Virtual Academic Asynchronous Mentoring (VAAM) for Faculty Physicians: An Innovative Mentorship

Area of Science:

• Academic Medicine
• Mentorship Programs
• Physician Development

Background:

• Traditional mentorship in academic medicine enhances career advancement but faces challenges like time constraints.
• Women and underrepresented physicians often lack mentorship, widening diversity gaps in academic leadership.
• A novel virtual asynchronous mentoring video platform was developed to overcome these limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce an innovative virtual asynchronous mentoring video platform for academic faculty physicians.
• To provide accessible resources for career advancement, leadership development, and scholarly activities.
• To address limitations of traditional mentorship models, particularly for underrepresented groups.

Main Methods:

• A video series was created featuring 10 mentors (physician faculty and a research administrator) from diverse medical specialties.
• Mentors shared insights on academic advancement, mentorship, leadership, and research resources.
• The platform was designed for busy academic faculty physicians.

Main Results:

• The Virtual Academic Asynchronous Mentoring (VAAM) Video Series reached 182 unique viewers with 2,107 visits between March 2020 and September 2023.
• Survey results indicated high viewer satisfaction, with 52% rating content as excellent and 43% as very good.
• Seventy-six percent of respondents believed the series could enhance professional development and academic productivity.

Conclusions:

• The VAAM Video Platform provides a novel, convenient, and cost-effective approach to academic mentoring.
• This platform removes barriers associated with traditional mentorship, offering an equitable resource for junior faculty.
• VAAM supports career development and academic advancement for faculty physicians, promoting diversity in leadership.