A Sustainable Course in Research Mentoring

In this report, we describe a six-year experience (2007-2012) in a single CTSA awardee institution on the development, implementation and evaluation of a hybrid online mentoring curriculum that is applicable to CTSA trainees at various levels (graduate, medical students, and junior faculty) of career training. The curriculum offers convenience, engagement, and financial sustainability. Overall, we found high levels of satisfaction with the curriculum and mentoring experience among both proteges and mentors. Qualitative data showed remarkable consensus of 14 of the 15 domains of mentoring that form the framework of the mentoring curriculum: (1) accessibility, (2) selectivity, (3) engagement/support, (4) teaching/training, (5) clarity of performance/expectations, (6) sponsorship/sharing power judiciously, (7) demystifying the system (academia), (8) challenging/encouraging risk taking, (9) affirming, (10) providing exposure/visibility, (11) being an intentional role model, (12) protecting, (13) providing feedback, (14) self-disclosure, and lastly (15) counseling, with the fifteenth domain counseling being the most controversial. Quantitative survey data of both mentors and proteges indicated a high degree of overall satisfaction in their mentor-protege dyad with 86% (59) of proteges and 86% (55) of mentors responding good or excellent to the quality of time spent. Mentors and proteges were most satisfied in the area of research, with 93% (62) of proteges and 96% (57) of mentors finding discussions in research very to somewhat useful for their own career advancement. Along with wide acceptability, this format is a useful option for institutions where face-to-face time is limited and education budgets are lean.