Mentor-mentee Pairs Research Articles

A Mentoring Network for Diversity in Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research.

The American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) has developed a national and sustainable mentoring and mentor training network titled AADOCR Mentoring an Inclusive Network for a Diverse Workforce of the Future (AADOCR MIND the Future). This program is instrumental in fostering a diverse group of early-career investigators in dental, oral, and craniofacial (DOC) research. The network's principal purpose has been to establish a robust and enduring national mentoring program centrally managed by AADOCR. The overarching goal is to develop a sustainable, nationally recognized mentoring network that enhances the career development of early-career DOC researchers from diverse backgrounds. The program aligns with the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research Strategic Plan and aims to cultivate a robust pipeline of future DOC researchers who can address critical scientific challenges. AADOCR MIND the Future guides mentors and mentees in individual career development as well as improving the quality of mentoring at the home institution through dissemination of lessons learned by mentors and mentees in the program. As science practices have evolved, investigators have moved from isolated individual projects to interactive multidisciplinary teams. Within this research framework, AADOCR MIND the Future offers the global infrastructure and the variety of scientists/AADOCR members. While most institutional mentoring efforts have been developed using conventional single mentor-mentee pairs, the AADOCR MIND the Future program supplements this model with additional group mentoring (mentors-mentees) and peer mentoring (interactions between just the mentees). Mentees commit to 12 mo of programming devoted to enhancing research career development through intensive hands-on work, distance-learning components, and engagement in a mentored grant-writing experience. Mentees are strongly encouraged to remain engaged with the program beyond the initial 12-mo period. Years 1 to 3 alumni (cohorts 1 to 3) mentees continue to participate in a meaningful way, and after the completion of the program, it is envisioned these alumni will become mentors for another generation.

The academic Great Gatsby Curve.

The Great Gatsby Curve measures the relationship between income inequality and intergenerational income persistence. By using genealogical data of over 245 000 mentor-mentee pairs and their academic publications from 22 different disciplines, this study demonstrates that an academic Great Gatsby Curve exists as well, in the form of a positive correlation between academic impact inequality and the persistence of impact across academic generations. We also provide a detailed breakdown of academic persistence, showing that the correlation between the impact of mentors and that of their mentees has increased over time, indicating an overall decrease in academic intergenerational mobility. We analyse such persistence across a variety of dimensions, including mentorship types, gender and institutional prestige.

Navigating Undergraduate Medical Education: The Impact of Enhanced Mentorship Pairing at a New Medical School.

Introduction Transitioning into medical school is challenging, particularly in the first year, with a notable support gap. This study aimed to evaluate a mentorship program at a new medical school. Methods Initiated in 2017 at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine, the mentorship program had two iterations: initial random pairings and subsequent formative pairings based on matching criteria. A mixed-methods approach assessed its effectiveness in supporting first-year students. Results Of 109 first-year students, 76% completed a 6-month survey. Both classes primarily had male mentees with varied interests in primary or specialty care. No significant demographic differences or benefits between 1:1 and 2:1 mentor-mentee pairings were found, though in-person communication was preferred in 1:1 pairings (p=0.036). While enhanced matching criteria improved perceived transitions (p=0.47) and academic performance (p=0.84), these did not reach statistical significance. However, it increased the frequency of communication (p=0.038). Conclusion The implementation of a peer-mentorship program at a new medical school demonstrates high engagement among first- and second-year medical students with perceived improvement in transition and academic performance. Although enhanced matching criteria led to more frequent communication, highlighting the significance of careful mentor-mentee pairings, they did not correlate with better transitions or academic outcomes. This indicates that while these criteria are valuable, they are less crucial than simply having a mentorship program in place.

Perceptions in Mentorship: The Mentor-Mentee Competency Discrepancy.

This study evaluated faculty mentoring competencies of 94 mentor-mentee pairs across institutions using the Mentoring Competency Assessment (MCA-21). Results indicated consistent mentor self-assessments and mentee evaluations of mentors across sites, with no significant association of gender or race/ethnicity on competency scoring. Mentees rated mentors higher than mentor's self-assessments. The greatest self-assessment disparities were within the female clinical educator and female assistant professor mentor groups - they rated their competency lower than the male tenure track and male professor groups, identifying the influence of mentors' gender, rank, and track on self-assessment of their mentoring competency. Results highlight the subjective elements inherent in mentor competency evaluations. Additional multi-site, longitudinal studies of the mentor-mentee dyad could identify precise training needs to enhance mentoring.

Understanding The Needs of Mentoring in Surgery to Guide the Design of Surgical Telementoring Systems

All along their careers, surgeons learn through mentoring, operating on patients side-by-side with expert surgeons. However, access to experts is more and more challenging as they are often located far from learners. Telementoring can increase the reach of mentors by supporting mentoring at a distance, but despite their potential, current systems remain rarely institutionalized. We investigate current surgical mentoring practices, to inform future design of telementoring systems in providing support for learning. In a field study, we observe 11 surgeries and conduct follow-up self-confrontation interviews with mentor-mentee pairs. Through Thematic Analysis, we find that the domain of surgery results in mentee's needs for reassurance regarding safety, being spared from workload and risk, both essential to support the acquisition of skills. Second, that mentors understand the situation primarily through the surgical site view but also through inspecting the mentee's posture and the patient's body. Thirdly, that mentors take physical distance as their presence limits mentees' autonomy development. We discuss the limits of current surgical telementoring systems and rethink their role as companions of onsite mentoring.

Designing Effective Mentorship for Underrepresented Faculty in Academic Medicine.

A dearth of training and resources exists for mentors to address the unique needs of faculty from racial/ethnic groups that are underrepresented in medicine (URiM). Mentoring Underrepresented Faculty for Academic Excellence (MUFAE) was a multi-institutional mentoring program designed to provide mentors where there were none. In 2020, 25 early career URiM faculty mentees each were paired with advanced faculty, and pairs met individually for monthly calls for 1 year. Mentees completed pre- and postassessment surveys regarding their experience in the program. Mentees and mentors also participated in virtual group check-ins where they gave feedback on their experience to program leaders while also networking with fellow participants. Twenty-two of the 25 mentor-mentee pairs (88%) completed the program, and 17 of the 22 (77%) mentees completed the pre- and postsurveys. Survey responses showed significant increases in mentees reports of feeling they received mentorship focused on their needs as URiM faculty members, feeling equipped to advance in their careers, and feeling supported in their efforts to complete antiracism/health-equity programs. Feedback at the check-ins indicated that URiM mentors appreciated the opportunities to talk about their own frustrations and that White mentors appreciated having an increased understanding of challenges that their URIM colleagues faced. MUFAE is a model for academic societies to address the lack of mentors for URiM faculty. Mentees and mentors found the experience a meaningful one that fills a need in academic mentoring.

Longitudinal qualitative study of paired mentor-mentee perspectives on the abstract submission process

BackgroundSubmitting research abstracts to scientific societies is expected in academic medicine and requires dedicated time and effort. The authors queried mentors and mentees to ascertain what topics and proposed strategies should be included in a new curriculum to enhance the abstract submission process.MethodsBetween May 2019 and March 2020, the authors enrolled 14 senior-rank mentors from diverse disciplines at a tertiary musculoskeletal center and their 14-paired mentees (mostly residents and fellows) into a several-component qualitative study consisting of in-depth interviews several months before abstract submission addressing prior experiences, and longitudinal follow-up interviews 1 month before, 1 week before, and 1 week after submission to uncover challenges faced during the actual process and strategies that were effective in overcoming these challenges. Additional contacts occurred through November 2020 to ascertain outcomes of submissions. Mentors and mentees were unaware of each other’s responses. Responses were grouped into categories using grounded theory and a comparative analytic strategy.ResultsAt enrollment participants recounted details from prior abstracts that included experiences with the submission process such as format, content, and online requirements, and experiences with interpersonal interactions such as managing coinvestigators’ competing priories and consulting with statisticians in a timely manner. Benefits of submitting abstracts included advancing mentees’ careers and increasing research methodology rigor. Challenges encountered during the submission process included meeting deadlines before all data were acquired, time away from other responsibilities, and uncertainty about handling changing conclusions as more data accrued. Delayed feedback from coinvestigators and broadening the scope or changing the focus of the abstract compounded the time crunch to meet the submission deadline. At the time of abstract submission mentor-mentee pairs agreed that major challenges were dealing with collaborators, incomplete data/limited results, and different work styles. The authors developed a proposal for a comprehensive curriculum to include organizational, technical and interpersonal topics.ConclusionsThis longitudinal qualitative study involving mentor-mentee pairs revealed multiple benefits and challenges associated with submitting research abstracts. These findings provide the foundation for a comprehensive curriculum to enhance this recurring labor-intensive undertaking and cornerstone of academic medicine.

Mentorship Program Under ASH’s Minority Recruitment Initiative Marks 20 Years of Success

Twenty years ago, the American Society of Hematology launched its Minority Recruitment Initiative (MRI), a multifaceted effort to attract more medical students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds to hematology and increase the number academic and research appointments offered to hematologists from such backgrounds. Among the key components of this multifaceted initiative has been the MRI mentorship program, which matches participating medical students with career-development mentors. The Hematologist reached out to several of these mentor–mentee pairs to learn more about their experiences. (Note: Responses have been edited for clarity and space).

A Virtual National Diversity Mentoring Initiative to Promote Inclusion in Emergency Medicine.

Trainees underrepresented in medicine (URiM) face additional challenges seeking community in predominantly white academic spaces, as they juggle the effects of institutional, interpersonal, and internalized racism while undergoing medical training. To offer support and a space to share these unique experiences, mentorship for URiM trainees is essential. However, URiM trainees have limited access to mentorship from URiM faculty. To address this gap, we developed a national virtual mentoring program that paired URiM trainees interested in emergency medicine (EM) with experienced mentors. We describe the implementation of a virtual Diversity Mentoring Initiative (DMI) geared toward supporting URiM trainees interested in EM. The program development involved 1) partnering of national EM organizations to obtain funding; (2) identifying a comprehensive platform to facilitate participant communication, artificial intelligence-enabled matching, and ongoing data collection; 3) focusing on targeted recruitment of URiM trainees; and (4) fostering regular leadership meeting cadence to customize the platform and optimize the mentorship experience. We found that by using a virtual platform, the DMI enhanced the efficiency of mentor-mentee pairing, tailored matches based on participants' interests and the bandwidth of mentors, and successfully established cross-institutional connections to support the mentorship needs of URiM trainees.

Learning to PERSEVERE: A pilot study of peer mentor support and caregiver education in Lewy body dementia

BackgroundLewy Body Disease (LBD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder. Despite high family caregiver strain and adverse patient and caregiver outcomes, few interventions exist for LBD family caregivers. Based on a successful peer mentoring pilot study in advanced Parkinson's Disease, we revised the curriculum of this peer-led educational intervention incorporating LBD caregiver input. ObjectiveWe assessed feasibility of a peer mentor-led educational intervention and its impact on LBD family caregivers’ knowledge, dementia attitudes, and mastery. MethodsUsing community-based participatory research, we refined a 16-week peer mentoring intervention and recruited caregivers online through national foundations. Experienced LBD caregiver mentors were trained and matched with newer caregiver mentees with whom they spoke weekly for 16 weeks, supported by the intervention curriculum. We measured intervention fidelity biweekly, program satisfaction, and change in LBD knowledge, dementia attitudes, and caregiving mastery before and after the 16-week intervention. ResultsThirty mentor-mentee pairs completed a median of 15 calls (range: 8–19; 424 total calls; median 45 min each). As satisfaction indicators, participants rated 95.3% of calls as useful, and at week 16, all participants indicated they would recommend the intervention to other caregivers. Mentees' knowledge and dementia attitudes improved by 13% (p < 0.05) and 7% (p < 0.001), respectively. Training improved mentors’ LBD knowledge by 32% (p < 0.0001) and dementia attitudes by 2.5% (p < 0.001). Neither mentor nor mentee mastery changed significantly (p = 0.36, respectively). ConclusionsThis LBD caregiver-designed and -led intervention was feasible, well-received, and effective in improving knowledge and dementia attitudes in both seasoned and newer caregivers. Trial registrationhttps://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04649164ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04649164; December 2, 2020.

UK Metropolitan police: reverse mentoring in a small pilot programme aiming to build community trust

Research methodology The case was written from secondary materials. Case overview/synopsis This case is designed to support learning objectives in a Human Relations class of a university management course. The case explores how the UK Metropolitan police, working with the Girls’ Network, piloted a reverse mentoring programme for six months in 2021. Three senior officers were mentored by a trio of teenage girls from disadvantaged London boroughs. The aim of the programme was to address falling trust in the police by creating more understanding and empathy in the mentees for the issues facing the communities where the mentors lived, and to give the mentors more confidence from the experience of representing their communities. Each mentor–mentee pair focused on a specific policing issue that was relevant to the mentor’s neighbourhood: knife crime, domestic abuse or social inequality. Through the process, the senior Met police officers gained a deeper understanding of the challenges in the communities they served. Now that the pilot had been completed, the Met faced a decision point. Should the programme be spread further through the Met?Through reading and discussing the case, students are expected to explore the importance of empathy in the workplace and how reverse mentoring, when having the right support and overall intent, could be used in organisations. Complexity academic level This case is appropriate for university management courses. This case has a difficulty level appropriate for undergraduate and postgraduate courses. This case could be incorporated into a unit on human behaviour, leadership or coaching.

Tailored Mentorship for the Underrepresented & Allies in Radiation Oncology: The ARRO Equity and Inclusion Subcommittee Mentorship Experience

Background There are limited opportunities for mentorship for Underrepresented in Medicine (URM) trainees and physicians in radiation oncology (RO). The purpose of this study was to create a formal mentorship program open to URMs and allies with interests in equity and inclusion as well as track metrics for evaluating program impact and identifying areas for improvement. Methods A mentorship program incorporating a virtual platform was designed by the Association of Residents in Radiation Oncology Equity and Inclusion Subcommittee. It was structured to include 6 sessions over 6 months with matched mentor/mentee pairs based on responses to a publicized online interest form. A compilation of evidence-based guidelines was provided as a reference for optimizing the mentorship relationship. Linked pre- and post-program surveys were administered to collect demographic data, define baseline goals and level of support, and evaluate program satisfaction. Results 35 mentor-mentee pairs were matched; 31 mentees completed the pre-program survey and 17 completed the post-program survey. Pre-program, 15 (48%) mentees reported lack of current mentorship/professional development support, 3 (9.7%) reported satisfaction with current mentorship, and 5 (16%) reported specific URM mentorship. Areas that were identified in the pre-program survey as important to mentees were addressed with high reported satisfaction based on the post-program survey. Mentees also reported high satisfaction with mentor attributes and high overall satisfaction. Opportunities for improvement include additional support for maintaining longitudinal relationships and reducing attrition rates with an adaptive approach of re-matching pairs when appropriate. Discussion Our results demonstrate that there is self-reported interest for better mentorship for URMs in RO, and that it is feasible to develop a nationwide structured mentorship program that addresses participants' goals with high satisfaction. Program expansion could provide URMs and allies in RO more opportunities for career development and promote a greater sense of community and inclusion. There are limited opportunities for mentorship for Underrepresented in Medicine (URM) trainees and physicians in radiation oncology (RO). The purpose of this study was to create a formal mentorship program open to URMs and allies with interests in equity and inclusion as well as track metrics for evaluating program impact and identifying areas for improvement. A mentorship program incorporating a virtual platform was designed by the Association of Residents in Radiation Oncology Equity and Inclusion Subcommittee. It was structured to include 6 sessions over 6 months with matched mentor/mentee pairs based on responses to a publicized online interest form. A compilation of evidence-based guidelines was provided as a reference for optimizing the mentorship relationship. Linked pre- and post-program surveys were administered to collect demographic data, define baseline goals and level of support, and evaluate program satisfaction. 35 mentor-mentee pairs were matched; 31 mentees completed the pre-program survey and 17 completed the post-program survey. Pre-program, 15 (48%) mentees reported lack of current mentorship/professional development support, 3 (9.7%) reported satisfaction with current mentorship, and 5 (16%) reported specific URM mentorship. Areas that were identified in the pre-program survey as important to mentees were addressed with high reported satisfaction based on the post-program survey. Mentees also reported high satisfaction with mentor attributes and high overall satisfaction. Opportunities for improvement include additional support for maintaining longitudinal relationships and reducing attrition rates with an adaptive approach of re-matching pairs when appropriate. Our results demonstrate that there is self-reported interest for better mentorship for URMs in RO, and that it is feasible to develop a nationwide structured mentorship program that addresses participants' goals with high satisfaction. Program expansion could provide URMs and allies in RO more opportunities for career development and promote a greater sense of community and inclusion.

일 가정 중심 멘토링과 멘티의 조직시민행동

Despite the growing body of research examining the impact of mentoring on mentees' work behavior, there has been a notable gap in exploring the role of mentoring at the work-family interface. Our study sought to investigate whether work-family focused mentoring uniquely contributes to mentees' behaviors. In particular, we assessed the effects of work-family focused mentoring on organizational citizenship behavior, taking into account general mentoring functions. Furthermore, our study aimed to uncover the underlying mechanism connecting work-family focused mentoring with mentees' organizational citizenship behavior. Drawing on social exchange theory, we examined the mediating role of perceived organizational support (POS) in this relationship. By analyzing data from 237 mentor-mentee pairs across various organizations in China, we discovered that POS indeed mediated the association between work-family focused mentoring and mentees' organizational citizenship behavior. This study offers valuable insights and implications for future research and practice in this area.

The SUCCESS Peer Mentoring Program for College Students with Concussion: Preliminary Results of a Mobile Technology Delivered Intervention.

Concussions are caused by a hit or blow to the head that alters normal brain functioning. The Success in College after Concussion with Effective Student Supports (SUCCESS) program was developed to provide students with psychosocial support and resources-both key components of concussion management-to assist in recovery and return-to-learn following concussion. In this preliminary evaluation of intervention efficacy, SUCCESS was delivered through a mobile application connecting mentors (students who have recovered from concussion and successfully returned to school) with mentees who were currently recovering. Mentor-mentee pairs met virtually through the app, using chat and videoconferencing features to share support, resources, and program-specific educational materials. Results from 16 mentoring pairs showed that mentee symptoms (V = 119, p = 0.009) and academic problems decreased (V = 114.5, p = 0.002), while academic self-efficacy increased (V = 13.5, p = 0.009) following mentoring. As expected, mentor measures were stable, indicating that providing mentoring did not exacerbate previously resolved concussion complaints. Virtual peer mentoring provided through a mobile application may be a feasible intervention to support academic success and psychosocial processing during recovery for college students with concussion.

Creating connections: developing an online space for cross-regional mentorship and network building in the dementia research field.

Effective development and retention of talented early-career researchers (ECRs) is essential to the continued success of biomedical science research fields. To this end, formal mentorship programmes (where researchers are paired with one or more mentors beyond their direct manager) have proven to be successful in providing support and expanding career development opportunities. However, many programmes are limited to pools of mentors and mentees within one institute or geographical area, highlighting that cross-regional connections may be a missed opportunity in many mentorship schemes. Here, we aimed to address this limitation through our pilot cross-regional mentorship scheme, creating reciprocal mentor-mentee pairings between two pre-established networks of Alzheimer's Research UK (ARUK) Network-associated researchers. We carefully created 21 mentor-mentee pairings between the Scotland and University College London (UCL) networks in 2021, with surveys conducted to assess mentor/mentee satisfaction with the programme. Participants reported very high satisfaction with the nature of the pairings and the mentors' contribution to the career development of mentees; a majority also reported that the mentorship scheme increased their connections outside of their home network. Our assessment of this pilot programme is that it supports the utility of cross-regional mentorship schemes for ECR development. At the same time, we highlight the limitations of our programme and recommend areas for improvement in future programmes, including greater consideration of support for minoritized groups and the need for additional training for mentors. In conclusion, our pilot scheme generated successful and novel mentor-mentee pairings across pre-existing networks; both of which reported high satisfaction with pairings, ECR career and personal development, and the formation of new cross-network connections. This pilot may serve as a model for other networks of biomedical researchers, where existing networks within medical research charities can act as a scaffold to build new cross-regional career development opportunities for researchers.

Tailored Mentorship for the Underrepresented and Allies in Radiation Oncology: The Association of Residents in Radiation Oncology Equity and Inclusion Subcommittee Mentorship Experience

There are limited opportunities for mentorship for Underrepresented in Medicine (URM) trainees and physicians in radiation oncology (RO). The purpose of this study was to create and evaluate a formal mentorship program open to URMs and allies with interests in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). A mentorship program incorporating a virtual platform was designed by the Association of Residents in Radiation Oncology (ARRO) Equity and Inclusion Subcommittee (EISC). It was structured to include 6 sessions over 6 months with matched mentor/mentee pairs based on responses to a publicized online interest form. A compilation of evidence-based guidelines was provided to optimize the mentorship relationship. Linked pre- and post-program surveys were administered to collect demographic data, define baseline goals and level of support, and evaluate program satisfaction. Thirty-five mentor-mentee pairs were matched; 31 mentees completed the pre-program survey and 17 completed the post-program survey. Pre-program, only 3 mentees (9.7%) reported satisfaction with current mentorship and 5 (16%) reported mechanisms or mentorship in place at their program to support URMs. On the post-program survey, mentees reported high satisfaction with areas of mentorship, mentor attributes, and the program overall. Opportunities for improvement include implementation of mechanisms to enhance communication with mentor-mentee pairs and maintain longitudinal engagement. In the first-ever tailored mentorship program in RO for URMs and those with DEI interests, our results demonstrate that there is self-reported interest for better mentorship for URMs in RO, and that a nationwide structured mentorship program can address participants' goals with high satisfaction. Program expansion could provide URMs and allies in RO more opportunities for career development and promote a greater sense of community and inclusion within the field.

Exploring mentor self-disclosure in preservice teachers’ field experience

ABSTRACT Self-disclosure occurs in clinical settings such as psychological counselling and mentor-mentee self-disclosure in the context of early career employment and influences the dyad relationship building. However, there is little research of self-disclosure in the dyad interactions in pre-service teachers’ field experience. Drawing on the data from six mentor-mentee pairs in the United States, this study explored mentor self-disclosure and examined the impacts on mentoring. Sense of belonging theories and mentors’ roles guided analysis of the findings, and highlight that mentors disclosed personal and professional experiences and shared the struggles and failures in their first-year teaching experiences, thereby helping pre-service teachers reduce stress and anxiety when challenged as teachers. Additionally, mentors provided emotional support, which helped pre-service teachers to develop a better understanding of teachers’ professional experiences and further develop a sense of belonging.

E-Mentoring Student Researchers through an Undergraduate Field Experience Course - Lessons Learned

This paper is written by a mentor and mentee pair, sharing experiences from both perspectives. The mentor is an American independent public health researcher currently located in Gaza, Palestine. Her research focuses on Islam and Health, Muslim health, E-mentoring and remote research. The mentee, who co-wrote this paper, was a student in Rhode Island, USA, in a fieldwork experience course. In this paper, the pair reflected on their research e-mentoring experience and offer insights for future research mentor-mentee pairs. This paper is split into 4 sections: (1) the benefits of e-mentoring; (2) lessons learned, and policies developed; (3) effective e-mentoring tools and systems, such as the weekly meeting call notes system; e-mentoring internship syllabus agreement, mentee research orientation, and maximizing Google Workspace; and (4) tips from a mentee. One unexpected benefit to being matched with an international mentor, was being exposed to a religion (Islam) and culture (Middle Eastern) she had not been previously exposed to. While forced to remote online work during the pandemic, the authors conclude that e-mentoring offers an effective means to conduct global research, while offering a unique method for cultural or religious awareness. Therefore e-mentoring should be further explored and promoted beyond the pandemic.

Participant perspectives on a department of surgery faculty mentoring program

BackgroundMentorship in academic medicine serves to promote career advancement and job satisfaction. This study was to evaluate the initial results of a faculty mentorship program in an academic Department of Surgery. MethodsA faculty mentorship program was initiated in July 2015 with 63 participants. Junior faculty mentees (n = 35) were assigned senior faculty mentors (n = 28). After three years, an electronic survey was administered and the results analyzed. ResultsResponse rate was 67% (n = 42). 34 (81%) respondents had met with their mentor/mentee at least once. Topics discussed included: research (76%), leadership (52%), work-life balance (45%), and promotion (5%). Mentees endorsed achieving promotion (n = 2), increasing research productivity (n = 2), and obtaining national committee positions (n = 2). 61% of mentors and 53% of mentees felt they benefitted personally from the program. Actionable improvements to the mentorship program were identified including more thoughtful pairing of mentors and mentees with similar research interests. ConclusionsParticipants felt the mentorship program was beneficial. Further investigation regarding the optimization of the mentor-mentee pairing is warranted to maximize the benefits from structured mentorship in academic surgery.

Creating connections: developing an online space for cross-regional mentorship and network building in the dementia research field

Background Effective development and retention of talented early-career researchers (ECRs) is essential to the continued success of biomedical science research fields. To this end, formal mentorship programmes (where researchers are paired with one or more mentors beyond their direct manager) have proven to be successful in providing support and expanding career development opportunities. However, many programmes are limited to pools of mentors and mentees within one institute or geographical area, highlighting that cross-regional connections may be a missed opportunity in many mentorship schemes. Methods Here, we aimed to address this limitation through our pilot cross-regional mentorship scheme, creating reciprocal mentor-mentee pairings between two pre-established networks of Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK) Network-associated researchers. We carefully created 21 mentor-mentee pairings between the Scotland and University College London (UCL) networks in 2021, with surveys conducted to assess mentor/mentee satisfaction with the programme. Results Participants reported very high satisfaction with the nature of the pairings and the mentors’ contribution to the career development of mentees; a majority also reported that the mentorship scheme increased their connections outside of their home network. Our assessment of this pilot programme is that it supports the utility of cross-regional mentorship schemes for ECR development. At the same time, we highlight the limitations of our programme and recommend areas for improvement in future programmes, including greater consideration of support for minoritized groups and the need for additional training for mentors. Conclusions In conclusion, our pilot scheme generated successful and novel mentor-mentee pairings across pre-existing networks; both of which reported high satisfaction with pairings, ECR career and personal development, and the formation of new cross-network connections. This pilot may serve as a model for other networks of biomedical researchers, where existing networks within medical research charities can act as a scaffold to build new cross-regional career development opportunities for researchers.