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Programs

Mentorship Program

Our goal is to create cross-departmental mentoring pairs that support the growth and development of the KU School of Medicine faculty.

We believe that mentoring increases faculty success and achievement. Our goal is that every faculty member can identify at least one senior KU School of Medicine faculty mentor outside of their department that serves on their team of mentors. Research suggests that having a team of mentors leads to a more successful and satisfying career.

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Join / Match / Meet

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Information Needed

Participation Type

  • Mentor (Capacity Number)
  • Mentee
  • Both (Capacity Number for Mentor)

    The Faculty Development team will work hard to match you with the perfect mentor. They will take into consideration the Big Five Inventory (BFI, also known as OCEAN) test, affinity groups for faculty underrepresented in medicine by race, ethnicity and/or gender and areas of interest if selected.

    Once your 1:1 match is made, mentors and mentees will receive an email introducing the partnership. Meet with your match. The expectations are that the pairs will meet at least twice a year (more frequently is encouraged). The length of the relationship should be determined based on needs of the mentor and mentee and should be clearly communicated. If the relationship changes (which is not uncommon as needs change or the match is not ideal), please fill out the join survey again to indicate your preferences for future matching.

    Quarterly Meetings

    For our active members, in addition to your 1:1 partnership, you have the opportunity to meet with your color group! Outlook calendar invites for these meetings will be sent by our Administrative Assistant, Victoria Rosales.

    Individuals interested in learning more about the mentorship program are invited to attend these meetings. Please sign up using the registration links below:

    Q1

    2005 Date Coming Soon

    Zoom
    Q2

    2005 Date Coming Soon

    Hybrid
    Q3

    Noon, Thu, Jul 25

    Zoom
    Q4

    Noon, Wed, Oct 02

    Hybrid
    Frequently Asked Questions

    The School of Medicine Faculty Affairs and Development Office created the Faculty Mentorship Program based on needs assessments, departure surveys, and requests from faculty. We used literature-based best practices to match faculty mentors and mentees across departments to develop rewarding, productive mentoring relationships focused on faculty development. In addition to matching mentors and mentees in a 1:1 relationship, participants are also matched into Mentorship Groups. Mentors and their mentees will be in the same Mentorship Groups.

    Because it takes time to build a rewarding, productive mentoring relationship, the program is designed to last two years. At the end of the first-year mentees have the option to work with a new mentor. This is for mentees who may want mentorship in other areas.

    The time commitment is about six hours per year. At a minimum, mentors should meet their mentees for about one hour twice a year. There are also one-hour quarterly group meetings. Attending the quarterly meetings is recommended but not required.

    A person who is advised, trained, or counseled by a mentor.

     

    We believe that you should have a team of mentors to assist you in your growth and development. It is unlikely that any one person will have all the experience, knowledge, and skills to be fully able to support your growth, so we strongly recommend having several mentors. Most successful mentees report having a mentor within their field of expertise, another mentor within their institution but outside their department, and an external mentor in their specialty or areas of interest. Finding a mentor in that area is also helpful if your goal is to grow into a unique niche.

     

    How can I be a good mentee?

    Reach out to your mentor! In general, the mentee should drive the process. If someone has agreed to mentor you, by definition they have said they have the time to help. In our previous panel discussions, mentors have consistently said they want the mentee to reach out when they have questions or need help. They are perfectly able to tell you if "now is not a good time," so don't hesitate to initiate contact. The biggest regret mentees have expressed in our panels is also that they didn't reach out often enough. We commonly heard "I didn't want to bother them," but "Every time I asked, they were happy to help." 

     

    Meet with your mentor for about 1 hour at least twice per year. We encourage you to meet more often as successful mentorships often meet more frequently. When you meet and what you discuss is something you decide together. The mentorship relationship is yours to develop, and it is up to you to determine the topics and directions.

     

    Explore past Mentorship Discussion Panels in the Additional Resources Other section to learn about becoming a successful mentee, enhancing mentorship skills, reflecting on lessons learned, and navigating challenges.

    An experienced and trusted adviser.

     

    Have an up-to-date FACT site as we will direct mentees to your page. Expect mentees to reach out to you. Meet with your mentee at least twice per year. We encourage you to meet more often as successful mentorships meet more frequently. When you meet and what you discuss is something you decide together.

     

    Mentors should feel free to contact their mentees periodically to check in and provide support.

    Yes! Select this option when you sign up or if you are already an active member update your selection.

    The Faculty Development team will start the matching process.  We will work hard to create your 1:1 partnership.  Within your color group, we take into consideration the Big Five Inventory (BFI, also known as OCEAN) test, affinity groups for faculty underrepresented in medicine by race, ethnicity, and/or gender, and areas of interest if selected. We expect 200-300 faculty to participate each year so it might take 3-4 weeks before we make contact.

    There is evidence from the business literature that mentor pairs with similar personalities have more successful relationships. The sample questions below demonstrate how this plays out. The Big Five Inventory (BFI, also known as OCEAN) is the test with the widest use in the literature. The BFI is you answering questions about the way you perceive yourself. No one is judging you except for you. There is no right or wrong answer to the questions, just similarities or differences.

    Sample Questions: How They Could Help in Matching

    I see myself as someone shy and inhibited. If you answer "Agree Strongly" and your mentor answers "Disagree Strongly," your mentor may interpret your shyness as a lack of skill interest or ability. If instead, your mentor was similar, they might be able to provide advice on how to navigate that shyness.

    I see myself as someone who remains calm in tense situations. If you answer "Agree Strongly" and your mentor answers "Disagree Strongly," your mentor may interpret your calm as a lack of urgency, interest or understanding. Or vice-versa, if you disagree strongly, your mentor may wonder why you are stressed out or seem anxious about the project. If you and your mentor respond similarly, there are less likely to be these misinterpretations.

    I see myself as someone who does a thorough job. If you answer "Agree Strongly" and your mentor answers "Disagree Strongly," your mentor may think you are putting too much pressure on them or that you're "wound too tight." Or vice-versa, if you disagree strongly your mentor may wonder why you aren't interested in getting the project done. Again, if you were matched with someone with a similar style, those misunderstandings are less likely to arise.

    *Participation in the personality survey is voluntary, and your answers will not undergo review by anyone.

    Your results will appear at the end of your survey. You can also request them by contacting the Program Manager, Heather Rissler, PhD, EdD.

    First mentors, mentees, or both are sorted into groups (color groups) based in part on the results of an optional personality inventory assessment. The Faculty Development team will work hard to create your partnership.  They will take into consideration the Big Five Inventory (BFI, also known as OCEAN) test, affinity groups for faculty underrepresented in medicine by race, ethnicity, and/or gender, and areas of interest if selected.

    Once matches are made, mentors and mentees will receive an email introducing the partnership.

     

    The expectations are that the pairs will meet at least twice each year (more frequently is encouraged). The initial term is for two years, but if either partner wants to change at the end of one year, that is ok.

    A color group is a group based on the personality test results category.  The Faculty Development team puts you into a color group with others that received the same results. If you did not take the test you are in a color group with others that did not take the test. 

     

    Why This Color

    These colors are the official KUMC color palette.  We hope the identifying colors lift and inspire you to be a great KU School of Medicine faculty mentor or mentee.

    You can meet with people in your color group up to four times during this process.  This is a great networking opportunity!  You are welcome to meet more outside of the FAD sponsored events.

     

    Quarterly Meeting

    This 1-hour meeting with your color group is a chance for networking and to catch up and discuss best practices, success stories, and challenges. Invites will be sent via email with event details.  

     

    Benefits of Meeting

    Not only will you get to meet amazing people in our KU School of Medicine community, but networking contributes to your social well-being. It also leads to the exchange of ideas, helps you meet people at all professional levels, and boosts your professional confidence.

    Additional Resources
    • Athanasiou, T., Patel, V., Garas, G., Ashrafian, H., Hull, L., Sevdalis, N., Harding, S., Darzi, A., & Paroutis, S. (2016). Mentoring perception, scientific collaboration and research performance: is there a 'gender gap' in academic medicine? An Academic Health Science Centre perspective. Postgraduate medical journal, 92(1092), 581–586. https://doi.org/10.1136/postgradmedj-2016-134313

    • Caruso, T. J., Steinberg, D. H., Piro, N., Walker, K., Blankenburg, R., Rassbach, C., Marquez, J. L., Katznelson, L., & Dohn, A. (2016). A Strategic Approach to Implementation of Medical Mentorship Programs. Journal of graduate medical education, 8(1), 68–73. https://doi.org/10.4300/JGME-D-15-00335.1

    • Chen, M. M., Sandborg, C. I., Hudgins, L., Sanford, R., & Bachrach, L. K. (2016). A Multifaceted Mentoring Program for Junior Faculty in Academic Pediatrics. Teaching and learning in medicine, 28(3), 320–328. https://doi.org/10.1080/10401334.2016.1153476

    • Christou, H., Dookeran, N., Haas, A., Di Frances, C., Emans, S. J., Milstein, M. E., Kram, K. E., & Seely, E. W. (2017). Establishing Effective Mentoring Networks: Rationale and Strategies. MedEdPORTAL : the journal of teaching and learning resources, 13, 10571. https://doi.org/10.15766/mep_2374-8265.10571

    • Chun J. U. Sosik J. J. & Yun N. Y. (2012). A longitudinal study of mentor and protégé outcomes in formal mentoring relationships. Journal of Organizational Behavior 1071–1094. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.1781

    • Cole, M. A., Barth, B. E., Haley, L. L., Siegelman, J., Zink, B., & Daniel, M. (2018). A Conceptual Model for Navigating a Career Path in Medical School Leadership. AEM education and training, 2(Suppl Suppl 1), S68–S78. https://doi.org/10.1002/aet2.10212

    • DeCastro, R., Sambuco, D., Ubel, P. A., Stewart, A., & Jagsi, R. (2013). Mentor networks in academic medicine: moving beyond a dyadic conception of mentoring for junior faculty researchers. Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges, 88(4), 488–496. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0b013e318285d302

    • Ensher E. A. Grant-Vallone E. J. & Marelich W. D. (2002). Effects of perceived attitudinal and demographic similarity on protégés' support and satisfaction gained from their mentoring relationships. Journal of Applied Social Psychology 1407–1430. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2002.tb01444.x

    • Farkas, A. H., Bonifacino, E., Turner, R., Tilstra, S. A., & Corbelli, J. A. (2019). Mentorship of Women in Academic Medicine: a Systematic Review. Journal of general internal medicine, 34(7), 1322–1329. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-019-04955-2

    • Files, J. A., Blair, J. E., Mayer, A. P., & Ko, M. G. (2008). Facilitated peer mentorship: a pilot program for academic advancement of female medical faculty. Journal of women's health (2002), 17(6), 1009–1015. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2007.0647

    • Freeman, B. K., Landry, A., Trevino, R., Grande, D., & Shea, J. A. (2016). Understanding the Leaky Pipeline: Perceived Barriers to Pursuing a Career in Medicine or Dentistry Among Underrepresented-in-Medicine Undergraduate Students. Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges, 91(7), 987–993. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000001020

    • Gafni Lachter, L. R., & Ruland, J. P. (2018). Enhancing leadership and relationships by implementing a peer mentoring program. Australian occupational therapy journal, 65(4), 276–284. https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1630.12471

    • Hoffman, K., Gray, P., Hosokawa, M. C., & Zweig, S. C. (2006). Evaluating the effectiveness of a Senior Mentor Program: the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine. Gerontology & geriatrics education, 27(2), 37–47. https://doi.org/10.1300/J021v27n02_05

    • Hojat, M., Erdmann, J. B., & Gonnella, J. S. (2013). Personality assessments and outcomes in medical education and the practice of medicine: AMEE Guide No. 79. Medical teacher, 35(7), e1267–e1301. https://doi.org/10.3109/0142159X.2013.785654

    • Hur, Y., Kim, S., & Lee, K. (2013). What kind of mentoring do we need? A review of mentoring program studies for medical students. Korean journal of medical education, 25(1), 5–13. https://doi.org/10.3946/kjme.2013.25.1.5

    • Jacelon, C. S., Zucker, D. M., Staccarini, J. M., & Henneman, E. A. (2003). Peer mentoring for tenure-track faculty. Journal of professional nursing : official journal of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 19(6), 335–338. https://doi.org/10.1016/s8755-7223(03)00131-5

    • Lee F. K. Dougherty T. W. & Turban D. B. (n.d.). The role of personality and work values in mentoring programs. Review of Business 33–37. Find It! @ KUMC

    • Leier, C. V., Auseon, A. J., & Binkley, P. F. (2011). Selecting a mentor: a guide for residents, fellows, and young physicians. The American journal of medicine, 124(10), 893–895. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2011.04.031

    • Morzinski, J. A., & Simpson, D. E. (2003). Outcomes of a comprehensive faculty development program for local, full-time faculty. Family medicine, 35(6), 434–439. Find It! @ KUMC

    • Sheri, K., Too, J., Chuah, S., Toh, Y. P., Mason, S., & Radha Krishna, L. K. (2019). A scoping review of mentor training programs in medicine between 1990 and 2017. Medical education online, 24(1), 1555435. https://doi.org/10.1080/10872981.2018.1555435

    • Shollen, S. L., Bland, C. J., Center, B. A., Finstad, D. A., & Taylor, A. L. (2014). Relating mentor type and mentoring behaviors to academic medicine faculty satisfaction and productivity at one medical school. Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges, 89(9), 1267–1275. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000000381

    • Sirridge M. S. (1985). The mentor system in medicine--how it works for women. Journal of the American Medical Women's Association (1972), 40(2), 51–53. Find It! @ KUMC

    • Sng, J. H., Pei, Y., Toh, Y. P., Peh, T. Y., Neo, S. H., & Krishna, L. (2017). Mentoring relationships between senior physicians and junior doctors and/or medical students: A thematic review. Medical teacher, 39(8), 866–875. https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159X.2017.1332360

    • Tsai, P. I., & Helsel, B. S. (2016). How to build effective mentor-mentee relationships: Role of the mentee. The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery, 151(3), 642–644. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcvs.2015.10.017

    • Turban D. B. & Dougherty T. W. (1994). Role of protege personality in receipt of mentoring and career success. Academy of Management Journal, 37(3), 688–702. https://www.jstor.org/stable/256706 

    • Waters L. (2004). Protégé-mentor agreement about the provision of psychosocial support: the mentoring relationship personality and workload. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 65(3), 519–532. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2003.10.004

    • Westring, A., McDonald, J. M., Carr, P., & Grisso, J. A. (2016). An Integrated Framework for Gender Equity in Academic Medicine. Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges, 91(8), 1041–1044. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000001275

    • Winfield R. D. (2014). Making the transition from mentee to mentor. Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons, 99(8), 13–16. Find It! @ KUMC

    • Zimet G. D. Dahlem N. W. Zimet S. G. & Farley G. K. (1988). The multidimensional scale of perceived social support. Journal of Personality Assessment, 52(1)30–41. Find It! @ KUMC
    Book chapter
    • Turban DB, Lee FK. The role of personality in mentoring relationships. - Ch2. The handbook of mentoring at work: Theory, research, and practice. Sage Thousand Oaks, CA; 2007:21-50. ISBN:  9781412916691 Find It! @ KUMC
    Videos

    Sep 2021  -  Five Roles of Mentor

    Previous mentorship discussion panels

    Learn from previous mentors and mentees as panelists discuss how to be a successful mentee, ways to be a better mentor, lessons learned, and missteps.

    2022

    2021

    Websites

    Augusta University - Mentoring Minutes: A Collection of Brief Overviews of Evidence-Based Mentoring Practices

    Questions

    For questions, please contact the Program Manager, Heather Rissler, PhD, EdD.

    KU School of Medicine

    University of Kansas Medical Center
    Faculty Affairs and Development (FAD)
    School of Medicine
    Mail Stop 1049
    3901 Rainbow Blvd.
    Kansas City, KS 66160-1049