Basics of faculty-to-faculty mentoring: A process to identify support and challenges

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Academic Medicine
• Faculty Development

Background:

• Faculty mentoring is crucial but underdeveloped in health sciences literature.
• Formal mentoring programs lack standardization, particularly in the subcontinent.
• Informal mentoring at Aga Khan University Medical College (AKU-MC) lacks a defined model.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore faculty mentor perceptions at AKU-MC.
• To identify roles and responsibilities within faculty mentorship.
• To inform the planning of advanced faculty development workshops.

Main Methods:

• Observational study conducted in September 2021 at AKU-MC.
• Convenient sampling of 22 faculty mentors.
• Workshop format to gather perspectives on mentorship.

Main Results:

• Mentors emphasized supportive, guiding, reflective, and formative roles.
• Key challenges included role modeling, confidentiality, relationship building, and institutional frameworks.
• Participants highlighted the need for formal mentoring frameworks and capacity building.

Conclusions:

• Formal faculty mentoring requires structured programs and institutional support.
• Capacity building activities are essential for developing junior faculty mentors.
• Strengthening formal mentoring can enhance faculty growth and sustainability.