Mentoring in Medicine Online Modules

Mentoring in Medicine is a series of brief training modules for mentors in academic medicine. The modules are based on the literature on mentoring faculty; however, they can also apply to faculty/learner situations. Each module takes approximately 15 minutes to view.

These modules were designed to:

Cover a broad array of mentoring experiences encountered in academic medicine
Enhance skills and prepare mentors for challenging mentoring situations
Improve mentorship techniques by focusing on developing trusting relationships
Offer a variety of solutions to common dilemmas encountered in mentorship

Mentorship is crucial in professional and personal development but often misunderstood or confused with coaching and sponsorship. It is important for mentors and mentees to have a good understanding of what is expected from each other and also approach mentorship with the goal of mutual growth.

This module:

Defines mentorship and clarifies roles of mentors and mentees
Outlines the importance of empathy and active listening in mentorship
Identifies some pitfalls in the mentorship relationship and how to address them

Presented by Natalia V. Galarza Carrazco, MD, FAAFP

Once the basic groundwork has been set, mentors often need to address complex issues with their mentees. As mentors, guiding mentees through career growth challenges requires thoughtful support, clear expectations, and proactive strategies. This can be challenging; however, with some preparation, mentors can provide mentees with help they might not otherwise receive.

This module:

Provides examples of complex issues that come up in careers in academic medicine
Highlights specific behaviors that mentors can use to develop trust with mentees
Gives tips on how to be proactive and help mentees feel confident that they can address and overcome career challenges

Presented by Natalia V. Galarza Carrazco, MD, FAAFP

Academic faculty from marginalized groups (cultural ethnic, LGBTQ+, differently-abled, and others) experience additional layers to challenge over and above those of faculty from mainstream groups. Mentors should be sensitive and aware of how their unique backgrounds may present challenges to achieving career advancement and satisfaction.

This module:

Describes mentorship needs of marginalized groups who have experienced discrimination and oppression
Addresses how these issues can hinder career progression
Provides tips on how mentors can create a safe space for mentees to feel seen and heard

Presented by Manorama M. Khare, PhD, MS

Careers in academic medicine can be challenging, complex, and multilayered. At the same time, they bring great rewards when faculty are passionate about their work. This module gives tips on how to mentor early career faculty who strive to succeed and thrive in academic medicine.

This module includes:

Topics to address with mentees based on career advancement in their particular work setting
Ways to navigate and overcame obstacles to advancement
Ideas on how to develop a mentorship relationship conducive to addressing these challenges

Presented by Manorama M. Khare, PhD, MS

Mentors are often helping their mentee through difficult times, and it is important for them to embrace these conversations in supportive and productive ways. Mentees may have no one in their immediate work setting who can help them with difficult topics, and a mentor can be an effective sounding board.

This module includes:

Ways to identify potentially difficult topics/conversations and be prepared for them
Tips for addressing difficult topics like struggles with career choice and difficult feedback
Ways to provide consistency, goal setting, and optimism for mentees struggling in different areas

Presented by Kathryn Fraser, PhD

Additional STFM Resources

Early-Career Mentorship Program

The STFM Podcast July 2021: How to Be a Good Mentor With Dr Tammy Chang

The URM JAM Podcast Episode 22: The Power of Mentorship With Byron Jasper, MD, MPH

Quick Consult

Additional Resources

Mentoring Resource Packet—University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Department of Family Medicine

Mentoring: Why and How—UT Health San Antonio Long School of Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine

Finding a Mentor in Medicine—American Academy of Family Physicians

Career Development and the Power of Mentorship in Medicine—Permanente Medicine

References

Mentorship and professional development

Zachary, L. J. (2011). The Mentor's Guide: Facilitating Effective Learning Relationships (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.
Rosenberg, M. B. (2015). Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life (3rd ed.). Puddle Dancer Press.
Frey, L., & Botan, C. H. (2000). Investigating Communication: An Introduction to Research Methods. Allyn & Bacon.
Schunk, D. H., & Mullen, C. A. (2013). Toward a Conceptual Model of Mentorship in Teacher Education. Educational Psychology Review, 25(2), 361–389. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-013-9233-5
Brown, B. (2018). Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. Random House.
Scott, K. (2017). Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity. St. Martin's Press.
Shanafelt, T. D., & Noseworthy, J. H. (2017). Executive Leadership and Physician Well-Being: Nine Organizational Strategies to Promote Engagement and Reduce Burnout. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 92(1), 129–146. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2016.10.004
Algiraigri, AH. Ten Tips for receiving feedback effectively in clinical practice. (2014). Med Educ Online, 19: 25141- http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/meo.v19.25141

Mentorship In Academic Medicine

Wingard, D. L., Garman, K. A., & Reznik, V. (2004). Facilitating Faculty Success: Outcomes and Cost Benefit of the UCSD National Center of Leadership in Academic Medicine. Academic Medicine, 79(10 Suppl), S9–S11. https://doi.org/10.1097/00001888-200410001-00004.
Zambrana, R. E., Ray, R., Espino, M. M., Castro, C., Cohen, B. D., & Eliason, J. (2015). “Don’t Leave Us Behind”: The Importance of Mentoring for Underrepresented Minority Faculty. American Educational Research Journal, 52(1), 40–72. https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831214563063.
Feldman MD, Arean PA, Marshall SJ, Lovett M, Osullivan P. Does mentoring matter: results from a survey of faculty mentees at a large health sciences university. Medical Education Online. 2010;15(1):5063. doi:10.3402/meo.v15i0.5063.
Riley, M, Skye E, Reid BD, Mentorship in an academic department of Family Medicine. Fam Med. 2014;46(10):792-6.
Burns LJ, Clayton CP, George JN, Mitchell BS, Gitlin SD. The Effect of an Intense Mentoring Program on Junior Investigators’ Preparation for a Patient-Oriented Clinical Research Career. First Academic Medicine. 2015;90(8):1061-1066. doi:10.1097/acm.0000000000000742.
Detsky AS, Baerlocher MO. Academic Mentoring—How to Give It and How to Get It. Jama. 2007;297(19):2134. doi:10.1001/jama.297.19.2134.
Chopra V, Edelson DP, Saint S. Mentorship Malpractice. Jama. 2016;315(14):1453. doi:10.1001/jama.2015.18884.
Pololi, L, Knight, S. Mentoring faculty in Academic Medicine. J Gen Int Med. 2005; 20:866-870.
Ramani, Subha, et al. Twelve Tips for Developing Effective Mentors. Medical Teacher, vol. 28, no. 5, 2006, pp. 404–408., doi:10.1080/01421590600825326.

Mentorship with Underrepresented Groups

Athman, C, Bidar-Sielaff, S, Black, A, Edgoose, J, Fendry, M, Knox, K, Lankton, R, Salinas, A, Santiago, M, Stevenson, K, Veltum, L. (2017) Mentorship Toolkit: Supporting Your Mentors and Mentees. DEI Committee, Dept. of Fam Med and Comm Hlth, Univ of Wisconsin. https://www.fammed.wisc.edu/files/webfm-uploads/documents/diversity/Mentorship-Toolkit.pdf
Brown Speights, J, Figueroa, E, Figueroa, E, Washington, J. (2016) Enhancing Mentorship for Underrepresented Minority Family Medicine Faculty: Workshop Tools. https://resourcelibrary.stfm.org/viewdocument/enhancing-mentorship-for-underrepre
Edgoose, J., Anderson, A., Brown-Speights J. S., Bullock, K., Ferguson, W., Fraser, K., Guh, J., Hampton, A., Henderson, D., Lankton, R., Martinez-Bianchi, V., Ring, J., Roberson, K., Rodgers, D., Saba, G., Saint-Hilaire, L., Svetaz, V., White-Davis, T., Wu, D. (2017). Teaching about Racism in the Context of Persistent Health and Healthcare Disparities. https://resourcelibrary.stfm.org/viewdocument/toolkit-for-teaching-about-racism-i?CommunityKey=2751b51d-483f-45e2-81de-4faced0a290a&tab=librarydocuments
Childs E, Yoloye K, Bhasin RM, Benjamin EJ, Assoumou SA. Retaining faculty from underrepresented groups in academic medicine: results from a needs assessment. South Med J. 2023 Feb;116(2):157-161. doi: 10.14423/SMJ.0000000000001510. PMID: 36724529; PMCID: PMC9907002.
Sevelius, J.M.; Harris, O.O.; Bowleg, L. Intersectional mentorship in academic Medicine: a conceptual review. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21, 503. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21040503.
American Association of Medical Colleges. Diversity in medicine: facts and figures 2019. Accessed 23 May 2024. https://www.aamc.org/data-reports/workforce/report/diversity-medicine-facts-and-figures-2019.
United States Census Bureau. Race and Hispanic Origin Tables 2020. Accessed 23 May 2024. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/RHI825222#RHI825222
Association of Departments of Family Medicine. ADFM Diversity, Inclusion and Health Equity Taskforce. Accessed 23 May 2024 https://www.adfm.org/media/1557/adfm-diversity-inclusion-health-equity-taskforce-charge-11918.pdf.
Society of Teachers of Family Medicine. Underrepresented in Medicine Initiative. Accessed 23 May 2024. https://www.stfm.org/about/keyinitiatives/antiracism-and-health-equity/urm-initiative/urm-initiative/.
Quach, E.D., Pimentel, C.B. & Hartmann, C.W. Addressing inequity through “mentee-focused” mentorship. J Gen Intern Med36, 1768–1770 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-020-06148-8.
Coe C, Piggott C, Davis A, et al. Leadership Pathways in Academic Family Medicine: Focus on Underrepresented Minorities and Women. Fam Med. 2020;52(2):104-111. https://doi.org/10.22454/FamMed.2020.545847.
Haas, M., Triemstra, J., Tam, M. et al. A decade of faculty development for health professions educators: lessons learned from the Macy Faculty Scholars Program. BMC Med Educ 23, 185 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04155-x.
Harris LM, Pierre EF, Almaroof N, Cimino FM. Cross-Cultural Mentorship in Military Family Medicine: Defining the Problem. Fam Med. 2023;55(9):607-611. https://doi.org/10.22454/FamMed.2023.794972.
American Thoracic Society. ATS URM Mentoring Programs. https://www.thoracic.org/about/health-equality/urm-mentoring-program/. Accessed 23 May 2024.
Bonifacino E, Ufomata EO, Farkas AH, Turner R, Corbelli JA. Mentorship of Underrepresented Physicians and Trainees in Academic Medicine: a Systematic Review. J Gen Intern Med. 2021 Apr;36(4):1023-1034. doi: 10.1007/s11606-020-06478-7. Epub 2021 Feb 2. PMID: 33532959; PMCID: PMC7852467.
Fraser, KF, Dennis, SA, Kim, C et al. Designing Effective Mentorship for Underrepresented Faculty in Academic Medicine. Fam Med. 2024;56(1):42-46. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10836625/.
Nivet, MA, Taylor, VS, Butts, GC, et al. Diversity in academic medicine: no 1. case for minority faculty development today. Mt Sin J Med 2008;75(6):491-498. doi:10.1002/msj.20079.
Beech BM, Calles-Escandon J, Hairston, KG, Langdon SE, Latham-Sadler BA. Mentoring programs for underrepresented minority faculty in Academic Medical Centers. Acad Med 2013;88(4):541-549. doi:10.1097/acm.Ob013e3182859e3.
Rodriguez JE, Campbell KM, Fogarty JP, Williams RL. Underrepresented minority faculty in academic medicine: a systematic review of URM faculty development. Fam Med. 2014 Feb;46(2):100-4. PMID: 24573516.
Rodríguez, J.E., Campbell, K.M. & Pololi, L.H. Addressing disparities in academic medicine: what of the minority tax?. BMC Med Educ 15, 6 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-015-0290-9
Thompson, K. & Taylor, E. Inclusive mentorship and sponsorship. Hand Clin. 39, 43–52 (2023).

Authors

Kathryn Fraser, PhD

Kathryn Fraser, PhD, is a Licensed Psychologist and the Behavioral Medicine Coordinator, at the Halifax Health Family Medicine Residency in Daytona Beach, Florida. Her academic interests include cultural issues in health care, biopsychosocial approaches to health behavior change, professional wellness, and mentorship, particularly with underrepresented and marginalized populations. She is dedicated to community involvement and is proud to assist residents who are spearheading a mentorship program with Bethune Cookman University, our local HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities). She is a former director of STFM’s Underrepresented in Medicine Mentoring Program and was also director of the Behavioral Science/Family Systems Educator Fellowship (BFEF). She received STFM’s inaugural Diversity Award in 2022, and also received the Susan McDaniel Distinguished Career Award for Behavioral Science Teaching in Family Medicine that year. She currently serves as a Member at Large on the STFM Board of Directors.

Natalia V. Galarza Carrazco, MD, FAAFP

Dr. Natalia Galarza grew up near Yuma, Arizona. She attended medical school at Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, graduating with honors. She completed her Family Medicine residency at Yuma Regional Medical Center as part of its first graduating class. With experience practicing on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, she deeply understands the region’s unique healthcare challenges and is passionate about glocal medicine, advocacy, and medical education. She founded a mentorship program for underserved students in Yuma County and has presented at multiple national AAFP and STFM conferences. She serves as Program Director for a new Family Medicine residency program at Yuma County. She is President of the Arizona Academy of Family Physicians and a Trustee Board member for the STFM Foundation.

Manorama M. Khare, PhD, MS

Dr. Manorama Khare is a Research Associate Professor and Director of the Division of Health Research and Evaluation at the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford. She has over two decades of experience implementing and evaluating community-engaged research related to underserved populations and women’s health, specifically in rural communities. She oversees a nearly $2.5 million budget in the research division and is the PI for 15 grants and program evaluation contracts funded by HRSA, CDC, IDPH, and other foundations. She is active in DEI work at her institution and is committed to the advancement of women and underrepresented minorities in medicine. She serves as the director of the webinar series for STFM New Faculty Scholars Program and mentors faculty, medical and public health students, and other junior researchers. Dr. Khare has a doctorate in Public Health from the University of Illinois Chicago and a master’s in Preventive Medicine from The Ohio State University. Before moving to the US, she obtained a BS and MS in community nutrition and did her early community work in the slums of Mumbai and rural villages around Mumbai.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to gratefully acknowledge members of the Faculty Development Collaborative who offered their feedback during the development of these modules.