MENTOR study: Matching expectations and needs to optimize relationships in cardiovascular fellowship training

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Cardiology Training
• Mentorship Programs

Background:

• Mentorship is crucial for successful cardiology fellowship training.
• Understanding the alignment of priorities between mentors and mentees is essential for effective guidance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the congruence of mentorship priorities between cardiology fellows-in-training (FITs) and faculty mentors.
• To identify discrepancies in perceived importance and satisfaction with various mentorship aspects.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional online survey was administered to cardiology mentors and FIT mentees in Connecticut.
• Participants rated the importance and satisfaction of mentorship categories using a Likert scale.
• Data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests.

Main Results:

• Survey response rates were 48% for FITs and 16% for faculty mentors.
• Mentors significantly undervalued the importance FITs placed on research opportunities (p < 0.05), networking (p < 0.05), and job search support (p < 0.05).
• Mentors overestimated the value FITs placed on work-life balance and clinical mentorship.

Conclusions:

• A significant expectation-satisfaction gap exists, with FITs valuing research, networking, and job support more than mentors perceive.
• Aligning mentor and mentee expectations is critical to enhance the effectiveness of cardiology training mentorship.
• Further research is recommended to explore strategies for improving mentorship alignment.