Medical mentorship deconstructed: an analysis and structural recommendation for high value mentorship

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Mentorship Programs

Background:

• Mentorship is vital for students pursuing medical careers.
• Access to healthcare professionals for mentorship is limited in rural and underserved areas.

Purpose of the Study:

• To understand the mentorship experiences of medical students.
• To explore perceptions and challenges in medical student mentorship.

Main Methods:

• Conducted structured, one-on-one interviews with 10 medical students.
• Transcribed, coded, and analyzed interview data for themes.

Main Results:

• Identified three key periods: before, during, and after mentorship.
• Key characteristics include professional development, mentor qualities, and guidance.
• Mentorship impacts students from undergraduate to current educational levels.

Conclusions:

• Medical student mentorship experiences are predominantly positive.
• Areas for improvement include setting expectations and mentor/mentee matching.
• Proposed solutions: mentor training and pairing individuals with similar backgrounds.