Mentoring and surgical training: a time for reflection!

Effective mentoring has an invaluable role in the development of surgeons at various levels and is frequently perceived vital in achieving career success. Its role therefore is only second to credentialing. However, the formal role of mentoring and learner support in surgical training remains non-existent. This is reflected in a paucity of empirical data on mentoring in graduate medical education which makes meaningful research even more difficult. This article reflects on these failings, explores the reasons for apathy towards mentoring in surgical training and why the attitudes toward mentoring remain casual and lukewarm. Furthermore the authors explore the literature on this subject to identify ways and methods of remedying the situation.