained with sixteen participants. Colaizzi’s method was incorporated to analyse the data from the nursing faculty. This qualitative study lead a hand for us to showcase various themes like daily routine, job satisfaction, work life balance, interpersonal relationship and difficulties and challenges. There were also various subthemes which gave us insight on work atmosphere of the staff. Hence this study gave us an in-depth knowledge and understanding of individual nursing faculty and improvement so that the work balance could be maintained.

Mentorship of Junior Surgical Faculty Across Academic Programs in Surgery

Because mentorship is critical for professional development and career advancement, it is essential to examine the status of mentorship and identify challenges that junior surgical faculty (assistant and associate professors) face obtaining effective mentorship. To evaluate the mentorship experience for junior surgical faculty and highlight areas for improvement. This qualitative study was an explanatory sequential mixed-methods study including an anonymous survey on mentorship followed by semistructured interviews to expand on survey findings. Junior surgical faculty from 18 US academic surgery programs were included in the anonymous survey and interviews. Survey responses between "formal" (assigned by the department) vs "informal" (sought out by the faculty) mentors and male vs female junior faculty were compared using χ2 tests. Interview responses were analyzed for themes until thematic saturation was achieved. Survey responses were collected from November 2022 to August 2023, and interviews conducted from July to December 2023. Mentorship from formal and/or informal mentors. Survey gauged the availability and satisfaction with formal and informal mentorship; interviews assessed broad themes regarding mentorship. Of 825 survey recipients, 333 (40.4%) responded; 155 (51.7%) were male and 134 (44.6%) female. Nearly all respondents (319 [95.8%]) agreed or strongly agreed that mentorship is important to their surgical career, especially for professional networking (309 respondents [92.8%]), career advancement (301 [90.4%]), and research (294 [88.3%]). However, only 58 respondents (18.3%) had a formal mentor. More female than male faculty had informal mentors (123 [91.8%] vs 123 [79.4%]; P = .003). Overall satisfaction was higher with informal mentorship than formal mentorship (221 [85.0%] vs 40 [69.0%]; P = .01). Most male and female faculty reported no preferences in gender or race and ethnicity for their mentors. When asked if they had good mentor options if they wanted to change mentors, 141 (47.8%) responded no. From the interviews (n = 20), 6 themes were identified, including absence of mentorship infrastructure, preferred mentor characteristics, and optimizing mentorship. Academic junior surgical faculty agree mentorship is vital to their careers. However, this study found that few had formal mentors and almost half need more satisfactory options if they want to change mentors. Academic surgical programs should adopt a framework for facilitating mentorship and optimize mentor-mentee relationships through alignment of mentor-mentee goals and needs.