Open AccessA Mentor Development Program for Clinical Translational Science Faculty Leads to Sustained, Improved Confidence in Mentoring Skills
Author(s) -
Feldman Mitchell D.,
Steinauer Jody E.,
Khalili Mandana,
Huang Laurence,
Kahn James S.,
Lee Kathryn A.,
Creasman Jennifer,
Brown Jeanette S.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
clinical and translational science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.303
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1752-8062
pISSN - 1752-8054
DOI - 10.1111/j.1752-8062.2012.00419.x
Subject(s) - mentorship , translational science , medical education , faculty development , medicine , translational research , career development , professional development , psychology , pathology
Mentorship is crucial for academic productivity and advancement for clinical and translational (CT) science faculty. However, little is known about the long‐term effects of mentor training programs. The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), Clinical and Translational Science Institute launched a Mentor Development Program (MDP) in 2007 for CT faculty. We report on an evaluation of the first three cohorts of graduates from the MDP. In 2010, all Mentors in Training (MITs) who completed the MDP from 2007 to 2009 ( n = 38) were asked to complete an evaluation of their mentoring skills and knowledge; all MITs (100%) completed the evaluation. Two‐thirds of MDP graduates reported that they often apply knowledge, attitudes, or skills obtained in the MDP to their mentoring. Nearly all graduates (97%) considered being a mentor important to their career satisfaction. Graduates were also asked about the MDP's impact on specific mentoring skills; 95% agreed that the MDP helped them to become a better mentor and to focus their mentoring goals. We also describe a number of new initiatives to support mentoring at UCSF that have evolved from the MDP. To our knowledge, this is the first evaluation of the long‐term impact of a mentor training program for CT researchers. Clin Trans Sci 2012; Volume 5: 362–367