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School of Medicine Mentoring Program
School of Medicine  :  Mentoring Handbook page 20

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Tips for Mentors

  • First and foremost, remain focused on the overall character development of your mentee.  Successful people develop successful careers.
  • Try to be compassionate, caring and mindful that these are tough times for junior faculty members. (“You can’t learn from tenured arrogance.”)
  • Help the mentee make the transition to the Kansas City area and the KUMC environment. 
  • Make sure that contacts are maintained on a regular basis (preferably through meetings), such as once a month.
  • Listen. Listen. Listen. Do not give advice unless your mentee asks for advice. Some time mentees just need to be heard and mentors should help them find their own solutions.
  • Introduce the mentee to the larger academic community and its culture.
  • Provide advice on university and SoM policies.
  • Advise the mentee on how to deal with the pressures and crises of professional life.
  • Suggest strategies for effective teaching.
  • Propose effective ways of interacting with patients, students and colleagues.
  • Read and critique research proposals and papers.
  • Advise on submission of papers for publication.
  • Encourage the submission of papers for presentation at professional conferences.
  • Advise on tenure and promotion requirements and processes, i.e.,
    • Help mentees formulate short-term goals that maximize chances for promotion and tenure as well as long-term career plans.
    • Suggest strategies for showcasing new work and flag opportunities to obtain institutional support (such as travel funds, release time or access to equipment), or help a mentee steer clear of political pitfalls.

 

  • Advise on time allocation for patient care, teaching, service and research.
  • Provide insight into understanding the clinical setting, classroom and research setting as learning environments.
  • Provide insight into teaching the scientific/surgical/physical exam process.
  • Facilitate success in science.
  • Refer the mentee to other mentoring resources (the DDFD or project mentors approved by the DDFD) when needed.
  • Let the mentee and the DDFD Chair know when a relationship needs to be modified, amplified, diminished or terminated.
  • Participate in as many program and mentor training functions offered by the department or PDFA as possible.

 

 

A MENTEE’S CAREER IS HIS OR HER RESPONSIBILITY.

 

  THE MENTORING PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO HELP JUNIOR FACULTY MEMBERS BE SUCCESSFUL IN MAKING THE APPROPRIATE DECISIONS TO ADVANCE THEIR CAREERS.

 

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MERIT, ADVANCEMENT AND/OR PROMOTION ARE ASSESSED ACCORDING TO THE MISSION CRITERIA FOR THE MENTEE’S ACADEMIC TRACK AND FACULTY APPOINTMENT.

 

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