An audit on mentor-mentee program: Mentees perceptions on mentors

Abstract

Introduction: Mentor-mentee program is essential for mentees’ development. The objective of this paper was to investigate mentees’ perceptions on their mentors. Methods: A questionnaire-survey among all-50 clinical-medical students who mentored by 16 faculty members at Widad University College(WUC)Malaysia, was conducted in 2019.A standardized-questionnaire that examined the mentorship-roles, communication-frequencies, mentor-mentee-relationships and mentoring-effectiveness was used. Relationship was measured by a 4-point scale against each of satisfaction, importance, support, and impact while effectiveness was measured using 0-5 scale on 11-behavioral-skills. Results: Response rate was 92%; only 17% mentees perceived, their mentors played all five mentorship-roles while 30% played only one role. Though 41% mentees had ≥6 communications per-semester with mentors, one year-5 mentee had no-communication at all. Over 16 mentor-mentee relationship and 55 mentoring-effectiveness scores, the mean relationship and effectiveness score was 12.03(75%) and 37.45(72%) respectively. Mentees expected more communication-sessions and their contributions to be acknowledged. Conclusion: Mentor-mentee program at WUC revealed 75% and 72% respectively in mentor-mentee-relationship and mentoring-effectiveness, which is good. However, faculty needs to play more mentorship-roles and acknowledged mentees’ contributions. Addition of portfolio and reflective-writing in the curriculum will benefits in monitoring mentees’ development. Educational managers should pay attention to this and adequate training of mentors to fulfil the mentees’ needs.