The good-enough mentoring relationship

Objective: This study aimed to describe the state of mentoring in today's academic environment. Methods: Resident focus groups from across the nation, discussed their opinions about mentoring and experiences with mentoring, and individual faculty members were videotaped discussing the same. Results: Sixty-six residents and five faculty members participated in the project. There was consensus among residents and faculty regarding important qualities of a mentoring relationship, obstacles to forming a mentorship, and methods to improve the mentorship experience in psychiatric training. Conclusion: Mentoring is still believed to be a vital component of a successful residency experience. Specific components that warrant further research include boundaries within the relationship, ethnicity and gender factors, and potential need for resident and faculty curricula on the topic of mentoring.