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School of Medicine  :  Office of Professional Development and Faculty Affairs : Mentoring Directory

little and big jayhawksInformation for Mentors

Consider this...

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In May, 2011, an article entitled "Defining the Ideal Qualities of Mentorship: A Qualitative Analysis of the Characteristics of Outstanding Mentors" by Christine S. Cho, MD, MPH, Radhika A. Ramanan, MD, MPH, Mitchell D. Feldman, MD, MPhil was published in the American Journal of Medicine. The primary objective of the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine study was to identify from letters whereby mentees' nominated their mentors for their prestigious lifetime achievement award in mentoring, qualities they found to be outstanding. The results of the article gave new insight into how mentors foster the careers of junior faculty in the academic health sciences and is the basis for the information below. Five themes emerged from the analysis but the article explains more about them in detail.

There are Five Basic Themes of Outstanding Mentors

  1. Admirable characteristics
  2. How mentors act as career guides
  3. Strength of mentor's time commitment
  4. Support of personal/professional balance
  5. Leaving a legacy of mentoring

Source: Cho CS, Ramanan RA, Feldman MD. Defining the Ideal Qualities of Mentorship: A Qualitative Analysis of the Characteristics of Outstanding Mentors. American Journal of Medicine. 2011 May; Vol. 124 (5): 453-458. Readers should choose Science Direct and enter their KUMC username and password when prompted.

Characteristics of a Responsible Mentor

  • Know your strengths & weaknesses
  • Eagerness to learn and a respect and desire to learn from the person selected as the mentor.
  • Seriousness in the relationship.
  • Takes the initiative in the relationship, especially in the beginning — be politely insistent about the desire for a mentor.
  • Flexibility and an understanding of this senior professional's demanding schedule. (You'll be there one day; be courteous, not greedy, demanding, clinging or ungrateful.)
  • Schedules the mentoring appointments. (You are the one who needs the mentoring, you need to take responsibility for scheduling the appointments.)
  • Promptness for all appointments.
  • Gives feedback, even if nothing is requested.
  • Interest: the mentor will ask questions about the mentee’s personal and professional life in an effort to get to know the mentee as a whole person — mentees should do the same with mentors. Mentors and mentees both have a life outside of the institution and sharing something about it can help each communicate better.
  • Respect: the mentor is there to help the mentee in his or her career by pointing out the stepping stones, not being one; the mentee should never forget the time and effort this person is taking to offer a smoother path on the way to success.

Adapted from Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia. Faculty Mentoring Guide

Mentors Who Need Help

Contact a member of the Society of Distinguished Mentors with any questions you may have regarding serving as a mentor.

Next go to > Mentee Information

Or, return to > Mentoring Directory

10.15.2011