Although mentoring is acknowledged as a key to successful and satisfying careers in medicine, formal mentoring programs for medical students are lacking in most countries. Within the framework of planning a mentoring program for medical students at Zurich University, an investigation was carried out into what types of programs exist, what the objectives pursued by such programs are, and what effects are reported. A PubMed literature search was conducted for 2000 - 2008 using the following keywords or their combinations: mentoring, mentoring program, medical student, mentor, mentee, protege, mentorship. Although a total of 438 publications were identified, only 25 papers met the selection criteria for structured programs and student mentoring surveys. The mentoring programs reported in 14 papers aim to provide career counseling, develop professionalism, increase students' interest in research, and support them in their personal growth. There are both one-to-one and group mentorships, established in the first two years of medical school and continuing through graduation. The personal student-faculty relationship is important in that it helps students to feel that they are benefiting from individual advice and encourages them to give more thought to their career choices. Other benefits are an increase in research productivity and improved medical school performance in general. Mentored students also rate their overall well-being as higher. - The 11 surveys address the requirements for being an effective mentor as well as a successful mentee. A mentor should empower and encourage the mentee, be a role model, build a professional network, and assist in the mentee's personal development. A mentee should set agendas, follow through, accept criticism, and be able to assess performance and the benefits derived from the mentoring relationship. Mentoring is obviously an important career advancement tool for medical students. In Europe, more mentoring programs should be developed, but would need to be rigorously assessed based on evidence of their value in terms of both their impact on the career paths of juniors and their benefit for the mentors. Medical schools could then be monitored with respect to the provision of mentorships as a quality characteristic.

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Mentoring programs for medical students - a review of the PubMed literature 2000 - 2008

Medical school mentoring programs incorporate a wide range of objectives. Clinical mentoring programs help to develop students' clinical skills and can increase interest in under-subscribed specialties. Those that focus on teaching professionalism are integrated into medical school curriculums in order to overcome the "hidden curriculum". Positive mentoring plays a part in reversing the decline of academic medicine, by sparking interest through early research experiences. It also has an important role in encouraging recruitment of under-represented minority groups into the medical profession through widening access programs. The aim of our review of the literature, is to analyze current trends in medical student mentoring programs, taking into account their objectives, execution, and evaluation. We outline the challenges encountered, potential benefits, and key future implications for mentees, mentors, and institutions.

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Medical student mentoring programs: current insights.

Purpose The career decisions, practice patterns, and approach to patient care of current female students, who make up close to 50% of medical school classes, will have a profound impact on the profession. This study explores the role gender plays in the mentoring experiences of female medical students. Method In 2011, the authors conducted focus groups with 48 third- and fourth-year female medical students at four U.S. medical schools. Using a template organizing style, they derived themes in an iterative process to explore female medical students' mentoring relationships and the impact of gender on those relationships. Results The authors identified four major themes: (1) Optimal mentoring relationships are highly relational. Students emphasized shared values, trust, and a personal connection in describing ideal mentoring relationships. (2) Relational mentoring is more important than gender concordance. Students identified a desire for access to female mentors but stated that when a mentor and mentee developed a personal connection, the gender of the mentor was less important. (3) Gender-based assumptions and stereotypes affect mentoring relationships. Students described gender-based assumptions and expectations for themselves and their mentors. (4) Gender-based power dynamics influence students' thinking about mentoring. Students stated that they were concerned about how their mentors might perceive their professional decisions because of their gender, which influenced what they disclosed to male mentors and mentors in positions of power. Conclusions Gender appears to play a role in female medical students' expectations and experience with mentoring relationships and may influence their decision making around career planning.

"A good career choice for women": Female medical students' mentoring experiences: A multi-institutional qualitative study

Background
Despite increasing recognition that mentoring is essential early in medical careers, little is known about the prevalence of mentoring programs for medical students. We conducted this study to survey all medical schools in Germany regarding the prevalence of mentoring programs for medical students as well as the characteristics, goals and effectiveness of these programs.

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More mentoring needed? A cross-sectional study of mentoring programs for medical students in Germany

Background Effective mentoring is an important component of medical student professional development. We provide a description of the mentoring program at our institution. Methods Our institution UTHSCSA implemented a student-advising program (Veritas) with clinical faculty mentors and senior students (MiMs). The MiMs provided vertical peer mentoring to more junior students as an adjunct to faculty advising. The MiMs lead small group discussions that foster camaraderie, share academic and career information and promote professional identity. An optional MiM elective more intensively develops mentorship and leadership skills through a formal curriculum. The authors used annual survey data of all students as well as student mentors to evaluate program effectiveness. Results Overall, student perception of the program improved each year across multiple domains, including feeling more prepared, supported and satisfied with their overall experience in medical school. Student mentors also found the process rewarding and helpful to their future careers as physicians. Conclusions The authors suggest implementing a vertical peer-mentoring program can be an effective adjunct to faculty mentoring.

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Students helping students: vertical peer mentoring to enhance the medical school experience

Advising and mentoring programs for medical students vary in their official names, scope, and structures. Catalyzed by negative student feedback regarding career advising and a perceived disconnection between faculty and students, in academic year 2003-2004, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons implemented its formal Advisory Dean (AD) Program and disbanded its former advising system that used faculty volunteers. The AD Program has become a key element for enhancing the students' professional development throughout their student training, focusing on topics including, but not limited to, career counseling, professionalism, humanism, and wellness resources. Advisory deans and the dean for student affairs, familiar with resources for academic development, student support, and extracurricular activities, operate at the nexus of the program, providing personalized mentoring and advising for each student. Fully supported by administration and faculty, the program has shown early success according to student feedback. Early feedback from the Class of 2006, who had been involved in our AD Program for three years, has been encouraging. Out of 152 students, 104 (68%) provided feedback, with 93 (89%) of the respondents reporting the AD Program as a valuable initiative. Expecting to further improve on this early positive response, the AD Program will continue to foster an environment conducive to a seamless transition from student to physician.

The advisory dean program: a personalized approach to academic and career advising for medical students.

Purpose In 2003, the advisory dean program at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons was created to better connect students and faculty by supporting student academic progress and improving career advising. With the program in its eighth year, the authors were interested in identifying key factors in maintaining ongoing vitality and effectiveness. Method In 2011, the authors conducted a reflective analysis to study the program, using available information from dean interviews, student surveys, meeting agendas, and program leader reflections, aided by the Bolman and Deal four-part framework for organizational functioning (structural, human resource, political, and symbolic). Results Structural factors included reframing program goals to match program activities, situating the program within broader academic advising and counseling resources, and increasing face time between entering students and their deans. Human resource factors included managing higher-than-expected turnover of deans with dean selection and orientation strategies that balance diversity and consistency, and providing ongoing training to promote continual professional growth. Political factors included balancing resources (e.g., money, administrative support) from the school and departments to help the deans protect and manage their time. Symbolic factors were related to leveraging the deans as symbols of institutional values and commitment to education (e.g., participation in the white coat ceremony), and being aware of "hidden meanings" associated with decisions within other frames (e.g., student-to-dean ratio). Conclusions A variety of strategies across frames were used to maintain the program. This report can serve as a guide to program maintenance for other institutions.

Lisa A. Mellman

Papers

The advisory dean program: a personalized approach to academic and career advising for medical students.

Sustaining an advisory dean program through continuous improvement and evaluation.