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Innovative mentoring programs to promote gender equity in academic medicine
1Office on Women's Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C., USA. smark@osophs.dhhs.gov
Summary
Four medical schools launched innovative faculty mentoring programs in 1998, supported by the Office on Women's Health (OWH), to advance careers. These initiatives aim to create diverse faculty and supportive academic environments.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Faculty Development
- Academic Medicine
Background:
- Established in 1998, four medical school programs addressed faculty career advancement.
- Initiated by the Office on Women's Health (OWH), these programs focused on mentorship.
- The National Task Force on Mentoring for Health Professionals identified key principles for successful mentoring.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the history, characteristics, and goals of four innovative faculty mentoring programs.
- To highlight the role of institutional commitment and rewards in mentoring.
- To present these programs as potential models for other institutions.
Main Methods:
- The Office on Women's Health (OWH) established National Centers of Leadership in Academic Medicine at four medical schools.
- Programs were designed to facilitate faculty access to mentors for career advancement.
- Key principles for program success included institutional commitment and recognition for mentors.
Main Results:
- Four medical schools (MCP Hahnemann, UC San Diego, East Carolina, Meharry) implemented distinct mentoring programs.
- Programs aimed to foster career advancement for faculty members of all genders.
- Progress and goals of each program were documented.
Conclusions:
- These mentoring programs promote faculty diversity and a supportive academic environment.
- They contribute to educating healthcare providers sensitive to diverse patient and staff needs.
- The programs serve as models for advancing academic medicine through mentorship.