Faculty Mentors Research Articles

Exploring the factors affecting career progression in informal faculty mentoring sessions within mentor and mentee relationships: a qualitative study

BackgroundMentoring plays a pivotal role in mentees’ professional advancement. However, the factors that affect career progression in informal mentoring relationships, especially with respect to faculty members, have not been extensively explored. This study aimed to explore the factors that affect career progression in informal faculty mentorings within mentor and mentee relationships.MethodologyA Qualitative Exploratory Study was designed and conducted from May to October 2023. Faculty members with informal mentoring relationships were recruited through purposive sampling. Seven faculty mentors and eight faculty mentees from various institutions participated in the study. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data, which were audio-recorded and verbatim transcribed. The transcripts were then analysed using NVivo Software and coded. Braun and Clark’s framework was used for the thematic analysis. The study adhered to the COREQ (Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research) checklist to ensure comprehensive and transparent reporting of the qualitative research process.ResultsA total of 76 codes emerged which were classified into six themes: (1) an ideal mentee, (2) an ideal mentor, (3) factors promoting the relationship, (4) the role of gender, (5) factors deteriorating the relationship, (6) overcoming barriers / trust-building strategies. Within each theme, mentor–mentee needs and behaviours were identified, which could lead to positive or deteriorating outcomes.ConclusionFactors affecting career progression in informal faculty mentoring sessions include mentees' positive mindset, internal motivation and clarity of vision, mentors' skills, reputation, and role modelling. Effective communication, trust, respect, and clear goals are also essential. Challenges, such as busy schedules, cross-gender mentoring, and societal biases, affect these relationships. Overcoming these barriers involves sharing experiences, psychosocial support, empathy, active listening, and feedback.

The Personal Faculty Mentor (PFM) Role: Advanced Support for Individualized Student Care

Background - Given the complexity of student responsibilities and backgrounds, the need for additional support during graduate education is evident for overall success. An innovative role that addresses these complexities and mitigates issues facing today’s nursing student was developed. Purpose - The Personal Faculty Mentor (PFM) role was developed to provide one, specific point of contact in an effort to support students throughout their MSN journey by completing new student orientation, individualized student outreach, frequent personal communication, and development of success plans. The PFM role also supports the faculty or instructor role by providing additional support and outreach with student concerns (low participation or scores). The overall purpose of the PFM is to improve student outcomes including pass rates, persistence rates, and satisfaction. Methods - Within the University’s Master of Science in Nursing Accelerated Track (MSN AT) Advanced Generalist and Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL), the PFM role was implemented to support student success. The MSN AT has flexible due dates for assignments which lends for more intensive student support. Results – Since the PFM role has been in place since program inception (July 2019), persistence and program completion are on average 12% higher, as high as 29%, with those students who actively participate with their PFM. Through survey, students report high satisfaction with the PFM role and attribute part of their success to this supportive role. Each session, students who actively participate with their PFM have better persistence than those who do not. Limitations – While the anecdotal feedback and positive outcomes are noteworthy, this strategy did not involve an empirical research investigation. As a result, a causative relationship may not be concrete. There is clearly an improvement in the retention and persistence of students who engage regularly with the PFM; however, there are additional variables that may be impacting the outcomes that would be helpful to identify. Conclusions / Implications for Practice - Student support promotes success. The role of the PFM provides individualized, student-centered support. Students who participate and interact with their PFM are more likely to be successful in the MSN AT.

Global health training opportunities during pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship: Results from a survey of program leaders.

There is growing interest in global health (GH) among medical trainees in the United States. However, providing GH training opportunities at the fellowship level presents several challenges. Understanding of barriers and facilitators to implementing GH training is essential for addressing these challenges. We developed a comprehensive survey of 65 Likert-scale multiple-choice and open-ended questions to assess perspectives of pediatric hematology/oncology fellowships leaders on GH training. The survey was electronically distributed to program leaders at all ACGME-accredited pediatric hematology/oncology fellowships programs, and data were summarized using descriptive analysis. Of 73 eligible programs, we had a 45.2% response rate with 27 complete and 6 partial responses. Respondents represented programs across the United States, including 19 (57.6%) affiliated with NCI-Designated Cancer Centers. Fourteen programs (43.8%) currently offer GH training opportunities, whereas 18 programs expressed interest in future opportunities (15, 83.3%) or plan to offer them soon (3, 16.7%). Major barriers identified include competing training priorities (23, 82.1%), lack of faculty mentors in the division (23, 82.1%), and lack of dedicated institutional funding (20, 71.4%). Key facilitators include the interest and initiative of current fellows (27, 96.4%), dedicated institutional funding (26, 92.8%), and having established international partnerships (26, 92.8%). The study reveals strong interest in GH training in pediatric hematology/oncology fellowships. Despite challenges such as competing priorities and a lack of mentors, significant facilitators include current fellows' initiatives, dedicated funding, and established international partnerships. These insights can help shape future initiatives to incorporate GH into pediatric oncology/hematology fellowship training.

Examining Mentor Perception of Competence in an Academic Peer Mentoring Program.

Peer mentoring programs can be a valuable support mechanism for new faculty transitioning from clinical practice to academia. Mentors play a crucial role in this process. This study described mentors' perceived competence in 21 areas of the mentor role and their experiences as mentors following the first year of a structured peer mentoring program. This study employed a mixed-methods approach, using the Mentoring Competency Assessment-21 alongside open-ended questions. These instruments were electronically administered to a convenience sample consisting of eight mentors with varying experience ranging from 2 to 16 years in the nursing program at a mid-sized university, following an intentional first-year peer mentoring program. The highest-performing items were "Establishing a relationship based on trust" (M 6.50, SD 0.53), "Considering how personal and professional differences may impact expectations" (M 6.25, 0.83), and "Acknowledging your mentee's professional contributions" (M 6.13, SD 0.99). The lowest scores were focused on estimating scientific knowledge and scholarly productivity. Responses to the Mentoring Competency Assessment-21 indicated that mentors felt at least moderately competent in the various aspects of the faculty mentor role. Mentors valued the professional development and supporting materials provided by the development team. An identified area for improvement was the support provided to assist the mentees' scholarly development. This study underscores the importance of supportive materials, such as handbooks and regular communication, in fostering mentor competence and facilitating successful nursing faculty peer mentoring programs. Future research implications include assessment of mentor competence by mentees and long-term follow-up of program outcomes.

A Collaborative Online International Learning Experience for Doctoral Nursing Students and Faculty From Three Countries: Reshaping the Educational Landscape

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic presented opportunities for educational innovations and the development of intercultural learning experiences. A global health assignment guided by a collaborative online international learning pedagogy was assigned to doctoral nursing students from three different countries. Icebreaker activities, along with the Culturally You diagram, commenced the team-building process. Students, mentored by course faculty, completed the assignment, a 10-minute presentation and reflections. Positive trends in intercultural sensitivity scores were observed, highlighting exposure to a new teaching platform, global health issues, and the value of faculty mentorship. While challenges existed, successful collaborations could thrive even during a pandemic.

Improving Undergraduate Nursing Testing Practice by Developing a Peer-Review Methodology.

Nursing tests are considered a high-stakes method of evaluating students' mastery of learned concepts and a means to prepare students for the licensing examination. After observing a downward trend in nursing program graduates' NCLEX-RN pass rates, an increase in test question issues, and anticipating the NCLEX-RN changes to the NGN format in 2023, the department sought to increase test quality. Using shared governance, faculty mentorship, and evidence-based test practices, a testing methodology and process was created by implementing a test review committee. Implementation of the test review committee demonstrated a significant improvement in the quality of tests administered, facilitated improved faculty test development, and increased student preparedness for the 2023 NGN examination by demonstrating a 100% pass rate. Although implementing the test review committee and changing test practice required continued faculty support and mentorship, the outcome produced a standardized quality testing process that demonstrated student success. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(10):679-685.].

Introduction of an Online Mentoring Program for Final Professional MBBS Students

Background: Mentoring helps in the personal and professional development of mentees and helps them develop self-confidence in their work. Final-year undergraduate medical students face many challenges but they also have to gain the confidence to start working independently and plan their careers in the near future. In the coronavirus disease scenario, many of these challenges were amplified, and final-year students were in greater need of mentoring. Even though mentoring had been introduced under the new curriculum in 2019, formal online mentoring programs were nonexistent in most Indian medical colleges. Therefore, it was aimed to implement and evaluate an online mentoring program for final-year undergraduate medical students. Materials and Methods: This prospective study was conducted with 16 mentees allotted to the principal researcher. A needs assessment survey was conducted before finalizing the program. A mentoring module was designed, and subsequently, five rounds of individual mentoring sessions were conducted on “Google Meets.” Feedback was obtained from the mentees and analyzed. Results: Most mentees (93.8%) agreed that an online mentoring program should be introduced. The mentees were satisfied with the online mentoring program (5-point Likert Scale; median = 4) and felt that they had received motivation and gained confidence to overcome challenges. The majority of the respondents (80%) felt supported during mentoring, whereas 86.67% agreed that they were able to harness their positive attributes and started working toward their goals. Conclusions: The online mentorship program was successful in improving the confidence of the medical students in dealing with academic and nonacademic issues.

Regarding the Article Students' Perception of Peer-Students Mentoring Program "Big Sibling Mentoring Program" to Complement Faculty Mentoring of First-Year Medical Students in Saudi Arabia [Letter

Regarding the Article Students' Perception of Peer-Students Mentoring Program "Big Sibling Mentoring Program" to Complement Faculty Mentoring of First-Year Medical Students in Saudi Arabia [Letter

The Effectiveness of National Innovation and Startup Policy (NISP) in Cultivating Entrepreneurial Ecosystems within Management Institutions in Pune

This study investigates the effectiveness of the National Innovation and Startup Policy (NISP) in cultivating entrepreneurial ecosystems within management institutions in Pune. A mixed-method approach involving surveys and interviews with students, faculty, and NISP coordinators across 15 HEIs was employed. The findings reveal that NISP has fostered a supportive environment by promoting awareness, offering mentorship, and establishing infrastructure. However, challenges remain, including limited funding, lack of industry partnerships, and insufficient resources for startups. Analysis of student responses indicates a positive influence on entrepreneurial interest and confidence. However, concerns exist around access to funding, infrastructure, and specialized equipment. Additionally, diversifying engagement activities is crucial to reach a wider student base. Based on these results, recommendations are provided to enhance NISP's effectiveness. These include increased funding, fostering industry collaborations, expanding awareness campaigns, and providing high-value resources like seed funding and investor networks. Additionally, dedicated faculty mentors and standardized resource allocation across institutions are recommended. Finally, establishing data-driven evaluation mechanisms with student feedback loops is crucial for continuous improvement. By implementing these recommendations, NISP can be strengthened to cultivate robust entrepreneurial ecosystems within management institutions, fostering innovation and contributing to India's emergence as a global hub for entrepreneurship.

Strategies Used by Educational Technology Faculty to Mentor Online Doctoral Students in Research Experiences

ABSTRACT As online doctoral education continues to grow, faculty members are faced with mentoring an increasing number of students. To effectively support these students’ research projects, faculty mentors need to develop strategies that take into account the unique challenges of online environments. This study, based on Crawford et al. (2014) theoretical framework for online graduate mentoring, aimed to identify the strategies used by faculty members who advise online students in Educational Technology doctoral programs during research experiences. The data was collected through a survey completed by 24 mentors, and five of them also participated in individual interviews. These mentors were faculty members in online educational technology programs in the USA and Canada. The study found that faculty mentors used strategies associated with both the academic and psychological domains of Crawford et al.‘s framework. The practical implications of these findings are discussed in relation to enhancing the quality of mentoring in online doctoral education.

Supporting the Next Generation of Indigenous Psychologists: An Illustrative Case Example

To effectively increase American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) representation in the psychological workforce and prepare AI/AN psychologists to serve AI/AN communities, transformation is critically needed in graduate training programs. Therefore, we provide an illustrative case example of a graduate student-led, cross-institutional Indigenous Research Group (IRG) mentored by an Indigenous faculty member. Using first-person and synthesized narratives, we summarize our transformative experience in the IRG as a journey in which we found belonging and community, culturally responsive mentorship and training, and the support to become emergent Indigenous psychologists. Informed by the student and faculty mentor reflections on the IRG, we then provide recommendations for graduate programs to support Indigenous students. Ultimately, the IRG is a testament to the creative ways Indigenous scholars navigate the academy and serves as well as a call for faculty to support the next generation of AI/AN psychologists.

Amalgamating multiple selves in the storied experience of cross‐cultural mentorship

AbstractThis narrative inquiry explores cross‐cultural experiences of a faculty mentor and an international doctoral student mentee in counselor education. Analysis unearthed themes on the approach to and experience of cross‐cultural mentorship, attunement and affirmation, growth opportunities, and professional and personal connections. Findings considered mentorship literature and addressed future application implications.

Abstract B124: Driving equity: Enhancing scientific workforce diversity through mentorship and grant writing workshops

Abstract A diverse scientific workforce fosters innovation, enhances global competitiveness, contributes to robust learning environments, improves the quality of research, advances the likelihood that historically underserved, or health disparity populations participate and benefit from health research, and enhances public trust. It isn’t merely their protected status that makes underrepresented minority scholars essential to a scientific workforce, but their culture, varying perspectives, creativity, and individual enterprise to address complex scientific problems. The Stephenson Cancer Center at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, in collaboration with the Oklahoma Center for Mentoring Excellence, has implemented a grant- writing-focused mentorship program, D.R.I.V.E. (Developing Research Initiatives through Versatile Oncology Exploration). This program is tailored to underrepresented scholars who are predoctoral, postdoctoral fellows, or early-stage investigators. Developed in response to the growing need for underrepresented minorities in cancer research, the program aims to provide participants with both theoretical knowledge and practical experience in the grant writing process. The primary objectives of the D.R.I.V.E. program is to 1) discover and promote talented underrepresented scholars and researchers in the fields of cancer and cancer health disparities research, 2) establish an early career investigator mentorship program with a strong emphasis on grant writing, and 3) utilize Training Navigators (TNs) to oversee and monitor the advancement and productivity of recently identified prospective pipeline scholars. The program serves ten mentees by providing a workshop series of interactive sessions, including discussions and lectures led by a professional with extensive experience in securing research funding, practical exercises, and collaborative activities. Each participant will have a grant application ready for submission by the end of the program. Participants also receive support through pairing with one of five faculty mentors (grant-funded oncology researchers) while utilizing Training Navigators to oversee and monitor the advancement and productivity of the pipeline scholars. A post-program survey was sent to all D.R.I.V.E participants (n = 10) as an effort to evaluate the program’s effectiveness. Initial results indicate significant improvements in participants' confidence and skills in the grant writing process. Of those who completed the post-program survey (n = 7), everyone (100%) indicated that the DRIVE program exceeded their expectations, and everyone (100%) found the DRIVE mentors to be highly helpful in providing guidance and support. While only 71% of participants deemed the Training Navigator to be beneficial, 85% recognized clear opportunities for future collaboration. In conclusion, the D.R.I.V.E. program offers a comprehensive and engaging approach to professional development in the field of cancer research. Future iterations of the program will explore expanded content to further enhance learning outcomes. Citation Format: J'Lecia G. Jones, Natasha Mickel. Driving equity: Enhancing scientific workforce diversity through mentorship and grant writing workshops [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 17th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2024 Sep 21-24; Los Angeles, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2024;33(9 Suppl):Abstract nr B124.

Effective mentoring strategies to support underrepresented students during a virtual summer research experience for engineering education undergraduates

PurposeIn this study, students’ perceptions of the effective practices of their research mentors were examined. The research mentors implemented the practices informed by the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) mentorship competencies to mentor underrepresented students in engineering education research in a virtual environment.Design/methodology/approachThis research experience for undergraduates (REU) program, situated in the United States of America, consisted of undergraduate students (i.e. mentees), graduate students and faculty mentors who all had at least one underrepresented identity in engineering (i.e. Black, Latiné/x, and/or women). Using qualitative methods, we used data from reflection surveys and follow-up interviews with REU mentees to understand the outcomes of the mentorship strategies employed by the mentors in the program. The data were analyzed thematically using CIMER model constructs and social capital theory as guiding frameworks.FindingsThe results indicated the identified strategies students perceived as the most impactful for mentorship throughout the program. Students in the REU gained knowledge on how to activate social capital in mentorship relationships and how to better mentor others.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings provide insight on how to operationalize the CIMER mentorship competencies to skillfully mentor underrepresented students in engineering. Given the size of the REU and the nature of qualitative research, the sample size was limited.Practical implicationsThe results help inform mentorship practices for underrepresented individuals in engineering education and the workforce. Further, they add to the practical knowledge of implementing CIMER best practices virtually, at a time when the world has transitioned to more hybrid and virtual working and learning environments.Originality/valueThis study identifies impactful strategies for operationalizing mentorship strategies informed by theory- and evidence-based CIMER mentorship competencies. In addition, this study extends knowledge about how to implement mentoring best practices and engage mentorship in a virtual environment.

The Future of Doctoral Training in Nonprofit Studies: New Students and New Challenges

The past decade has witnessed important shifts affecting the training of doctoral students studying nonprofits. The student body has become larger and more diverse as more students gain access to graduate school, more universities introduce doctoral programs, and the increasing use of the PhD or the Doctorate in Public Administration (DPA) as a professional qualification drives practitioners to seek these degrees. At the same time, academic hiring has not kept pace with the number of graduates, while non-academic employers are increasingly interested in hiring PhDs and DPAs. How should educators respond to these challenges? Combining market data with our experiences as teachers and pracademics from several different disciplines, we offer a roadmap for the evolution of doctoral training. We argue that doctoral programs must focus on meeting employer needs ahead of boosting recruitment. This includes focusing on training students for practitioner jobs and moving away from defining student success as an academic job offer. Programs must embrace the diversity of their students and attend to the needs of the whole student by developing peer support structures, encouraging faculty mentorship, adopting new teaching practices, including interdisciplinary perspectives, and creating resources that orient students to both doctoral study and post-graduation employment.

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.

Family Medicine Resident Scholarly Activity Infrastructure, Output, and Dissemination: A CERA Survey.

Meeting scholarly activity requirements continues to be a challenge in many family medicine (FM) residency programs. Studies comprehensively describing FM resident scholarship have been limited. We sought to identify institutional factors associated with increased scholarly output and meeting requirements of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Our goals were to: (1) describe scholarly activity experiences among FM residents compared with ACGME requirements; (2) classify experiences by Boyer's domains of scholarship; and (3) associate experiences with residency program characteristics and scholarly activity infrastructure. This was a cross-sectional survey. The survey questions were part of an omnibus survey to FM residency program directors conducted by the Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance (CERA). All ACGME-accredited US FM residency program directors, identified by the Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors, were sampled. Of the 691 eligible program directors, 298 (43%) completed the survey. The respondents reported that 25% or more residents exceeded ACGME minimum output, 17% reported that 25% or more residents published their work, and 50% reported that 25% or more residents delivered conference presentations. Programs exceeding ACGME scholarship requirements exhibit robust infrastructure characterized by access to faculty mentorship, scholarly activity curricula, Institutional Review Board, medical librarian, and statistician. These findings suggest the need for codified ACGME requirements for scholarly activity infrastructure to ensure access to resources in FM residency programs. By fostering FM resident engagement in scholarly activity, programs help to create a culture of inquiry, and address discrepancies in funding and output among FM residency programs.

The Making of Future Scientists: Faculty Mentor Cultural Awareness and Inclusive Science Labs.

A compelling body of research suggests that students from racially marginalized and minoritized (RMM) backgrounds are systematically deterred from Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields when teachers and scientists create ideologically colorblind STEM learning environments where cultural differences are deemed irrelevant and disregard how race/ethnicity shapes students' experiences. We examine whether and how STEM faculty can serve as important sources of information that signal racial/ethnic diversity inclusion (or exclusion) that influence RMM students' motivation to persist in STEM. Specifically, we focus on RMM students' perceptions of their faculty research mentors' cultural awareness-the extent to which students believe that their faculty research mentor acknowledges and appreciates racial/ethnic differences in STEM research. Results from a longitudinal survey of RMM students (N = 150) participating in 74 faculty-led STEM research labs demonstrated that RMM students who perceived their faculty research mentor to be more culturally aware experienced more positive social climates in the lab and were more identified as scientists. Increased science identity, in turn, predicted their motivation to pursue STEM careers 3 months later. These findings demonstrate the importance of acknowledging, welcoming, and celebrating racial/ethnic diversity within STEM learning environments to broaden inclusive and equitable participation in STEM.

Students' Perception of Peer- Students Mentoring Program "Big Sibling Mentoring Program" to Complement Faculty Mentoring of First-Year Medical Students in Saudi Arabia.

The Big Sibling Program is an innovative peer student mentoring method that was designed and implemented by the students' council in 2021 to complement the faculty mentoring program of first-year medical students in the College of Medicine, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia. The aim of the study was to evaluate the medical students' perception of the peer students "Big Sibling" mentoring program and to assess the effectiveness of the program in terms of changes in the behavior and academic performance of the students. This is a retrospective study that was conducted in 2021. A registration form that includes demographic data, personal information, and academic performance (GPA and extracurricular achievements) was sent to all second- and third-year medical students to select the Big Siblings. A total of 49 mentors "Big Siblings" were accepted (30 males, 19 females) and matched randomly with the little siblings from first-year medical students. A written consent was obtained from the participants. The survey was structured on a 5-point Likert scale, and composed of four sections of closed-ended questions, that includes: the demographic data, the students' (little sibling) evaluation of the mentorship sessions, the little sibling perception of the Big Sibling Program and its effectiveness of the Big Sibling Program in terms of behavioral or quality effects. Out of 297 first-year medical students, 284 (95.62%) responded. The majority significantly agreed that the Big Sibling was readily available and they personally benefitted from the relationship (94.36%, p<0.001; 90.14%, p<0.001). They significantly disagreed that the relationship requires too much time (72.54%, p<0.001) or that they do not need a mentor (78.87%, p<0.001). Most significantly agreed that mentoring is a good idea (94.37%, p<0.001), the program helped reduce their stress (84.51%, p<0.001), helped them adjust to college (89.44%, p<0.001), and advance academically (78.52%, p<0.001). The program also encouraged their involvement in extracurricular activities (58.10%, p<0.0001), research (43.31%, p<0.001), and social engagement with peers (71.48%, p<0.001). Moreover, the majority thought the program significantly improved their self-confidence (73.94%, p<0.001), self-awareness (84.51%), accountability (54.51%), leadership (54.93%), resilience (71.13%), punctuality (69.01%, p<0.001), time management (75.70%), stress coping (77.82%), problem-solving (76.76%), and teamwork (75.35%). Peer students' big Siblings program has succeeded in reducing first-year medical students stress levels, improving their self-confidence, self-awareness, accountability and responsibility, leadership, resilience, punctuality and engaging them in research and extracurricular activities.

Strategies and Barriers for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Antiracism Work in Family Medicine Departments: A CERA Study.

Medical schools and family medicine organizations have been working on advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism (DEIA). Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) faculty members are disproportionately expected to lead DEIA initiatives, negatively affecting academic promotion and well-being. Our study aimed to describe the existing DEIA initiatives, strategies, and barriers to implementing support for DEIA work, as well as the implications of addressing the minority tax in US and Canadian family medicine departments. We used data collected as a part of the 2023 Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance (CERA) study. The survey was delivered to 227 department chairs across the United States and Canada. The survey response rate was 50.2% (114/227). Sixty-two percent of the respondents strongly agreed that advancing DEIA was important, and 55.4% reported having a DEIA leader, with 75.4% of those positions reportedly held by BIPOC faculty. Lack of funding was identified as the most significant barrier (26.2%), followed by lack of faculty expertise (18.7%). Department chairs who strongly agreed that DEIA work was important were significantly more likely to report having a DEIA committee, mentorship for BIPOC faculty, and a holistic review for faculty recruitment than those who did not strongly agree. Though most department chairs perceived advancing DEIA work as important, appropriate compensation and institutional support are often lacking. Further study is needed to explore ways in which departments can enhance their institutional support for DEIA initiatives.