The role of mentoring in academic career progression: A cross-sectional survey of the Academy of Medical Sciences mentoring scheme

Abstract

Objectives: To describe a successful mentoring schemedesigned for mid-career clinician scientists and to examinefactors associated with mentee report of positive careerimpact.Design: Mixed methods study including in-depth interviewsand cross-sectional data collection via an online survey.Setting: Academy of Medical Sciences mentoring schemeset up in 2002 and evaluated in 2010. Participants: One hundred and forty-seven of 227 menteestook part in the study (response rate of 65%). Ten mentees,three mentors and eight stakeholders/scheme staff wereselected to participate in in-depth interviews.Main outcome measures: Qualitative data: Interviewswere transcribed, and free text was analysed to identifythemes and subthemes in the narrative. Quantitative data:We examined the associations of reported positive careerimpact of mentoring by performing simple and multiplelogistic regression analysis.Results: Mentoring success was determined by a variety offactors including reasons for selection (e.g. presence of apersonal recommendation), mentee characteristics (e.g.younger age), experience and skills of the mentor (e.g.'mentor helped me to find my own solutions') and thequality of the relationship (e.g. 'my mentor and I set outclear expectations early on'). Conclusions: Our evaluation demonstrates that bothmentor and mentee value mentoring and that careful planningof a scheme including preparation, training andongoing support of both mentor and mentee addressingexpectations, building rapport and logistics are likely tobe helpful in ensuring success and benefit from theintervention. © The Royal Society of Medicine.