Underrepresented in Medicine Mentorship Program: Perceived Benefits and Lessons Learned

Area of Science:

• Academic Medicine
• Faculty Development
• Mentorship Programs

Background:

• Underrepresented in medicine (URM) faculty face unique challenges in academic medicine.
• Targeted mentorship is crucial for URM faculty career advancement.
• The Underrepresented in Medicine Mentorship Program (URM-MP) was developed to address these needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a society-based mentorship program for URM faculty.
• To assess the impact of specialized mentor training on URM faculty career progression.
• To identify key components of successful mentorship for URM individuals in academic medicine.

Main Methods:

• The URM-MP paired early-career URM faculty with trained mentors for monthly meetings over one year.
• Mentors received web-based training on addressing oppression and marginalization.
• Pre- and post-surveys assessed mentee self-perceived effectiveness and experiences.

Main Results:

• Fifty-seven URM faculty participated across three years.
• Mentees showed significant improvements in career enhancement, resource navigation, and overcoming academic challenges.
• Qualitative feedback highlighted the value of mentors understanding URM experiences and the importance of the mentor-mentee relationship.

Conclusions:

• Society-based mentorship with trained mentors fosters trust and improves URM faculty confidence.
• Specialized training for mentors is key to addressing URM faculty needs.
• Effective mentorship programs can enhance URM faculty success in academic medicine.